MUNICH: A year after a high-profile failure to sign Portugal midfielder João Palhinha, Bayern Munich finally made the deal happen on Thursday.
Palhinha joins Bayern from English Premier League club Fulham for a reported fee of nearly 50 million euros ($54.2 million) on a contract through June 2028, the Bavarian club announced.
Palhinha, who helped Portugal to the quarterfinals at the European Championship, is the latest signing in a Bayern rebuild after the club's first season without a trophy since 2012.
“Palhinha was highly sought after by FC Bayern even last summer, and rightly so. It was important that we never lost touch,” Bayern board sporting director Max Eberl said." João really wanted to come to Bayern, and we need players like that. He’s an important building block for our future."
Bayern seemed sure to sign the player last year and the midfielder even traveled to Munich for a medical but the deal — reportedly worth 65 million euros ($70 million) at the time — collapsed just before the end of the transfer window.
Thomas Tuchel, Bayern coach at the time, was keen to sign a more defensive-minded midfielder like Palhinha in a squad packed with midfielders like Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka who liked to make attacking runs into the opponent's box.
Two weeks after that, Palhinha signed a new contract at Fulham through the 2027-28 season.
Palhinha is the third new signing to be confirmed at Bayern since Vincent Kompany was hired as coach in May, after Stuttgart defender Hiroki Ito and Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise. Bayern have yet to sell any of their current first-team players in this transfer window.
One year after failed bid, Bayern Munich finally sign Portugal midfielder Palhinha
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One year after failed bid, Bayern Munich finally sign Portugal midfielder Palhinha
- Palhinha joins Bayern from English Premier League club Fulham for a reported fee of nearly $54.2 million
- Bayern board sporting director Max Eberl said: "João really wanted to come to Bayern, and we need players like that"
FIFA publishes Saudi Arabia’s official FIFA World Cup 2034 bid book
- Titled ‘Growing Together,’ the official bid’s slogan has received support from the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
- ‘Together, we are working toward materializing Saudi Arabia’s dream of hosting the FIFA World Cup into a tangible reality,’ says Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal
RIYADH: FIFA revealed on Wednesday the details of the book of Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the largest-ever edition of a FIFA World Cup to be held in a single country.
The unveiling came after the Kingdom’s FIFA World Cup 2034 official bid book submission during an official FIFA ceremony that was held in Paris on Monday.
Titled “Growing Together,” the official bid’s slogan has received full support from the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It outlines Saudi Arabia’s extensive plans and infrastructure projects while reflecting the Kingdom’s historic transformation.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the minister of sport and president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said: “Together we are working toward materializing Saudi Arabia’s dream of hosting the FIFA World Cup into a tangible reality — as outlined within our official bid book.”
He expressed appreciation to the Saudi leadership for its unlimited support of the Kingdom’s sports sector, and the crown prince for his continuous guidance and significant empowerment over Saudi Arabia’s official FIFA World Cup 2034 bid.
The official bid book provides the Kingdom’s plan to stage one of the world’s largest and most important sporting events, the FIFA World Cup.
Prince Abdulaziz, speaking on the official bid book’s publication, said: “These plans will combine our rich football heritage with our deep passion for the game and will ensure Saudi Arabia’s success as the first nation to host a 48-team tournament in one country.”
Yasser Al-Misehal, the president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, said: “It is a moment that marks the natural step in the journey of developing Saudi Arabia’s football and sports sectors.”
He described the bid submission as a pivotal moment for Saudi Arabian football and expressed confidence that the bid would capture the global football community’s attention and inspire future generations.
He told Arab News: “Fans will have the opportunity to explore Saudi Arabia’s diverse locales, from the coastal cities of Jeddah and Alkhobar to the vibrant heart of the desert in Riyadh. They will experience our culture and hospitality firsthand.”
The Kingdom’s football scene has evolved significantly, and Al-Misehal said: “We now have a women’s national team, and that contributes to the country’s commitment to inclusivity and diversity in sports.”
He added that the federation would soon hold a press conference detailing the national team’s preparations and developments.
He went on to describe the submission of the formal bid book and the unveiling of the Kingdom’s plans as a significant historic moment for Saudi Arabia.
Al-Misehal expressed the hope that the Kingdom’s plans would excite football fans worldwide and inspire them for generations to come.
Prince Abdulaziz led the SAFF delegation which submitted the formal bid book at the ceremony in Paris.
Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar, Abha, and NEOM will be the five cities proposed to host the tournament. The cities will feature 15 stadiums, including 11 currently being planned.
Riyadh would be home to eight stadiums for the World Cup matches, including the King Salman Stadium, scheduled for completion in 2029, which will accommodate over 92,000 spectators and would host the opening and final matches of the tournament. It will become the new home ground for the Saudi national team.
In addition, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Riyadh is scheduled to be a remarkable architectural marvel with triple-tiered stands and a stunning view of one of the Tuwaiq cliffs.
Riyadh also includes King Fahd Sports City Stadium, which is set to be refurbished to the highest global standards. The arena is expected to accommodate 70,000 spectators.
