DOHA, Qatar (AP) — France coach Didier Deschamps knows most neutral fans want Argentina to win the World Cup final to give Lionel Messi the perfect send-off from soccer's biggest tournament.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — France's World Cup squad has been decimated by injuries to star players like Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante. While the absences are a big blow for the defending champion, they open the door for a new generation of players to shine in Qatar.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Injury-hit France arrived in Qatar on Wednesday to begin the defense of its World Cup title, with coach Didier Deschamps leading the squad off the plane after it landed.
The squad was to take part in stretching exercises before having dinner.
TURIN, Italy (AP) — France midfielder Paul Pogba will miss the World Cup due to ongoing knee problems.
Pogba returned to training with Juventus only this month following surgery on his right knee in early September.
TURIN, Italy (AP) — Paul Pogba returned to training with Juventus on Tuesday, raising hopes that the midfielder can regain his form in time to be included on France’s World Cup squad.
LONDON (AP) — All roads now lead to Qatar.
With the conclusion of the group stage of the Nations League, Europe's top soccer countries have played their final competitive games ahead of the World Cup.
PARIS (AP) — Amid mounting injuries and off-field problems, France coach Didier Deschamps has one less thing to worry about heading into the World Cup: Aurélien Tchouaméni looks a very good option to start in midfield.
PARIS (AP) — A police investigation into allegations that France soccer star Paul Pogba was targeted by extortionists took a bizarre new twist Friday with the release by one of the suspects, his elder brother Mathias, of a long string of videos taking aim at the 2018 World Cup winner, his entourage and wealthy lifestyle.
PARIS (AP) — The brother of French soccer star Paul Pogba denied Friday that he took part in extortion attempts against the Juventus midfielder.
Mathias Pogba's lawyer Richard Arbib said in a statement that his client wants “to state emphatically that he is a complete stranger to any extortion attempt against his brother, Paul Pogba."
PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappé has spoken to Paul Pogba after being implicated in lurid claims involving a witch doctor and said on Monday he wants to believe his France teammate who is the subject of alleged blackmail.
TURIN, Italy (AP) — Reacquired Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba was undergoing surgery on his right knee and at risk of missing the World Cup with France.
Pogba could be out for up to two months after tearing his meniscus and Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Monday that he won’t play for the club again until January.
ROME (AP) — Inter Milan added veteran center back Francesco Acerbi and AC Milan acquired two more promising young players in 19-year-old Belgian midfielder Aster Vranckx and 21-year-old American fullback Sergiño Dest on a relatively quiet closing to the transfer window in Italy on Thursday.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United took the cost of its recent rebuild to nearly $240 million by completing the signing of Brazil winger Antony from Ajax on Thursday, the final day of the transfer window.
PARIS (AP) — Paul Pogba's knee injury could save France coach Didier Deschamps from having to make a painful choice.
For the midfielder's fitness could prove to be the determining factor in deciding whether he plays at the World Cup, amid an extortion scandal that threatens to disrupt France's preparations for the tournament in Qatar.
PARIS (AP) — World Cup winner Paul Pogba paid 100,000 euros ($100,000) to an organized group including his brother that was trying to extort him for millions, French officials said on Tuesday.
French prosecutors are investigating allegations that Pogba was the target of extortion by his brother Mathias Pogba and childhood friends.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Brazil winger Antony looks set to complete a move to Manchester United for $95 million, joining Lisandro Martinez in making a big-money switch from Dutch club Ajax to the English giant in the transfer window.
PARIS (AP) — French prosecutors are investigating allegations that World Cup winner Paul Pogba was targeted by extortion attempts by his brother and childhood friends.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said Monday it opened an investigation earlier this month into attempted organized extortion, which is being handled by anti-corruption police.
Nine years, five permanent managers, $1 billion spent on players and zero Premier League titles.
That adds up to a whole lot of bad decisions made by Manchester United as England’s grandest club approaches a decade since the retirement of its greatest manager, Alex Ferguson.
MILAN (AP) — AC Milan started pre-season the same way it ended its title-winning campaign, with two goals from veteran forward Olivier Giroud.
The goals in the 2-1 victory at Cologne in a friendly counted for a lot less than the double against Sassuolo that clinched Milan the Serie A title 55 days earlier, but it was a good sign for Giroud and his teammates.
TURIN, Italy (AP) — Paul Pogba has no regrets over his time at Manchester United and insists he feels no pressure as he returns to Juventus after a few disappointing years back in England.
TURIN, Italy (AP) — Paul Pogba will be looking to resurrect his career and bring success back to Juventus after completing his return to the storied Italian club on Monday in a remarkable piece of business for the Bianconeri.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Paul Pogba joined Manchester United for a world-record fee. He'll leave the English club for nothing.
