National Teams

There’s no global women’s footballer more under appreciated in America than Germany’s Dzsenifer Marozsán. For those whose interest in the game peaks around World Cup time, the stylish No. 10 is pretty much an unknown. 

After winning her first cap in 2010, Marozsán missed the 2011 World Cup with a knee injury. In 2015 she contributed eight goals throughout qualifying but was severely limited during the finals with an ankle injury. When the USWNT met Germany in the semifinals, Marozsán could only enter the match in the 77th minute with Die Nationalelf already trailing 1-0.

U.S. Soccer on Tuesday announced its men's national team will not play any international matches during the upcoming window in October due to COVID-19 concerns.

The U.S. has not played since defeating Costa Rica 1-0 in February in Carson, California.

Friendlies against Netherlands and Wales were postponed in March, along with the Concacaf Nations League final four in June and the start of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September.

Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitić has called time on his international career with the 2018 World Cup runners-up, he said on Monday.

The former Barcelona player, 32, was an integral part of the Croatia side who reached the World Cup final in Russia before losing 4-2 to France.

Rakitić, who made 106 appearances and scored 15 goals for his country, discussed the decision with national captain Luka Modrić, coach Zlatko Dalić and Croatian Football Association president Davor Šuker.

England women's soccer head coach Phil Neville says he hopes to lead the British team at the Tokyo Olympics next year and expects the Football Association (FA) to decide shortly as to whether he will be handed the reins.

Australia's women's soccer team, the Matildas, apologised on Friday after it emerged that their replica away kit was not on sale in female sizes.

The new kit, made by Nike of 100 percent recycled polyester from plastic bottles, was unveiled earlier alongside the men's home and away jerseys but fans soon noted that only the women's gold home shirt was available for purchase online.

Our new @nike kit is now available to purchase 

Manchester United women's captain Katie Zelem has been withdrawn from England's training camp after testing positive for COVID-19, the FA said on Wednesday.

Zelem, 24, was named in coach Phil Neville's 30-player squad last week for the Lionesses' training camp at St George's Park.

The FA and the club said the midfielder will now self-isolate for 10 days as per the health protocol.

BERN — The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to cost club football $14 billion this year worldwide, around one third of its value, a leading official at global soccer body FIFA said on Wednesday.

Olli Rehn, who heads the FIFA committee set up to tackle the effects of the pandemic, said that FIFA, along with financial consultants, had estimated the club game to be worth between $40 billion and $45 billion worldwide.

Japan's Olympic Minister insists the rearranged Tokyo 2020 Games must be held "at any cost,” while the International Olympic Committee says only that it is committed to delivering a safe event.

But with less than a year before the July 23-Aug. 8 Games are due to start, the hugest of question marks remains over whether they can ever take place. With neither partner seemingly willing to consider scrapping the event as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc globally, we consider the options available, and possible scenarios:

KABUL — Pressure is mounting in Afghanistan for the arrest of the fugitive former head of the national soccer federation, who was banned from the sport for life last year after FIFA's ethics committee found him guilty of sexually abusing female players.

Keramuudin Karim, 58, is accused by the attorney general's office of repeated abuse of at least five female footballers between 2013 and 2018 during his time as president of the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF).

Yūki Nagasato has done just about everything. She’s won a Women’s World Cup, an Olympic silver medal and a UEFA Champions League title. She’s played club ball in her home country of Japan, Germany, England, the U.S. and Australia, winning league titles in Japan and England. 

Now Nagasato’s aiming for something a little different: playing for a men’s team.