Asia

Jürgen Klinsmann has defended his underwhelming start to life as South Korea coach with the German yet to win any of his four games in charge since taking over from Paulo Bento.

Klinsmann was appointed in February and his team have drawn twice and lost twice as the Koreans look to build on their run to the knockout rounds of last year's World Cup under his Portuguese predecessor.

An opening draw with Colombia was followed by losses against Uruguay and Peru while Klinsmann's side were held to a 1-1 draw by El Salvador on Tuesday in their most recent international.

New Zealand Football (NZF) said it will contact FIFA about protecting players from racism after the men's national team abandoned a friendly against Qatar at halftime in protest at an alleged racist slur against one of their players.

New Zealand said a Qatari opponent directed a "significant racist slur" at All Whites defender Michael Boxall, who has Samoan heritage, shortly before the interval.

BEIJING/SHANGHAI — Argentine superstar Lionel Messi arrived in Beijing on Saturday for a friendly match before leaving a storied European career to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami as a free agent.

Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante will sign for Saudi Arabia champions Al-Ittihad on a two-year deal, Al Ekhbariya TV said on Wednesday.

Al Ekhbariya added the contract with the 32-year-old, who won the 2018 World Cup with France, has an option to be extended for another year.

If the deal is completed as expected, Kante will line up alongside compatriot Karim Benzema who signed a three-year contract with the Saudi side on Tuesday.

MADRID — Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema said farewell to Real Madrid in a small, private ceremony closed to fans and media on Tuesday following a trophy-laden 14-year stay with the LaLiga club.

The French striker, 35, will leave as a free agent and is set to move to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad, signing a two-year deal estimated by media reports to be worth more than $106 million.

MADRID - Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema will leave Real Madrid as a free agent in the close season after 14 trophy-laden years, the LaLiga club said on Sunday, with the striker set to move to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad.

Saudi Arabia's state-run Al Ekhbariya television station reported that Al Ittihad had reached an agreement with Benzema on a two-year contract, with club officials in Madrid to hammer out a "record deal" with the striker.

Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr could not resist the temptation to sign five-times Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in January, but although the prolific Portuguese forward scored an impressive number of goals, they finished the season empty-handed.

Ronaldo's hopes of silverware ended on Saturday as Al-Ittihad clinched the league title for the first time since 2009 with one match to spare.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the third goal for Al-Nassr on Tuesday to complete a two-goal comeback against third-place Al-Shabab and keep his side in the race for the Saudi Pro League title.

Ronaldo’s goal was solid as he nestled the ball into the side netting after he bodied an Al-Shabab defender who flew like a ragdoll onto the turf.

CR7 received high praise from the soccer-sphere for his goal.