admin

France kicked off their World Cup friendlies with a defeat against Ivory Coast (1-2), but for a specific reason, the game was not in focus. The crowd at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes came to see the national team, but also to pay homage to Didier Deschamps. The famous player and manager made a career in Nantes, as well as Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae, and they greeted the France manager and brought out various banners with his image. After all, Deschamps announced his resignation after the World Cup and this was one of his last two home-soil game as France boss. It didn’t end well for his team, as France took a lead only to allow a complete comeback and Elephants win.Deschamps fielded the strongest squad but it was all about Ryan Cherki, who was the only player ready to do something tonight and it won’t be enough for France when the World Cup starts. Cherki was creative, found solutions and scored the only goal for the home team, while Ivory Coast basically had two chances and ..

It happened quite suddenly, but Liverpool dismissed their coach Arne Slot after only two seasons and even quicker appointed his successor – Andoni Iraola. The Spaniard announced he was leaving Bournemouth even before the end of the season and talked with various clubs, from Crystal Palace, to Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan but when the Reds sacked Klopp, things finished quickly. Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director worked in Bournemouth for years and knows Iraola well. So, the decision was very logical and the former Cherries boss has signed a two-year contract.Anfield welcomes Liverpool’s new boss: Hola, Iraola!Needles to say, he was excited to sign for such a big club.“Really excited, really excited. Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world. But feeling inside and understanding a little bit more of this club, I always thought it’s a special club. You don’t need a lot of things to get attracted b..

During the whole history of the World Cup, no African nation has ever won the trophy. The closest anyone got to the final was Morocco, who lost in the semi-final and then finished as fourth at the World Cup 2022, held in Qatar. One of the reasons for this was certainly a lack of quality for some African teams. And yet, if they were better in recruitment, maybe they would be much, much better placed at the FIFA‘s biggest competition. We already stated that there are around 73 players (numbers may vary as not all teams have the final lists) with African origin who play for other national teams (Mainly France and England). And if all of them (or at least majority) played for their countries of origin (or countries of their parents), nations like Nigeria, Dr Congo or Ghana would be among the favorites!WC Countdown: How many Africans are in other teams?Can you imagine a team in which, alongside Lookman and Osimhen there are players like Eze, Madueke, Saka, Musiala, Olise, Akanji and Alaba? ..

Pugilist Joshua Wasike will look to become only the sixth Kenyan to hold a Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC) title when he headlines an international cruiserweight showdown on Friday, 26 June at Masshouse, Ngong Road in Nairobi.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsWasike, the newly-minted East and Central African champion, will step a rank higher in his bid to dominate the region, coming up against Malawi’s Antony Banda, in what is billed as the main event of the ‘Nightmare in Nairobi V’ fight-night organised by Kalakoda Promotions.“This is another massive step forward for boxing in the region,” Kalakoda Head of Boxing Marvin Obuya stated after the fight announcement. “A Commonwealth title fight of this magnitude reflects the growth of the sport in East Africa, and our commitment to giving fighters the platform they deserve. Wasike vs Banda is a championship-level matchup that fans will remember.”With a 7-1-0 record, former national team boxer Wasike will look to make use of his..

Kenyan runners Sharon Lokedi and Alexander Mutiso Munyao will be the headliners of this year’s Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) 10-kilometre race scheduled for Sunday, 21 June.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsThe duo were on Tuesday, 2 June announced for the event, which will attract some of the top international stars on the roads of Boston and Cambridge.“This year’s B.A.A. 10K will kick off the summer racing season, and brings together more than 90 of the most accomplished athletes in the sport,” Mary Kate Shea, B.A.A. the Chief Operating Officer, said of the field announcement. “Top athletes across the Open, Wheelchair, and Para Athletics Divisions from 21 countries will lead the way for a field of 10,000 participants on race day.”Lokedi, a two-time Boston Marathon champion, will return to familiar grounds, as she looks to defend the title she won last year, having covered the 6.2-mile course in 31:39.##NAJAVA_MECA_9782996##“Boston holds a special place in my heart, a..

Gor Mahia midfielder Enock Morrison has blown his own trumpet, explaining why he is best suited to clinch the Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe Ghanaian is among the five nominees shortlisted for the prestigious award after a successful 2025/26 FKF Premier League season alongside teammate Shariff Musa, Joe Waithira of Murang’a Seal, Mara Sugar’s Jimmy Owili and AFC Leopards vice captain Kayci Odhiambo.PLAYER RATINGS: Blunt Harambee Stars fail to sparkle against lowly LesothoMorrison was a vital cog in the well-oiled K’Ogalo wheel, who reclaimed the league title for a historic 22nd time.Speaking ahead of the end-of-season gala award to be held on Thursday, 4 June, Morrison opened up on what gives him a head start.##NAJAVA_MECA_9782998##“Inshallah. We are taking it home. We won the league and are therefore in a better position of taking it home,” said Morrison.Nevertheless, the Ghanaian midfielder was flattered by the nomination itself, w..

Nairobi residents and motorists have been advised to prepare for extensive road closures on Sunday, 7 June, as the city hosts the fifth edition of the Nairobi City Marathon, expected to attract 17,450 participants.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsAuthorities have assured runners and residents that all preparations for the event have been finalised, with security, traffic management and parking arrangements already in place.Speaking during a press briefing held on Thursday, 4 June, at Riadha House, Athletics Kenya Competition Director Kennedy Tanui said organisers were fully prepared to deliver another successful edition of the marathon.Ferdinand Omanyala set for blockbuster Rome showdown against Olympic champion Noah Lyles”We are very ready. We are releasing information about security status, road closures, where to park vehicles, and confirming to the world that we are now ready for the run,” Tanui said.The marathon, which has grown into one of the country’s flagship road r..

Stung by a narrow defeat to 2026 FIFA World Cup-bound Egypt last week, Russia will be looking to respond when they host Burkina Faso at the Volgograd Arena on Friday evening in an international friendly.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsWith meaningful football unavailable to either side, Friday’s clash offers a rare opportunity to test themselves against unfamiliar opposition in what will be the first-ever meeting between these two national teams.##NAJAVA_MECA_9783179##Russia enter this clash in mixed form. Across their last five matches, Valery Karpin’s men have recorded one win, two draws and two defeats.During that period, they scored four goals and conceded five, highlighting a lack of consistency in both attacking and defensive phases. Their most recent outing ended in a narrow 1-0 loss to Egypt after a frustrating display in front of goal.At home, Russia have not been as dominant as expected, failing to win five of their last eight designated home matches. Despite bein..

First second, then… sixth place in the Bundesliga. Under Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen were one of the two best teams in German football. But once he left, everything fell apart and the club sank deeper into trouble than many had expected. Not only did the Werkself fail to challenge for the title, they finished the season outside the Champions League qualification places. The experiment with Erik ten Hag did not work out, nor was former Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand any more successful. Bayer’s third attempt in the post-Alonso era is now named: Carles Martínez Novell.¡Bienvenido, jefe! 👋Carles Martinez Novell is our new head coach! ⚫🔴 pic.twitter.com/n94hv78jRf— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) June 4, 2026 The Catalan coach has reached a final agreement with Leverkusen and, after three years at Toulouse FC, has become the new manager of the 2024 German champions. Following a turbulent period and a search for a new identity after missing out on the Champions League, the Leverkusen b..