United said Wednesday the France midfielder would be departing Old Trafford at the end of the month when his contract expires.
MILAN (AP) — Mino Raiola, the influential and often controversial sports agent to some of soccer's biggest players, has died. He was 54.
Raiola died after a long illness, his family confirmed on Saturday.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Paul Pogba might have played his last game for Manchester United.
The France midfielder, who is out of contract at the end of the season, came off injured in the 4-0 loss to Liverpool on Tuesday and will take at least four weeks to recover, United manager Ralf Rangnick said Friday.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba said Wednesday his house was burglarized while he played in the Champions League game against Atletico Madrid.
In a post on Twitter, the France midfielder said his “babies were sleeping in their bedroom” when the burglary took place on Tuesday.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez both scored twice to allow Manchester City to outclass Manchester United for the second time this season, winning the derby 4-1 on Sunday.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo hit the post and his Manchester United teammates wasted a slew of other great chances in a 0-0 draw with Watford in the Premier League on Saturday.
United stayed in fourth place but gave renewed hope to its rivals for the final Champion League qualification spot by failing to beat a team in the relegation zone.
BURNLEY, England (AP) — Manchester United dropped out of the Premier League's top four as Jay Rodriguez’s 100th career league goal — and first in 50 games — earned last-place Burnley a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor on Tuesday.
A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Friday:
ENGLAND
The fourth round of the FA Cup begins with Manchester United's home match against second-tier Middlesbrough. United will be without forward Mason Greenwood, who has been suspended by the club.
LONDON (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino assured players during talks Thursday that a reshaped international calendar will tackle their workload and fixture congestion concerns, while backing away from heavily pushing biennial World Cups.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Paul Pogba’s recovery from a thigh injury has been slower than expected and the France midfielder might not return to training for up to a month, according to Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick.
PARIS (AP) — Striker Kylian Mbappe scored four goals as defending champion France qualified for next year's World Cup by crushing Kazakhstan 8-0 on Saturday.
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema netted twice after the break in a fine display of attacking soccer as Les Bleus qualified for Qatar as group winner with one game to spare.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Paul Pogba is set for an extended spell out of action following his injury on international duty with France this week.
The midfielder is expected to miss “several upcoming matches” for Manchester United, the English club said Wednesday, potentially ruling him out of its final two Champions League group games and meetings with Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League.
PARIS (AP) — Paul Pogba will miss France’s World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Finland because of a right thigh injury, the national team said Tuesday.
Video footage on French media showed the Manchester United midfielder pull up after taking a shot in training on Monday, before hobbling away.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — There was a pick of moments that confirmed Manchester United’s humiliation against Liverpool.
Maybe it came with Mohamed Salah completing his hat trick by the 50th minute.
Paul Pogba had seen enough. So had many disgruntled Manchester United fans.
“We need to find something. We need to change something,” an exasperated Pogba said after United’s late collapse in a 4-2 loss at Leicester in the Premier League on Saturday.
The return of near-capacity crowds fueled a barrage of goals and a bunch of home wins on the first Saturday of the English Premier League season.
Fans at Old Trafford particularly enjoyed themselves.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Bruno Fernandes scored a hat trick and Paul Pogba set up four goals as Manchester United thrashed Leeds 5-1 Saturday to make a statement about its Premier League title credentials.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Premier League champion Manchester City broke the British transfer fee record on Thursday to sign midfielder Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.
City paid a fee of 100 million pounds ($139 million), Villa chief executive Christian Purslow confirmed.
GENEVA (AP) — Reacting to a bottle-snatching trend at the European Championship started by Cristiano Ronaldo, players on the 24 teams have been asked to stop removing strategically placed sponsor drinks from the news conference platforms, UEFA said Thursday.
MUNICH (AP) — Holding France midfielder Paul Pogba from behind, Germany defender Antonio Rüdiger appeared to open his mouth and lightly bite his opponent's back.
Pogba said the German “nibbled” on him, and Rüdiger said he regrets doing it.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United handed Roma another heavy beating at Old Trafford, winning 6-2 Thursday thanks to doubles from Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes to move in sight of the Europa League final...
LONDON (AP) — A season that provided the flickers of a title challenge is now turning into the worst of Jose Mourinho's managerial career...
A look at the pick of the soccer friendlies in Europe on Wednesday:
PORTUGAL VS. SPAIN
Teenager Ansu Fati will go against Cristiano Ronaldo when Portugal hosts Spain in a friendly. The 17-year-old Fati has been the Spanish league’s sensation early on, having scored three goals in Barcelona’s first three matches.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — They're young, they're brash and they're collectively worth a billion dollars...