Europe

World soccer governing body FIFA's appeal committee confirmed on Friday its three-year ban on Luis Rubiales after dismissing an appeal by the former head of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Rubiales was banned for three years from all football-related activities on Oct. 30 after kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips, allegedly without consent, following Spain's Women's World Cup final win over England in August.

LONDON — Jürgen Klopp stunned the world of football on Friday when he announced he would stand down as Liverpool manager at the end of season, saying that after more than eight hugely successful years in charge he was running out of energy.

The German, who led Liverpool to the League Cup final on Wednesday and is hugely popular with the fans, told the club's hierarchy in November that he would end his eight-and-a-half year stay at Anfield after this season.

Assistant managers Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz are also leaving the club.

A Gio Reyna Nottingham Forest loan move could be on the table as the United States men’s national team attacking midfielder seeks playing time.

Reyna has seen miniscule action with Borussia Dortmund this season as manager Edin Terzic has opted to use basically anyone not named Reyna. The 21-year-old American has only started one Bundesliga game for Dortmund in the 2023-24 campaign and is only used as a late substitute.

Reyna’s next destination could be a completely new kind of challenge as he’s in talks with a loan move to Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest.

England under-20 international Charlie Hughes gave new meaning to the phrase 'late winner' when he scored after 20 minutes of second-half stoppage time to earn Wigan Athletic a 1-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers in England's third tier on Tuesday.

The England under-20 international caught the ball on the volley to score the latest goal recorded in a match in the long history of the English Football League (EFL) to win the game.

Wigan late goal in 90+20' vs. Wycombe

Johnny Cardoso had a solid debut performance for Real Betis in their 4-2 LaLiga loss against FC Barcelona this Sunday at the Estadio Villamarín.

The 22-year-old American was included in the Seville club’s starting XI without any prior minutes on the pitch for Betis since signing for the club last December.

Jordan Pefok hit the back of the net once again on Sunday, scoring the only goal in Borussia Monchengladbach’s 2-1 home loss vs. Augsburg in Matchday 18 of the Bundesliga.

The D.C. native has been having nothing short of an impressive start to his loan spell with The Foals, becoming one of the team’s top scorers with just a short amount of minutes on the pitch.

MADRID — A Dani Carvajal strike in the ninth-minute of stoppage time rescued Real Madrid, earning them a 3-2 comeback win at home against bottom side Almeria on Sunday in a frantic LaLiga tussle that was marked by VAR controversy.

Real climbed to the top of the LaLiga standings on 51 points, two ahead Girona who host Sevilla later on Sunday.

UDINE — A stoppage-time goal by striker Noah Okafor secured AC Milan a 3-2 win at lowly Udinese in Serie A on Saturday after the game was briefly suspended in the first half due to racist chants towards Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Racist chants Milan game

Udinese-Milan was suspended after Mike Maignan was racially abused by Udinese fans.

The match has resumed after Milan originally exited the pitch. pic.twitter.com/1Kv9pvMBNh

An Ivan Toney free kick goal is one of the big talking points from Brentford’s 3-2 victory vs. Nottingham Forest on Saturday after the Bees striker made his long-awaited return to the Premier League.

Toney returned from an eight month ban for betting offences and only needed 19 minutes to get on the score sheet. A closer look at the free kick shows that Toney moved the foam put down by the referee and the ball before taking the kick.

Was this cheating or was this clever?

Ivan Toney free kick goal controversy