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Orlando City SC has officially signed Antoine Griezmann, the renowned French attacker from Atlético Madrid, in a landmark deal that marks a significant moment for the club, the city, and Major League Soccer (MLS). The 35-year-old Griezmann has agreed to a contract that runs from July 2026 through the 2027-28 season, with an option for the 2028-29 season. While financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, Griezmann's arrival is seen as a major coup for Orlando City, reflecting the club's ambition and commitment to building a championship-caliber roster. Mark Wilf, team owner and chair of Orlando City, expressed his excitement about Griezmann's signing, highlighting his status as one of the most gifted and influential players of his generation. Wilf emphasized that Griezmann's decision to join Orlando City underscores the club's mission and culture, as well as its focus on consistently competing at a high level. Griezmann will join Orlando City as a designated player when the MLS secondary transfer window opens in July, pending medical clearance and the receipt of his international paperwork. He will be part of a team that has had a challenging start to the 2026 season, with four losses in their first five games, leading to the sacking of head coach Óscar Pareja in March. The French attacker expressed his enthusiasm for this new chapter in his career, citing the strong ambition and clear vision of Orlando City. Griezmann, who has 211 goals across all competitions for Atlético Madrid, is the club's all-time leading scorer. He has also had a distinguished career with 298 goals and 132 assists in 792 professional appearances in Spain. Griezmann's move to Orlando City sets him up for a new challenge in MLS, where he will be part of a growing rivalry with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami. His addition is expected to bring leadership, creativity, and a winning mentality to the team, making this a statement signing for the club and its ownership group.

Liverpool FC has confirmed that Mohamed Salah will depart the club at the end of the season, marking the end of his nine-year tenure with the team. The announcement was made through a statement released by the club.Salah, who joined Liverpool from Roma in 2017 for £36.9m, has been a pivotal player for the team, scoring 255 goals in 435 appearances and winning numerous titles, including the Premier League golden boot four times. He is third in the club's all-time leading goalscorers chart, behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt.In a heartfelt video message posted on social media, Salah expressed his gratitude to the club, the city, and the fans, stating, “Liverpool is not just a football club. It’s a passion, it’s a history, it’s a spirit.” He also thanked his teammates, past and present, for their support throughout his time at the club.During his time with Liverpool, Salah has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League, Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, FA Cup, and two League Cups, as well as a Community Shield. Despite his departure, Salah remains focused on achieving the best possible finish to the current season for Liverpool.The club has announced plans to give Salah a send-off at Anfield on the last day of the league season in May, when Liverpool plays Brentford. This will provide an opportunity for fans to celebrate his legacy and achievements.

London's bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships is facing a significant challenge due to West Ham's refusal to allow their stadium to be used in September. Sebastian Coe, the head of World Athletics, has expressed concerns that this stance could scupper the bid, despite strong backing from the UK government and the mayor's office.World Athletics has specified that the championships should be held as the grand finale to the athletics season, typically in September. However, West Ham United has a 'contractual right' ensuring their games take priority during the football season and has shown no indication of changing their stance.“It's really difficult for me because I have a view, but I have to be scrupulously neutral, because London is clearly not the only bid out there,” said Lord Coe. “All I would say is that I would hope that there is a recognition that outside the Olympic Games and the World Cup, this is the third-largest sporting gathering in a four-year cycle.”Coe also mentioned that staging the championships earlier in the summer to avoid clashing with the football season is not a viable option, as it would contradict the organization's goal of concluding the athletics season with the championships.The initial deadline for bids for both the 2029 and 2031 world championships is 3 April, with final submissions due on 5 August. The winning cities will be announced in September.

The Senegalese Football Federation has instructed its lawyers to lodge an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the national team was stripped of its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title. CAF reversed Senegal's win, awarding the title to Morocco two months after the final.The continent's showpiece football final, in Rabat on January 18, descended into chaos when several Senegalese players walked off the pitch in protest after the hosts were awarded a penalty late in second-half stoppage time. Senegal's players were coaxed back onto the pitch by captain Sadio Mane, but Morocco missed the penalty. Pape Gueye went on to score the goal in extra time that gave Senegal a 1-0 victory.CAF said that, having studied an appeal by Morocco, “the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the match” and the result was “officially recorded as 3-0” in favour of Morocco.CAF President Patrice Motsepe defended the decision, stating that “the decisions of our Disciplinary Board and Appeals Board are viewed with respect ⁠and integrity.” However, Senegal's government called for an independent international investigation of the decision, alleging corruption within CAF.Motsepe admitted that African football remains plagued by trust issues and questions over its integrity, but assured that “not a single country in Africa will be treated in a manner that is more preferential, or more advantageous, or more favourable than any other country on the African continent.”

