PASADENA: Veteran Monterrey defender Sergio Ramos said Monday his former team Real Madrid must be considered favourites to win the Club World Cup. Paris Saint-Germain recently won the UEFA Champions League by thrashing Inter Milan in the final, with Liga MX side Monterrey set to face the Italians in their opener on Tuesday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. However Ramos, now 39, believes his former club, Spanish giants Madrid, are the real team to beat. Real Madrid are always favourites in the big c

CINCINNATI: Bayern Munichromped to a 10-0 victory overAuckland Cityin its Club World Cup opener on Sunday as Jamal Musiala had a hat-trick in 17 minutes of the second half in front of a crowd that unfurled a banner urging to Smash FIFA! while accusing the governing body of mismanagement. Thomas Mller, Kingsley Coman, and Michael Olise scored two goals each for the Bundesliga champion, which went ahead on Comans goal six minutes in. Bayern had a 17-1 advantage in shots on target. Musiala, a 22-ye

FLORENCE: Former hard-tackling midfielder Gennaro Gattuso was named Italy coach on Sunday, tasked with reviving the countrys already-flagging World Cup qualifying hopes. Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti,who was fired last weekafterItaly lost its opening qualifier 3-0 at Norwayto spark fears that the four-time champion will fail to qualify for a third straight World Cup. Gattuso lifted one of those World Cups as a player, in 2006. Gattuso is a symbol of Italian soccer, the blue shirt is like a

LONDON: Tottenham hired Thomas Frank as head coach on Thursday after the Danish coach ended his nearly decade-long stay at Brentford. The 51-year-old Frank will replace Ange Postecoglou , who was fired last week despite leading Tottenham to its first trophy in 17 years with a win over Manchester United in the Europa League final . Tottenham said Franks contract runs until 2028. In Thomas, we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game, the club said in

Inter MilanforwardMehdi Taremiwill not be able to join his teammates at the Club World Cup in the United States as he is stuck in Tehran amid the escalating conflict betweenIranand Israel . Flights from all Iranian airports have been grounded following an exchange of military strikes between Iran and Israel over the last two days. That meant the Iran international was unable to take his scheduled flight on Saturday to join his Inter teammates in Los Angeles. FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Lionel Mess

SAN FRANCISCO: United States coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to omit Christian Pulisic from recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on Saturday, saying he alone was responsible for choosing his squad. AC Milan star Pulisic has been at the center of a simmering controversy over his request to be excused from US duty in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which kicked off on Saturday. Former US international players including Landon Donovan have criticised Pulisic's decision, questioni

MIAMI GARDENS: Lionel MessiandInter Miamiwere held to a 0-0 draw by Egyptian side Al Ahly on Saturday as the 2025FIFA Club World Cupgot off to a smooth start in front of 60,927 fans in Florida. Messi was denied a storybook stoppage-time winner when he saw his curling shot from 20 yards out tipped on to the bar by Mohamed El Shenawy as Miami piled on the pressure in the final minutes of the game. Miami had its own good fortune, surviving a first half onslaught by 12-time African champion Al Ahly,