The Jeddah Central Development Stadium will feature an architectural design inspired by the area’s local heritage and traditional wooden architecture from the historic Al-Balad, while the coastal King Abdullah Sports City Stadium will feature a natural design inspired by the Red Sea’s coral reefs.
The Aramco Stadium in Alkhobar will be situated on the Arabian Gulf coast and will
feature a dynamic design inspired by the sea while, in Abha, King Khalid University Stadium is set to undergo an expansion to increase its capacity to over 45,000 during the tournament.
Meanwhile, NEOM Stadium is expected to be one of the most distinctive, and iconic, stadiums in the world. The arena will be situated within The Line and will provide an unprecedented experience for fans. The stadium will also run entirely on renewable energy, generated primarily from wind and solar sources.
Leveraging the Kingdom’s diverse and picturesque geography, the hosting plan also includes 10 other host locations scheduled to be the home of some of the training camps for participating teams.
Saudi Arabia would have more than 230,000 rooms available across the five host cities, in line with FIFA requirements. These rooms would cater to VIPs, FIFA delegations, participating teams, media personnel, and fans.
A total of 132 training venues located across 15 cities are proposed as base camps for the 48 teams, including 72 locations designated for Base Camp Training Sites, with referees scheduled to have access to two Referee Base Camp Training Sites.
The official bid book outlines the 10 proposed FIFA Fan Festival sites in the Kingdom. FIFA will select one site in each host city from a list that includes King Salman Park in Riyadh, which is set to become the world’s largest urban park.
Other sites include the Jeddah Waterfront on the Red Sea; the Al Bihar Square in Abha; the marina within The Line project in NEOM; and King Abdullah Park in Alkhobar.
Should the Kingdom be granted the right to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, it would rank among the most-watched sporting events in history, while providing an unforgettable experience for all.
’That’s it for me as a coach’ says Klopp
- The former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund mentor said: “I didn’t decide to stop on a whim, it was a general decision“
- “It was just time to step aside and put the whole thing to rest“
BERLIN: Jurgen Klopp has ruled out a return to coaching in the near future, including for the vacant England job, saying Wednesday “as of today, that’s it for me as a coach.”
Speaking at a German Football Coaches Association meeting in Wuerzburg, the former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund mentor said: “I didn’t decide to stop on a whim, it was a general decision.”
Klopp stood down as Liverpool boss at the end of the 2023-24 season citing exhaustion after 23 years in club management.
The 57-year-old was almost immediately linked to several vacant jobs, including as England coach when manager Gareth Southgate stood down the Three Lions lost the Euro 2024 final in Berlin.
“I’m looking for peace and quiet, I’m one hundred percent in the here and now and I’m enjoying it.
“It was just time to step aside and put the whole thing to rest,” said Klopp, adding that making a special exception for a club or country “would be a great loss of face.”
The coach said he was enjoying retirement but would work again in football at some point, even if his days in the dugout were over.
“I’m too young to just play padel tennis and spend time with my grandchildren.
“Will I be a coach again? I would actually rule that out at the moment. Let’s see how it looks in a few months. At the moment, there’s nothing in the pipeline.
“We can perhaps talk about it again in a few months.
“I still want to work in football and help people with my experience and contacts. Let’s see what else there is for me,” said Klopp, who added he had “already coached the best clubs in the world.”
Klopp played 325 games for Mainz before stepping up to the role of coach in 2001.
He moved to Dortmund in 2008, winning two league titles and taking the club to the 2013 Champions League final before signing with Liverpool in 2015.
At Liverpool, Klopp ended the Reds’ 30-year wait for the Premier League title. He also took the club to three Champions League finals, winning one, delivered an FA Cup, two League Cups and a UEFA Supercup.
The coach joked that anyone linking him with a return to coaching had not been paying attention.
“At the moment there’s nothing job-wise. No club, no country. A few people must not have heard that part.”
ROSHN Group, Saudi Aramco to cooperate in the construction of 47,000-capacity stadium in Alkhobar
- The Aramco Stadium is expected to be fully operational by 2026
- New facility to meet the requirements of recreational, sports activities
ALKHOBAR: A 47,000-capacity arena, to be called the Aramco Stadium, is to be built in Alkhobar in the Eastern Province following a cooperation agreement between ROSHN Group and Saudi Aramco.
The stadium is expected to be fully operational by 2026, when it will be ready to host local and international events, including the Asian Cup which Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host in January 2027, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
ROSHN Group, which is owned by the Public Investment Fund, announced that its arrangement with Saudi Aramco will build the arena, which will have a distinctive design inspired by the whirlpools that form off the coast of the Arabian Gulf.
The new facility will meet the requirements of recreational and sports activities. It will adhere to the highest standards of inclusiveness, safety and sustainability, making it a leading local destination for sports and entertainment.
Promoting sports is a fundamental pillar of the Quality of Life Program and Saudi Vision 2030. Developing projects such as Aramco Stadium contributes to enhancing community participation and aiding the Kingdom’s attractiveness to host international competitions, which helps the sports economy.
