Human Interest

MELBOURNE - Former New Zealand international Maia Jackman said Saudi sponsorship of the Women's World Cup would be in "complete opposition" to female empowerment and set back her work as an ambassador for the tournament.

Australia and New Zealand, co-hosts of this year's World Cup, wrote to global soccer governing body FIFA on Wednesday seeking urgent clarification after The Guardian reported Visit Saudi will be named as a major sponsor of the tournament.

France defender Raphaël Varane is retiring from international football, ending a 10-year career with Les Bleus in which he won the World Cup in 2018 and was a runner-up four years later.

The 29-year-old, who has 93 caps after making his debut in 2013, and also helped Didier Deschamps's side win the UEFA Nations League in the 2020-21 season.

Ukraine phenom and star Chelsea signing Mykhailo Mudryk has apologized for a TikTok video he posted last summer where he said the N-word. Mudryk deleted the video, and his representative told the Sun that he was sorry.

The 22-year-old and another person were reciting the lyrics to rapper Lil Baby’s song “Freestyle” when he said the racial slur.

Mykhailo Mudryk TikTok Video

| Chelsea star - Mykhailo Mudryk apologises after using the N-word in TikTok video for fans.

BARCELONA — Dani Alves appeared before a judge in Barcelona on Friday over a sexual assault allegation after Spanish police detained and questioned the Brazil defender and the public prosecutor requested he be jailed on remand.

A spokesperson for the local Mossos d'Esquadra force said officers had taken Alves, who has denied the allegation, to a court office after his arrest where a judge would decide on his case.

A statement from Charlotte Football Club has confirmed the tragic death of 25-year-old defender Anton Walkes. Walkes was injured Wednesday after two boats collided near the Miami Marine Stadium, and after being found unconscious and receiving CPR, he was hospitalized in critical condition.

Walkes passed away early Thursday morning.

After filing a federal lawsuit against Virginia Tech women's soccer coach Charles "Chugger" Adair back in 2021 for an alleged benching stemming from a refusal to kneel in support of the Black Lives Matter movement before a match the previous year, former Hokies player Kiersten Hening received a $100,000 payout from the school to drop the suit.

BERLIN - Borussia Dortmund forward Sébastien Haller is back in team training and ready to make his competitive comeback following surgery and treatment for testicular cancer.

The striker was diagnosed during a pre-season training camp in July and had been signed only weeks earlier by Dortmund for an initial fee of $33.24 million.

Wales and Los Angeles FC winger Gareth Bale said on Monday he had decided to end his playing career at the age of 33, having reached exceptional milestones in both club and international football.

Bale played a Wales record of 111 games for his country and was a five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid. He helped the Welsh reach the 2016 and 2020 Euros before leading them in their first World Cup since 1958 at Qatar 2022.