Sports Groove

Germany defender Antonio Rudiger has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a 12-year career with the national team. The 33-year-old centre-back made the decision to step away from international duty in order to concentrate on his club career while allowing younger players to emerge within the Germany setup. Rudiger won 86 caps for Germany after making his senior debut in 2014. He went on to become a key figure in the national team's defence, representing the country at three World Cups and several European Championship tournaments. Announcing his decision on Instagram on Tuesday, Rudiger said he had taken time to reflect before concluding that it was the right moment to close the international chapter of his career. "After some time to reflect, the time has come for me to end my career with the national team and make way for the younger generation," Rudiger wrote. Although Germany failed to secure a major international trophy...

Aston Villa have completed the permanent signing of Senegal international Ibrahim Mbaye from Paris Saint-Germain, the two clubs announced on Tuesday. Mbaye, 18, brings an impressive pedigree to Villa after spending eight years in PSG's system, having joined the French club's academy when he was just 10. The forward made history in 2024 when he became PSG's youngest-ever player to start a Ligue 1 match. He was 16 years, six months and 23 days old when he was named in the starting XI against Le Havre.

Manchester City have agreed a £125 million ($169.08 million) deal with Chelsea for midfielder Enzo Fernandez, according to British media reports on Tuesday, in a transfer that would match the Premier League record. The proposed fee would equal the British transfer record set last year when Liverpool signed Sweden striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, while taking City's spending during the current close-season to almost £400 million. Fernandez, 25, joined Chelsea from Benfica in January 2023 for a then-British record £106.8 million, signing an eight-and-a-half-year contract with the London club. The Argentina international went on to help Chelsea win the Conference League and Club World Cup last year, but is now set for a move to the Premier League champions as City continue to reshape their squad. The transfer would make Fernandez the first footballer to command a fee of more than £100 million on two separate occasions in his career. He would also reunite with ...

Egypt have committed their long-term future to head coach Hossam Hassan, extending his contract through 2030, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced on Tuesday. The 60-year-old has been rewarded with a new deal after guiding the Pharaohs to the knockout stage of this year’s World Cup and helping the team make significant progress on the continental stage. Under Hassan, Egypt secured their first-ever World Cup victory when they defeated New Zealand before advancing to the last 16 of the tournament. The former Egypt striker also led the national side to the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, further strengthening his position as the man entrusted with steering the team through the next phase of its development. Hassan took charge of Egypt in 2024, returning to lead the country’s senior national team after an extensive coaching career in Egyptian football. However, he revealed in June that he had been working without a formal contract since February 2026...

Juventus have secured the services of German striker Nick Woltemade on a season-long loan from Newcastle United, with the deal running until June 2027, the Italian club confirmed on Tuesday. Woltemade, 24, joined Newcastle last year in a club-record transfer reportedly worth about £69 million ($93 million), but struggled to establish himself as a consistent goalscorer in the Premier League. The Germany international scored eight league goals in 34 appearances during his time at St James’ Park, while he found the net once in 10 Champions League outings. His move to Juventus represents a return to Serie A after a spell in England and gives the Turin club another attacking option as they seek to strengthen their frontline. Woltemade began his professional career at Werder Bremen, progressing through the club’s youth system before making his senior debut in 2020. He subsequently spent time on loan at SV Elversberg before joining Stuttgart in 2024. It was at Stuttgart that the f...

Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay is expected to spend around a month on the sidelines after being diagnosed with a minor heart condition that requires corrective surgery, the Serie A champions announced on Tuesday. The former Manchester United midfielder has developed a “mild, benign arrhythmia”, a condition that causes an irregular heartbeat, according to Napoli. The Italian club said the 29-year-old will undergo a corrective ablation procedure, known as pulsed field ablation (PFA), in the coming days. “Scott McTominay is due to undergo corrective ablation surgery (PFA) in the coming days. The player will be available again after the international break,” Napoli said in a statement. The procedure is expected to keep McTominay out for approximately four weeks, meaning he is likely to miss Scotland’s upcoming Nations League fixtures. Scotland are scheduled to face Slovenia twice, as well as Switzerland and North Macedonia, between September 26 and October 6. McTominay has b...

Spanish champions Barcelona have completed the signing of Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal on a three-year contract, the two clubs confirmed on Tuesday. The financial terms of the transfer were not disclosed by either club, although reports in the British media put the fee at around £8.6 million ($11.5 million) for the 29-year-old striker. Jesus becomes Barcelona’s sixth signing of the current transfer window, joining a squad that has already welcomed Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Rodri, Joao Cancelo and goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. The move brings an end to Jesus’ four-year spell at Arsenal, where he arrived from Manchester City in 2022 and quickly became an important part of the London club’s attack. During his time at the Emirates, the Brazil international made 123 appearances across all competitions, scoring 32 goals. He featured 27 times during Arsenal’s Premier League title-winning campaign last season. Jesus now begins a new chapter in Spain as Barcelon...

By Maxwell Kumoye   Nigeria’s remarkable 3-2 comeback victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo at the 2026 African Women’s Volleyball Championship in Nairobi has earned high praise from Nigeria’s High Commissioner-Designate to Kenya, Ambassador Danlami Ibrahim, who described the performance as a true reflection of the Nigerian spirit. Nigeria fought back from two sets down to defeat DR Congo 20-25, 22-25, 25-21, 25-13, 15-13 in a pulsating 9th-12th classification match on Tuesday. The comeback victory left Ambassador Ibrahim highly elated, as he praised the determination and fighting spirit of the Nigerian players. “I’m highly elated. To come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2, that is the stuff Nigeria is made of. You underrate Nigeria at your own peril,” Ibrahim said after the match. The ambassador said the team’s progress throughout the championship had been encouraging, particularly after suffering a 3-0 defeat to host Kenya in their opening game. “These girls have ...

  By Maxwell Kumoye Nigeria’s women’s volleyball team staged a remarkable comeback on Tuesday, rallying from two sets down to defeat the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-2 in a thrilling 9th-12th classification match at the 2026 African Women’s Volleyball Championship in Nairobi, Kenya. The Nigerians appeared destined for defeat after DR Congo claimed the opening two sets 25-20 and 25-22, putting Nigeria under immense pressure. However, Nigeria refused to surrender. The team responded strongly in the third set, winning 25-21 before producing a dominant performance in the fourth set to crush DR Congo 25-13 and force a decisive fifth set. The final set was a tense affair, but Nigeria held their nerve to edge DR Congo 15-13 and complete a stunning 3-2 comeback victory. The result reflected the fighting spirit of a Nigerian side that found another gear when the match appeared to be slipping away. Reacting after the dramatic victory, Nigeria’s head coach, Elishama Elam, expres...