ROSHN Group announced on Tuesday that a 45,000-seater stadium is to be built in southwest Riyadh. The landmark mixed-use project, which will be built over 450,000 sq. meters, will also contain shops, restaurants and hospitality venues.
France striker Mateta stokes Argentina rivalry ahead of Olympic showdown
- Mateta: With everything that has happened recently, everyone in France was affected, so we will see what happens in the quarterfinals
- The tie will be the first meeting of the nations since Argentina players were recorded singing racist chants about their French counterparts as they celebrated winning Copa America
MARSEILLE: France striker Jean-Philippe Mateta set the tone Tuesday ahead of a quarterfinal clash with Argentina in the men’s Olympic football tournament by saying recent bad blood with the South Americans had left on its mark on the country.
“With everything that has happened recently, everyone in France was affected, so we will see what happens in the quarterfinals,” said Crystal Palace striker Mateta after wearing the captain’s armband and scoring the opening goal in Tuesday’s 3-0 win against New Zealand in Marseille.
A third win out of three in the first round, each one with a clean sheet, allowed the Thierry Henry-coached hosts to finish on top of Group A.
That set up a last-eight tie against Argentina, who qualified for the knockout phase earlier Tuesday by beating Ukraine 2-0 in Lyon but missed out on first place in Group B as Morocco pipped them on head to head.
The tie, which will be played on Friday in Bordeaux, will be the first meeting of the nations since Argentina players were recorded singing racist chants about their French counterparts as they celebrated winning the Copa America earlier this month.
FIFA said it would investigate the chants, which targeted France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe among others and included racist and homophobic insults.
The game will be the first meeting of the nations since the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar which Argentina won on penalties after a 3-3 draw, although Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi and Julian Alvarez are the only players to feature in that match who are involved at the Olympics.
“Argentina are the reigning world champions and are a team who always get to the finals of tournaments,” said Mateta.
“But we will celebrate our victory first and then gently build up to that match.”
Argentina are targeting a third men’s Olympic football gold medal after previous triumphs in 2004 and 2008.
They lost their opening game in France to Morocco in controversial circumstances but recovered to beat Iraq and then Ukraine.
“We started with a defeat and were really angry about the first game but we managed to bounce back,” Manchester City striker Alvarez told broadcaster TyC Sports.
“We know what it means playing France, who are the hosts, but to get to the final we have to beat whoever is in front of us.”
Morocco join Argentina in men’s Olympic football knockouts
- Morocco, winners of last year’s Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, finish with the same number of goals scored and conceded as Argentina
- Head-to-head record after fiery clash in opening round sees Atlas Lions top the group
PARIS: Two-time gold medallists Argentina joined Morocco and Egypt in securing their places in the quarter-finals of the men’s Olympic football on the final day of the group stage on Tuesday.
All four sides in Group B were tied on three points going into the last matches, but Javier Mascherano’s Argentina qualified by beating Ukraine 2-0 in Lyon while Morocco eased through with a 3-0 victory against Iraq in Nice.
Morocco, winners of last year’s Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, finish with the same number of goals scored and conceded as Argentina but go through as group winners because of their superior head-to-head record.
Morocco beat Argentina 2-1 in their opening game, but only after a last-gasp equalizer for the South Americans was disallowed after a VAR review and the final minutes of the game were completed in an empty stadium following crowd trouble.
Morocco will play a quarter-final tie on Friday in Paris against the runners-up in Group A, while the winners of that section will face Argentina in Bordeaux.
Group A will be completed later Tuesday with France needing just a point against New Zealand to secure top spot.
The United States and Guinea are also in Group A, but there is now the possibility of a showdown between Thierry Henry’s French side and Argentina — two of the leading contenders — in the last eight.
Thiago Almada’s superb strike gave Argentina the lead against Ukraine just after half-time and substitute Claudio Echeverri sealed their victory late on, following in to score after a Kevin Zenon shot was parried.
Morocco made short work of Iraq with all their goals coming in the first half.
Amir Richardson, son of former NBA star Michael Ray Richardson, headed Morocco in front and Soufiane Rahimi made it 2-0 from close range just before the half-hour mark for his fourth goal at the tournament.
The third goal, in the 37th minute, was a tremendous strike by Abde Ezzalzouli, who came in from the left and smashed a shot into the far top corner.
Earlier, Egypt reached the quarter-finals with a surprise 2-1 win over already-qualified Spain, with Ibrahim Adel scoring both goals.
Adel gave Egypt the lead in Bordeaux with a superb strike late in the first half and added another on 62 minutes, pouncing to score after possession was given away by Spain’s Jon Pacheco.
Samu Omorodion pulled one back late on for Spain, but Egypt held on for the win that allowed them to leapfrog their opponents and snatch first place in Group C.
Egypt, captained by former Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny, will play their quarter-final on Friday in Marseille against the runners-up in Group D, which contains Japan, Paraguay, Mali and Israel.
Egypt lost in the quarter-finals three years ago to Brazil, who went on to beat Spain in the final.
Spain’s last-eight tie will be in Lyon against the winners of Group D.
