Shocking

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.

The Athletic’s Tom Bogert has shared one of the craziest transfer stories in a long time. Major League Soccer reportedly denied a $13 million transfer between FC Dallas and Russian club Spartak Moscow for USMNT striker Jesús Ferreira.

It’s been reported that the 23-year-old striker wanted the move to play in Russia’s capital and FC Dallas were prepared to accept the offer from Spartak Moscow.

AL WAKRAH — South Korea finished second in their Asian Cup group after Malaysia held them to a 3-3 draw on Thursday with an equalizer in the 15th minute of added time which saw Bahrain finish top with a 1-0 win over Jordan.

Bahrain topped Group E with six points thanks to an Abdulla Yusuf Helal winner while South Korea finished with five points. Jordan finished third with four points and also went through as one of the best third-placed teams.

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

LONDON — Argentine Lionel Messi retained the FIFA men's player of the year trophy on Monday, beating Manchester City's treble-winning Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and France's Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé to the award.

Spain's 2023 World Cup winner Aitana Bonmati was voted the best women's player of the year.

Messi, who also secured the men's award in 2022 after guiding Argentina to World Cup victory, clinched the Ligue 1 title with PSG alongside Mbappe following that success, before moving to Major League Soccer team Inter Miami.

ABIDJAN — An angry supporter attempted to strike Ghana coach Chris Hughton after their upset 2-1 loss at the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Sunday and was taken away by police, team officials confirmed on Monday.

Ghana were beaten by a stoppage time goal by the Cape Verde Islands, the smallest of the 24 teams at the tournament in the Ivory Coast in one of several shock results on Sunday.

Hughton was accosted at the team hotel as Ghana returned from the match but the angry fan was intercepted by security officials.

Real Madrid and Átletico Madrid faced off in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final this Wednesday in what would turn out to be one of the most entertaining matches of the season held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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ABIDJAN — Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet said he and his players feared for their lives after the plane taking them to the Africa Cup of Nations finals made an emergency landing, delaying their arrival at the tournament in the Ivory Coast.

Gambia’s squad set off from Banjul on Wednesday on a short trip to Yamoussoukro, where they will play their opening two group games, but minutes after take-off they turned around because of a lack of oxygen inside the plane, he said.