South American football chiefs have urged Brazil to change three of the five stars on their shirts to heart symbols as a tribute to Pele.
Brazil currently wear five stars on their famous yellow jerseys to represent the five World Cup trophies they have won, more than any other nation has managed.
Three of the World Cup triumphs came with Pele in the squad, while no other player has scored more times for Brazil. Neymar is now tied with Pele, having netted his 77th Selecao goal in Friday s World Cup quarter-final defeat to Croatia.
That loss came in the wake of the news that Pele had been hospitalised back home in Sao Paulo, though it was reported the 82-year-old is making progressive improvement .
CONMEBOL, the South American confederation, sent Pele its b…
Portuguese newspaper that Espanyol are set to complete the signing of Spanish winger Jeffren Suarez from Sporting Lisbon.
The Lions plan to get rid of some loose weight before the transfer window closes on Monday and they are hoping to offload the 25-year-old footballer.
Espanyol are prepared to offer him an escape route from Estadio Jose Alvalade, and los Periquitos seem to have agreed a season-long loan with an option to buy.
Jeffren Suarez came through the youth ranks at Barcelona and was regarded one of the hottest prospects for the club as he made a first team debut during the 2008/2009 season.
However, he went on to make just 22 La Liga appearances for the Catalans before joining Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2011.
Having failed to prov…
Portugal coach Paulo Bento believes his side hold a major advantage over their UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying rivals thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Euro 2004 runners-up were the first side drawn in Group I before being joined by Denmark, Serbia, Armenia and Albania in the only five-team group.
First and second from all nine groups are guaranteed passage to the finals in France, while the best third-placed side will also go straight through.
The remaining eight teams to finish third will battle it out in the play-offs and, although Bento believes Serbia and Denmark will prove worthy adversaries, the former Sporting Lisbon defender thinks he holds the ace in the pack in the form of Real Madrid star Ronaldo, winner of the 2013 Ballon d Or.
It was Ronaldo s brilli…
Napoli defender Camilo Zuniga has committed his future to the club by signing a new five-year deal on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old has been an integral part of the side since joining from Siena in 2009.
He made 32 league appearances for Napoli last season to help the club to a second-placed finish behind Juventus in Serie A their best domestic performance since they won the title in 1990.
Colombia international Zuniga has established himself as a first-team regular under new manager Rafael Benitez and is thrilled to be staying in Naples, adding that he hopes to remain there for the rest of his playing days.
I love the club and the fans, while I am very happy living in Naples. I hope to end my career here, he said.
Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis was also d…
Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin has vowed to never force a transfer if the club do not wish to sell.
The Frenchman has reportedly been the subject of interest from reigning Premier League champions Manchester United and Arsenal this season after catching the eye with some impressive displays in the top flight.
Schneiderlin is aware that other clubs are keeping check on Southampton s highly-rated stars, but the 24-year-old is not looking to engineer a move.
We know top teams are watching us, he is quoted as saying by The Daily Mirror.
As long as we don t receive a concrete offer, and as long as the club says they won t sell, I will never force a transfer.
Schneiderlin moved to St Mary s in June 2008 and has been with Southampton throughout their…
Youssouf Mulumbu has delivered a blow to West Brom, admitting he would jump at the chance to leave.
Mulumbu arrived at the Hawthorns in 2009 and has made 155 Premier League appearances for the club.
The Congolese midfielder has a contract until the end of the season, but has indicated he is ready to leave if the right offer comes in.
He said in The Sun: I have been at West Brom for almost five years. They are a family club, with good spirit.
But I spoke to the coach and the director of football and they know my ambitions for the future.
If I get the chance to join a more classy club, I will do so.
I owe West Brom a lot. But I have now reached a level where I can go somewhere else and play in the Europa League or Champions League.
…
Roberto De Zerbi congratulated his Brighton players in the dressing room for their performance despite losing 3-2 to AEK Athens on their European debut.
Despite dominating the ball and dictating the shape of the game in wet and difficult conditions at the Amex Stadium, Brighton were undone by an AEK side who made the best of what little they created and were clinical when their moments came.
First, the right-back Djibril Sidibe dashed into the box unmarked at a corner and flew into a superb diving header that nestled in the corner.
FT: Defeat in our opener.
[2-3] //
— Brighton Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC)
It was a lead they twice should have doubled when striker Levi Garcia went through on goal, first denied by goalkeeper Jason Ste…
Andrea Pirlo insisted Barcelona recruit Philippe Coutinho is worth €160million, highlighting Liverpool s big-money purchase of defender Virgil van Dijk.
Star Brazilian playmaker Coutinho was presented as a Barcelona player on Sunday after swapping Liverpool s Anfield for Camp Nou in a blockbuster transfer.
Much has been made of the fee paid for Coutinho – who joined Liverpool in 2013 – but former Italy, AC Milan and Juventus midfield maestro Pirlo said the price is justified after the Reds spent in the region of €80m – £75m – to prise the Dutchman from Southampton this month.
Other than the crazy prices, the price of Coutinho is in line with the prices of today, Pirlo told Sky Sport Italia.
If Van Dijk is worth €80m then he costs double. …
Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel would support the introduction of play-offs for the Bundesliga title.
Dortmund won back-to-back championships in 2011 and 2012, but Bayern Munich have once again asserted their dominance in Germany, topping the pile in each of the past four seasons.
The Bavarian giants have won their opening three matches of the current campaign with an aggregate score of 11-1, with former German Football League (DFL) president and Bayer Leverkusen chief executive Wolfgang Holzhauser telling Kicker on Monday that championship play-offs were more relevant than ever .
Asked for his opinion on the idea, Tuchel said: Why not? It would give the runners-up, third and fourth the chance to be champion.
I do not think play-offs are far-fetch…
Yaya Toure s agent claims Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is freezing out the Ivorian midfielder to exact revenge.
Toure has only made one appearance for City this season in a Champions League play-off in August and Guardiola has vowed not to play the 33-year-old again unless he apologises for critical comments made by Dimitri Seluk.
Seluk angered Guardiola after hitting out at the Spaniard following his humiliating decision to omit Toure from City s Champions League squad.
An apology from Seluk, however, is not forthcoming, with the outspoken agent insisting the issue stems from him criticising then-Barcelona boss Guardiola for selling Toure to City in 2010.
I know what his problem is, Seluk told the Mirror. When Pep forced Yaya out of Barcelona I…