Lloris ready for France qualifiers

Conor Gallagher rose up through the international ranks alongside Bukayo Saka and has backed England’s latest hat-trick hero to get even better.

Saka took home the match ball after hitting three in Monday’s 7-0 thrashing of North Macedonia at Old Trafford on Monday night, a result which leaves England on the cusp of securing Euro 2024 qualification.

The 21-year-old’s second strike was the pick of the bunch as a brace for captain Harry Kane, a Marcus Rashford finish and Kalvin Phillips’ first England goal wrapped up a fine win in the last game of a long season.

It was a campaign which also saw Saka score three goals at the World Cup, with the progression of the Arsenal ace coming as no shock to Gallagher.

“I played with Bukayo since, I think, the…

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has been confirmed as a prime candidate for the Italy head coach job.

Alessandro Costacurta, the vice-commissioner of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), plans to hold talks with Conte over the prospect of a return to the position he left in 2016.

Among the potential candidates, he would be, for me, the best, Costacurta told La Gazzetta dello Sport. I ll definitely talk with him in a couple of months.

Speculation has persisted for much of this season over Conte s future, who has struggled to build on the success of his first season at Stamford Bridge, when he won the Premier League title and reached the FA Cup final.

The former Juventus boss, who admitted this month that anything is possible when it comes to his possible…

Dutch forward Ryan Babel has admitted that he plans to leave Amsterdam Arena at the end of the current campaign.

The 26-year-old joined Ajax on a free transfer from Hoffenhaim last summer, but numerous injuries prevented him from giving his best on his return to the club.

Babel s contract at the club is set to expire in the summer, and it appears the forward prefers a move abroad at this moment in time.

“I had to contribute something, but it is unfortunately not what I expected,” Babel explained to NUsport.

“It s my ambition to play at a nice foreign club and succeed there. If that does not happen and Ajax want me to continue that I can talk with Ajax.”

Ryan Babel came through the youth ranks at Ajax and was predicted a bright future in t…

MLS last fixture before the international break proved a feisty one, with 10-man Columbus Crew coming back to draw 2-2 with rivals FC Cincinnati.

Aiming for their third win in four games, Jaap Stam s Cincinnati team were ahead inside 24 seconds when Edgar Castillo s powerful effort found the roof of the net, sending the huge crowd at TQL Stadium into raptures.

It marked Castillo s first strike in three seasons, as well as bringing up the fastest goal of the 2021 MLS campaign.

Lucho Acosta s third goal for Cincinnati – who recorded their first win over the Crew last season – put the hosts 2-0 ahead before the half-hour mark, and Columbus seemed all but down and out when Harrison Afful received his second yellow card in the 42nd minute.

Yet Caleb Po…

Ajax s Amsterdam ArenA will be named the Johan Cruyff ArenA from the 2018-19 season onwards, the club have confirmed.

The decision has been made following discussions between the Eredivisie club and the local authority, which co-owns the venue.

Ajax will unveil a new logo for the ground on April 25, on the day Cruyff would have turned 71.

The Netherlands and Barcelona great died in 2016 after a battle with lung cancer.

Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar told the club s official website: Johan Cruyff is the greatest football player Ajax have produced. Partly thanks to him, Ajax are a big name, at home and abroad. It s nice that the stadium is named after him.

Cruyff s family added in a statement: We re pleased with this news, and that the stadium can now …

Teenage sensation Maximilian Arnold has penned a new four-year contract with Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg.

The 19-year-old midfielder, who has played nine matches for Wolfsburg, became the club s youngest ever player in 2011.

And he also became their youngest ever goalscorer this year, with a strike in a 2-2 draw against Hoffenheim in April.

Arnold, who has represented Germany at youth team level, is very highly rated and he was delighted to have extended his stay at the Volkswagen Arena.

It all feels a bit like a dream, he told the club s official website.

I always dreamed of becoming a professional since I was a young boy and I am really pleased and happy with the way things have gone so far with Wolfsburg.

I will not be resting on my laurels but wil…

Lazio midfielder Antonio Candreva has said in no uncertain terms that he has no desire to return to Udinese.

The 25-year-old joined the Biancocelesti on co-ownership deal from Udinese in January 2012 and has enjoyed a remarkable start to his career at Olimpico.

Candreva wasted no time in securing a starting berth at Lazio, with excellent showings earning him a recall into the national team.

Having managed to kick-start his career at Olimpico, the Italy international is desperate to remain in Rome.

“Before I signed for Lazio in the summer, I spoke in secret with Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo,” the midfielder .

“I went to Udine and told him that I no longer had any intention of playing for Udinese. I had to extend my contract with them until …

Manchester City star Jack Grealish has spoken of his devastation and the “traumatic experience” of burglars targeting his home.

Raiders struck at the England midfielder’s Cheshire mansion during City’s Premier League clash against Everton on Wednesday.

Members of Grealish’s family and his fiancee Sasha Atwood were watching the televised match at the property when they heard a disturbance, The Sun newspaper reported.

An alarm was raised and an emergency response was launched with a helicopter, police dogs and a number of officers sent to the property near Knutsford, but no suspects were detected.

The newspaper said the thieves made off with £1million worth of jewellery and watches.

Writing on Instagram, Grealish said: “I can’t begin …

Algeria head coach Vahid Halilhodzic says he is uncertain of his team s chance of success at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Halilhodzic took over as head coach of Algeria s national team in June 2011, and has led them to eight victories in 10 games during his tenure.

But having been grouped with Tunisia, Ivory Coast and Togo, the 60-year-old remains wary of high expectations.

Algeria did not qualify for last year s AFCON but finished fourth in the 2010 tournament in Angola under former coach Rabah Saadane.

In the lead up to Algeria s opening game versus Tunisia, however, Halilhodzic does not seem convinced his team can match that result in South Africa.

It s a tough tournament, Halilhodzic said.

I am optimistic but we will see what…

Bayern Munich have been drawn against Augsburg, while Borussia Dortmund will tackle Union Berlin in the second round of the DFB-Pokal.

Defending champions Bayern will face Bundesliga opposition after seeing off Carl Zeiss Jena 5-0 in the first round.

Meanwhile, Dortmund, runners-up to Bayern in the final last season, face 2.Bundesliga opposition in Union. 

The 2014-15 champions, Wolfsburg, play away to 1. FC Heidenheim, while Borussia Monchengladbach take on Stuttgart. 

Wurzburger Kickers, who were playing in the fourth division of Germany just a few seasons ago, will host 1860 Munich. 

Hamburg travel to third-division side Hallescher FC, Bayer Leverkusen face Sportfreunde Lotte, and Freiburg will tackle SV Saundhausen. 

St Pauli will …