Argentina friendlies no fairy tale for African footballers

Bangkok Post - Oct 8, 2026

ABIDJAN - When Benin and Burkina Faso flew to Buenos Aires for friendlies against Argentina -- including superstar Lionel Messi's swansong-- it would have seemed like dreamland for players who rarely if ever rub shoulders with the aristocrats of the 'Beautiful Game'.

Read full article

More News

Jordan FA chief accuses Fifa head Infantino of turning AFC Congress into a political stage

Oct 26, 2026

Jordan FA chief accuses Fifa head Infantino of turning AFC Congress into a political stage

Jordan Football Association president Prince Ali bin Hussein accused Fifa leader ⁠Gianni Infantino on Sunday ⁠of hijacking the Asian Football ⁠Confederation Congress for political purposes ahead of his re-election bid for a fourth term. At the AFC’s extraordinary congress in Tokyo on Friday, its president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, endorsed Infantino’s bid for re-election as Fifa president. Months after the confederation ‌accused Infantino of a “fundamental breach of trust” over the...

John Catlin basks in ‘truly special’ win as he joins greats on Hong Kong Open winners list

Oct 26, 2026

John Catlin basks in ‘truly special’ win as he joins greats on Hong Kong Open winners list

The list of Link Hong Kong Open winners has always read like an honour roll of golf’s great and good; on Sunday John Catlin added his name to that illustrious grouping and it might be that’s what finally broke through his steely exterior. Sitting with the trophy long after the crowds had gone home, Catlin read off the names of Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Rory McIlroy, Miguel Angel Jimenez and the rest, with the kind of dawning realisation that follows any major achievement. And while Tom McKibbin’s...

PBA: Phoenix coach challenges import to play better after ‘bad’ Game 1

Oct 25, 2026

PBA: Phoenix coach challenges import to play better after ‘bad’ Game 1

ANTIPOLO—Coach Charles Tiu didn’t mince words when it comes to the way import Marcellus Earlington performed in Phoenix’s Game 1 loss to NLEX in the PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals on Sunday here. Earlington scored 14 points but on 6-of-19 from the field, on top of 13 rebounds while turning the ball over six times in

PBA: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson flashes return to form in TNT win

Oct 25, 2026

PBA: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson flashes return to form in TNT win

ANTIPOLO—Rondae Hollis-Jefferson could only smile when told of another similarity between him and the late Kobe Bryant, whom he not only idolized but also mimicked. Sunday’s Game 1 victory by the Tropang 5G over the Magnolia Hotshots in the PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals marked the third game Hollis-Jefferson played since suffering a torn Achilles, an

NBA: Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard out vs. Timberwolves due to knee swelling

Oct 25, 2026

NBA: Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard out vs. Timberwolves due to knee swelling

Toronto Raptors star forward Kawhi Leonard was scratched with left knee swelling about an hour before the team's Sunday night road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

PBA quarterfinals: TNT cools off Magnolia in series opener

Oct 25, 2026

PBA quarterfinals: TNT cools off Magnolia in series opener

ANTIPOLO—TNT turned Magnolia’s concerns into a reality and came away with a 92-70 victory to claim Game 1 of their best-of-five series in the PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals on Sunday at Ynares Center here. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson delivered 26 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals to help lead the Tropang 5G’s commanding performance while

Naomi Osaka says she's not far from best form despite retirement thoughts

Oct 25, 2026

Naomi Osaka says she's not far from best form despite retirement thoughts

Former world number one Naomi Osaka said she was close to rediscovering the form that brought her four Grand Slam titles, but acknowledged she had thought about retirement and often wondered how long she would continue playing.

PBA: Alapag keeps focus on task at hand, not looking past Phoenix

Oct 25, 2026

PBA: Alapag keeps focus on task at hand, not looking past Phoenix

ANTIPOLO—NLEX coach Jimmy Alapag would rather focus on Phoenix first than take even an ounce of attention on the perceived easier path his team has toward the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals. The Road Warriors took Game 1 of their best-of-five quarterfinal series with a 97-92 win on Sunday, moving two wins shy of breaking their

Carlos Yulo places 7th in vault final at world championships

Oct 25, 2026

Carlos Yulo places 7th in vault final at world championships

MANILA, Philippines — Carlos Yulo was dethroned in the vault final of the 2026 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on Sunday in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Yulo placed seventh with a final mark of 13.833. He couldn’t land gracefully on his first vault with 0.300 deduction and scored 13.333 on a 5.600 difficulty. The two-time Olympic gold medalist

UAAP: La Salle guard Jacob Cortez ‘day-to-day’ with swollen knee

Oct 25, 2026

UAAP: La Salle guard Jacob Cortez ‘day-to-day’ with swollen knee

MANILA, Philippines—La Salle star Jacob Cortez is listed as day-to-day due to a swollen right knee, according to assistant coach Oliver Bunyi. Cortez missed the Green Archers’ game on Sunday night but still beat University of Santo Tomas, 92-80, to move into third place in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball standings. Cortez sustained the

Spikers’ Turf: Criss Cross, NU remain undefeated

Oct 25, 2026

Spikers’ Turf: Criss Cross, NU remain undefeated

MANILA, Philippines — Defending champion Criss Cross and National University-Archipelago Builders kept their share of the lead in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference after taking down separate rivals on Sunday at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City. Criss Cross, gunning for a three-peat, turned to five-time Conference MVP Jude Garcia anew to stave off

PBA quarterfinals: NLEX fends off Phoenix in Game 1

Oct 25, 2026

PBA quarterfinals: NLEX fends off Phoenix in Game 1

ANTIPOLO—NLEX hung tough amid Phoenix’s persistent comeback tries to claim a 97-92 win and gain a headstart in their best-of-five quarterfinal series in the PBA Governors’ Cup on Sunday at Ynares Center here. Import Deonte Burton made two crucial blocks in the final three minutes, among the reasons why the Road Warriors were able to

Recommended