عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Niko Kovac Taking Over as Borussia Dortmund Coach

FILED - 02 March 2024, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Wolfsburg coach Niko Kovac is pictured during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgat at the Volkswagen Arena. Photo: Swen Pförtner/dpa
FILED - 02 March 2024, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Wolfsburg coach Niko Kovac is pictured during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgat at the Volkswagen Arena. Photo: Swen Pförtner/dpa
TT
TT

Niko Kovac Taking Over as Borussia Dortmund Coach

FILED - 02 March 2024, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Wolfsburg coach Niko Kovac is pictured during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgat at the Volkswagen Arena. Photo: Swen Pförtner/dpa
FILED - 02 March 2024, Lower Saxony, Wolfsburg: Wolfsburg coach Niko Kovac is pictured during the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgat at the Volkswagen Arena. Photo: Swen Pförtner/dpa

Niko Kovac will be the new coach of Borussia Dortmund as last season's Champions League runner-up looks to rescue a troubled season.
The former Bayern Munich and Monaco coach will start work on Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
Dortmund will discuss potential signings with Kovac before the transfer window closes on Monday, club managing director for sport Lars Ricken said.
“Niko’s teams have always been characterized by energy, determination and a sense of the importance of team spirit,” Ricken said in a club statement on Thursday.
“We want to feel and see all of this both on and off the pitch. We find ourselves in a challenging situation and are certain that in Niko we have found a coach who is capable of overcoming it.”
Youth team coach Mike Tullberg oversaw the 3-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday — Dortmund's first win of the new year in all competitions — and will remain in his interim head coach role for Saturday's Bundesliga game at Heidenheim, Ricken said.
Dortmund confirmed on Thursday that Kovac joins on a contract through to the end of next season. His brother, former Dortmund player Robert Kovac, will be one of his assistants.
Kovac takes over a team which is 11th in the Bundesliga and is heading for a playoff in the Champions League after finishing 10th in the 36-team league phase. Nuri Sahin was fired last week following a 2-1 loss at Bologna.
“The most important thing for all of us now is to have absolute determination, a big heart and the willingness to work hard to represent Borussia Dortmund in the best possible way in the Bundesliga, the Champions League and at the Club World Cup in the summer,” Kovac said in a club statement. "We are taking on this challenge with determination and focus.”
It's the first job for Kovac since March when he was fired as the coach of Wolfsburg. Born in Berlin, Kovac played international soccer for Croatia and coached Croatia from 2013-15.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

No Thoughts of Revenge as France Start World Cup Against Senegal, Says Deschamps

Didier Deschamps, Head Coach of France, attends the press conference of France one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 15, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Getty Images/AFP)
Didier Deschamps, Head Coach of France, attends the press conference of France one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 15, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Getty Images/AFP)
TT
TT

No Thoughts of Revenge as France Start World Cup Against Senegal, Says Deschamps

Didier Deschamps, Head Coach of France, attends the press conference of France one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 15, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Getty Images/AFP)
Didier Deschamps, Head Coach of France, attends the press conference of France one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 15, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Getty Images/AFP)

France ‌coach Didier Deschamps said his side were not out for revenge in their World Cup opener against Senegal on Tuesday, 24 years after an opening loss to the African powerhouse preceded a calamitous group-stage exit and a bitter memory for their fans.

The holders in 2002, Les Bleus were stunned when they lost their opening match 1-0 to Senegal in Seoul. France never righted the campaign, with a 0-0 draw against Uruguay and a 2-0 defeat by Denmark in a final humiliation sealing an early exit.

"Listen, this was history but even (midfielder) N'Golo (Kante) ‌I'm not ‌sure he saw the game. Nearly most of ‌my ⁠players weren't born ⁠in 2002," Deschamps told reporters via a translator in East Rutherford on Monday, where the 2022 runners-up play Senegal in Group I at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

"I know that you like this word 'revenge' but there's no revenge in football."

The 2018 champions will be under the spotlight in swampy New Jersey, with prodigious striker Kylian Mbappe - ⁠a bona fide celebrity even in the soccer-ambivalent ‌United States - playing under scrutiny from ‌critics after he drew a blank in warm-up games against Ivory Coast and ‌Northern Ireland.

Playing Senegal for the first time since that 2002 ‌loss adds to the drama as France hunt a third straight trip to the final.

"(Senegal have) got excellent players who play in the best clubs," said Deschamps. "They've got an offensive capacity, their midfield is excellent. When you're ‌part of the best teams, you've got everything."

The 35-year-old Kante, a key piece of France's triumphant 2018 ⁠campaign who ⁠is back in the mix after missing 2022 with an injury, said he expected a tough fight with Senegal's midfield.

The Fenerbahce player added that beating Senegal was important to set the right tone for the tournament, not for revenge.

"We want to be part of this squad and to have everyone on board, everybody counts, everybody is important," he told reporters.

"I do believe that it's important to have trust in our team. We need to go as far as possible in the competition ... Of course, our main opponent is ourselves. We need to stay together, concentrated."

France play Senegal on Tuesday before facing Iraq and Norway.

Sports

Tunisia Fires Coach Sabri Lamouchi After World Cup Loss

Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi watches during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi watches during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

Tunisia Fires Coach Sabri Lamouchi After World Cup Loss

Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi watches during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi watches during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)

Tunisia fired head ‌coach Sabri Lamouchi on Monday after a lopsided loss in their first World Cup game.

The Tunisian Football Federation announced his dismissal on its Instagram account.

"An agreement has ‌been officially ‌reached to dismiss ‌coach ⁠Sabri Lamouchi," the statement ⁠read.

"Plans are underway to appoint Mondher Kebaier as the national team coach (on an interim basis) to complete the World Cup qualifying matches."

Sweden ⁠routed Tunisia 5-1 ‌in Sunday ‌night's Group F opener in ‌Guadalupe, Mexico.

Tunisia are scheduled to ‌face Japan in the same stadium on Saturday night before finishing group play on June 25 ‌against the Netherlands in Kansas City.

Lamouchi, 54, was ⁠hired ⁠in January and was already under fire following a 5-0 loss to Belgium in a pre-tournament friendly on June 6 in Brussels.

The Frenchman previously managed the Ivory Coast squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup but failed to advance beyond the group stage in Brazil.

Sports

Former Captain Says 2026 World Cup Continues Saudi Arabia’s Historic Journey

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
TT
TT

Former Captain Says 2026 World Cup Continues Saudi Arabia’s Historic Journey

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Former Saudi national team captain Majed Abdullah said the Saudi team's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues a journey that began with their debut in 1994 in the United States, stressing the enduring support of Saudi fans throughout their international campaigns, SPA reported.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, he said, “Thirty-two years after leading the Saudi national team in the 1994 World Cup, I feel proud to see a new generation carrying the nation’s flag in football’s biggest tournament.”

He recalled the team’s confident debut in 1994, highlighting courage and team spirit as key factors in their success, and called for continued fan support, expressing confidence that the current squad can continue to make history.