Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | With Neymar sidelined by an ankle injury, Lionel Messi heads into the Copa America this weekend as the competition’s main attraction but one with a desperate need to end more than a decade of hurt with Argentina. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has one …
Read More »Brazil’s Neymar in trouble over intimate pics of woman accusing him of rape
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Brazil’s Neymar went to a Rio de Janeiro police station Thursday to give a statement in a probe into whether he broke the law by posting intimate pictures of a woman who accused him of rape. The football megastar — full name Neymar …
Read More »What’s next for Neymar?
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Forced out of the Copa America by injury, star striker Neymar faces an uncertain playing future in Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil where he is engulfed in an alleged rape scandal. Neymar vehemently denies the accusation, which has dominated headlines and dogged Brazil’s preparations for …
Read More »Neymar injury woe as Brazil beat Qatar
Brasília, Brazil | AFP | Brazil’s Copa America preparations suffered a huge injury scare on Wednesday after striker Neymar limped off the field as the Selecao beat Qatar 2-0 in a friendly. A distraught-looking Neymar was seen covering his face with his hands as he sat on the bench after …
Read More »Woman who accuses Brazil’s Neymar of rape gives details in TV interview
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | Brazilians for the first time late Wednesday heard from the woman who says that football superstar Neymar sexually assaulted her at a Paris hotel. Extracts of a televised interview with Najila Trindade Mendes de Souza, the alleged victim, aired just one hour before Neymar …
Read More »Neymar scores name win in EU court ruling
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | Brazilian superstar Neymar scored a legal win on Tuesday as a top EU court ruled against a businessman who tried to claim copyright on the world’s most expensive footballer’s name. The General Court of the European Union said that Carlos Moreira had acted in “bad faith” when he tried to …
Read More »Five things we learned in European football this weekend
Paris, France | AFP | Bayern Munich missed the chance to wrap up the Bundesliga title, but Ajax bounced back to close in on the Dutch crown, while Neymar offered a timely reminder of his quality at the weekend. Here, AFP Sport takes a look at five main talking points from …
Read More »Neymar banned for three Champions League matches over ref rant
Lausanne, Switzerland | AFP | Neymar was suspended for three Champions League matches by UEFA on Friday for a foul-mouthed tirade at match officials following Paris Saint-Germain’s shock exit from this season’s tournament to Manchester United. The Brazil star missed the 3-1 Champions League second leg last 16 defeat on March …
Read More »Did VAR get big calls right? Debate rages on after Champions League drama
Paris, France | AFP | Neymar called the decision that led to Paris Saint-Germain being dumped out of the Champions League a “disgrace”, while elsewhere on Wednesday Roma were left raging — both clubs are out of Europe and both feel cheated by controversial VAR calls. “It’s a disgrace. They …
Read More »Neymar’s father denies any contact with Barca over return
Paris, France | AFP | Neymar’s father reiterated on Sunday that there has been no attempt to contact Barcelona over a possible return to Spain for the world’s most expensive player. Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain for a world record fee of 222 million euros ($251 million) in August 2017 but has repeatedly been linked with …
Read More »