Sardar Azmoun, one of Iran's top football players, has been expelled from the national team over allegations of disloyalty to the government. This development has significant implications for Iran's participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.Azmoun, who plays for Dubai's Shabab Al-Ahli, upset Iranian authorities by posting a picture on his Instagram feed with Dubai's ruler, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This move was perceived as a disloyal act, especially given the strained relations between Iran and the UAE, which have included rocket and drone attacks by Iran on the UAE.The 31-year-old striker, known for his impressive career abroad with clubs like Zenit Saint Petersburg, Bayer Leverkusen, and Roma, has scored 57 goals in 91 internationals since his debut in 2014. His absence will undoubtedly weaken Iran's team, Team Melli, in their upcoming matches.Criticism against Azmoun was severe on state TV, with football pundit Mohammad Misaghi stating that Azmoun's actions were an act of disloyalty and that he was not worthy of wearing the national team jersey. There was no immediate response from the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) regarding the matter.This incident comes at a time when Iran's women's national team is dealing with its own controversy, with several players seeking asylum in Australia after being branded 'wartime traitors' on Iranian state TV for not singing the national anthem before a Women's Asian Cup match.

Japan has emerged victorious in the Women's Asian Cup, claiming their third title in the tournament. The decisive match against Australia ended with a 1-0 win for Japan, thanks to a stunning long-range goal by Maika Hamano in the 17th minute.The match, held at Stadium Australia in Sydney, was attended by a record-breaking 74,357 fans, marking a significant milestone in the growth of women's football. This victory adds to Japan's previous titles in 2014 and 2018, both of which were also won against Australia with a 1-0 scoreline.The tournament saw a substantial increase in attendance, with over 350,000 fans attending matches, approximately six times the previous record set in 2010. The Asian Cup also served as a qualifier for the 2026 World Cup in Brazil, with six teams—Australia, Japan, South Korea, China, North Korea, and the Philippines—securing their spots.Japan's team, featuring several English-based players, demonstrated exceptional skill throughout the tournament, scoring 29 goals and conceding only one across six games. Despite a strong performance from Australia, Japan's solid defense and fluid gameplay secured their victory.The final match was intense, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. However, Japan's defense held strong, particularly in the final minutes, as Alanna Kennedy's late attempt was thwarted, ensuring Japan's rock-solid defense preserved the win.

Real Madrid will host Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, March 22, in a highly anticipated La Liga match. The home side aims to stay in touch with league leaders Barcelona, who currently hold a four-point lead and face Rayo Vallecano earlier in the day. If Barcelona wins, Real Madrid will be seven points off the summit. Los Blancos are coming off a strong performance in the Champions League, where they defeated Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate in the last 16. Vinicius Junior scored twice in the second leg, helping his team progress to the quarterfinals. Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, are fourth in La Liga and have a game in hand over third-placed Villarreal. They are also into the last eight of the Champions League and will play Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final. Diego Simeone's side are seeking to cause an upset against their city rivals and avenge their 5-2 drubbing in the first league meeting in September. The two teams have a long and intense rivalry, with 242 meetings between them. Real Madrid have won 124 matches, while Atletico have won 60, and 58 games have ended in draws. Atletico are unbeaten in their last six league games against Real Madrid, with four of those games finishing in draws. In terms of team news, Kylian Mbappe is set to start for Real Madrid alongside Vinicius Junior, while goalkeeper Thibault Courtois will be out for about six weeks due to a muscle injury. Andriy Lunin will deputise in goal. For Atletico, goalkeeper Jan Oblak is a major doubt due to a hip problem, and Juan Musso is likely to start between the sticks.

Real Madrid fought back to beat Atletico Madrid 3-2 in a thrilling Spanish capital derby on Sunday, courtesy of a brace from Vinicius Jr. The win keeps Alvaro Arbeloa's side within four points of La Liga leaders Barcelona.Atletico's Ademola Lookman opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a slick counterattack, but Vinicius Jr equalized from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute after David Hancko tripped Brahim Diaz. Federico Valverde then put Real ahead 2-1 with a goal capitalizing on a Jose Maria Gimenez error.Nahuel Molina silenced the Bernabeu stadium with a thunderous 30-metre strike in the 66th minute, but Vinicius Jr restored Real's lead with a cracking solo effort six minutes later. Despite Valverde's red card for an inexplicable challenge, Real held firm to secure the win.Arbeloa praised his side for showing 'pure Real Madrid mentality' to emerge with a difficult win, while Atletico boss Diego Simeone said his side deserved more from the game.

Inter Miami achieved a stunning comeback victory over New York City FC (NYCFC) on Sunday, winning 3-2 in a Major League Soccer (MLS) match. Lionel Messi scored his 901st career goal, contributing to the team's first MLS win since March 7.The match began with Gonzalo Lujan scoring his first career MLS goal for Inter Miami in the fourth minute. However, NYCFC quickly equalized with a spectacular free kick by Nicolas Fernandez Mercau in the 17th minute.NYCFC took the lead in the 59th minute through Agustin Ojeda, assisted by Maxi Moralez. But Messi intervened, scoring a crucial goal in the 62nd minute after his shot deflected off NYCFC's Hannes Wolf and past keeper Matt Freese, tying the game at 2-2.The decisive moment came in the 74th minute when Micael dos Santos Silva headed home a beautiful cross from Noah Allen, securing the win for Inter Miami. Despite NYCFC's efforts to equalize, Inter Miami's goalkeeper Dayne St Clair made a crucial save in stoppage time to preserve the victory.This win brings Inter Miami to 10 points (3-1-1), while NYCFC also sits at 10 points (3-1-1) but now with their first defeat of the season.