عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Macron 'Counting On Real Madrid' to Let Mbappe Play at Olympics

Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)
Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)
TT
TT

Macron 'Counting On Real Madrid' to Let Mbappe Play at Olympics

Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)
Kylian Mbappé of PSG celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain, in San Sebastian, Spain, 05 March 2024. (EPA)

French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday he hoped star footballer Kylian Mbappe would be freed up by his likely future club Real Madrid to take part in the Paris Olympics for France, AFP reported.

"I'm counting on Real Madrid to free up Kylian for the Olympic Games so he can come play with the French team," Macron said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Mbappe confirmed on Friday that he will leave French champions Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, with Real Madrid widely expected to be his next destination.

Real Madrid has already said that it will not lift its players' obligations to the club in favour of their participation in the Olympics Games which are not part of the FIFA-designated international tournaments for which clubs must free up their players.

The 25-year-old World Cup-winning forward and France captain said himself last week that he wasn't "thinking much" about the Games.

Mbappe will lead France at Euro 2024 which runs from June 14 to July 14 in Germany.

The Olympic football competition begins on July 24 and runs to August 9, with France in a group alongside the United States, New Zealand and another side still to be determined.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Zverev Opens ATP Finals with Convincing Win over Jodar

15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
TT
TT

Zverev Opens ATP Finals with Convincing Win over Jodar

15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
15 November 2026, Italy, Turin: German tennis player Alexander Zverev in action against Spain's Rafael Jodar during their men's singles match of the 2026 Nitto ATP Finals, an international tennis match in Turin. Photo: Claudio Benedetto/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa

Aiming to punctuate the best year of his career with another big title, top-ranked Alexander Zverev got his ATP Finals campaign off to a strong start with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over debutant Rafael Jodar on Sunday.

Zverev claimed his first two Grand Slam titles this year and ascended to the No. 1 ranking for the first time. He’s aiming for his third trophy at Finals after taking the season-ending event in 2018 and 2021.

“It's been a very good year for me. A lot of things that I've wanted to achieve I have achieved this year," Zverev said, according to The Associated Press. “But playing here you can never take it for granted.”

The 20-year-old Jodar is the first man to qualify for the Finals in the same season that he made his tour-level debut in.

The 6-foot-6 (1.98-meter) Zverev dominated with his serve, cranking out 10 aces on the fast indoor surface, and consistently applied pressure on Jodar’s serve.

It was a convincing performance for Zverev after entering on a two-match losing streak that included a straight-set loss to Lorenzo Musetti in his first match as No. 1.

“To start the tournament with a 6-4, 6-4 win is always very, very nice,” Zverev said. “I still think I have a lot of things to improve. It was not a perfect match.”

The only time Zverev got in trouble was when he faced two break points while attempting to serve out the first set. He hit an ace on the first break point and a service winner on the second and then another ace before closing the set out.

“He served very good in those two points, so I didn’t have any chance,” Jodar said.

Sports

Ronaldinho Makes his Pro Football Return with Italy's Ravenna

Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
TT
TT

Ronaldinho Makes his Pro Football Return with Italy's Ravenna

Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)
Ravenna's Ronaldinho after the Serie C soccer match between Ravenna and Forli in Ravenna, Italy, Sunday Nov. 15, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Ronaldinho made his return to professional football on Sunday for Ravenna, an ambitious club in Italy's third tier aiming to reach Serie A.

The 46-year-old Brazilian great put in a low-key performance in his first competitive match since playing for Fluminense in 2015, as Ravenna took on local rivals Forli bidding for promotion.

The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner only played in the first half but was involved in the move which ended with Giulio Donati smashing hosts Ravenna ahead in the 36th minute.

Ronaldinho entered the field to great fanfare, with the 5,000-capacity Stadio Bruno Benelli adding a temporary stand with 1,800 places -- dubbed "R10" -- for the occasion.

Flares and smoke bombs were let off in the stands while Andrea Bocelli's "Con Te Partiro" blasting out of the stadium's speakers.

Ravenna, who have not even played in Serie B since 2008, are second in their regional group in Serie C and came into the weekend's fixtures six points behind leaders Spezia.

One team for each of the three groups will be directly promoted to Serie B, with the final spot in the second tier decided by a play-off.

Sports

Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
TT
TT

Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA

The Saudi U15 girls' national football team begins its training camp today in Jeddah. The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions.

The camp aims to enhance the players' technical and physical readiness and strengthen team cohesion through a training program developed by the coaching staff, SPA reported.

The program is designed to improve performance and prepare the team for the next phase.

The camp is part of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's development plan for the U15 girls' national team.