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Neymar Returns from Injury, Santos Future Unclear

(FILES) Santos' forward #10 Neymar gestures during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (Photo by Nelson ALMEIDA / AFP)
(FILES) Santos' forward #10 Neymar gestures during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (Photo by Nelson ALMEIDA / AFP)
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Neymar Returns from Injury, Santos Future Unclear

(FILES) Santos' forward #10 Neymar gestures during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (Photo by Nelson ALMEIDA / AFP)
(FILES) Santos' forward #10 Neymar gestures during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (Photo by Nelson ALMEIDA / AFP)

Neymar returned to action on Thursday after more than a month on the sidelines due to a thigh injury but the Brazilian was unable to prevent Santos from exiting the Copa do Brasil after they lost 5-4 in a penalty shootout against CRB.

The former Barcelona and Paris St Germain forward has had a horrible run of injuries, and left the pitch in tears last month after suffering his second significant injury of the year.

The 33-year-old returned to his boyhood club Santos after a stint at Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal, with his contract at the Brazilian side running until June 30 according to media reports.

Neymar was giving little away when asked if he would extend his stay at Santos, who drew with CRB in both legs of their third-round tie.

"I don't know yet," he told Amazon Prime, according to Reuters.

Santos are currently second bottom of the league, having lost six of their first nine matches of the 2025 season.

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Indian Football Club Banned, Fined for Refusing to Play in Iran

Baluch Iranian youths ride on a motorcycle in Zahedan, in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan bordering Afghanistan on December 18, 2025. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
Baluch Iranian youths ride on a motorcycle in Zahedan, in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan bordering Afghanistan on December 18, 2025. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
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Indian Football Club Banned, Fined for Refusing to Play in Iran

Baluch Iranian youths ride on a motorcycle in Zahedan, in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan bordering Afghanistan on December 18, 2025. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
Baluch Iranian youths ride on a motorcycle in Zahedan, in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan bordering Afghanistan on December 18, 2025. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

The Asian Football Confederation banned Indian club Mohun Bagan Super Giant from all its competitions and fined it more than $100,000 for refusing to play a match in Iran.

Mohun Bagan did not travel for an Asian Champions League Two group match against Sepahan in Iran in September, citing lack of security assurances and medical insurance coverage.

The AFC disciplinary and ethics committee banned Mohun Bagan from the next edition of the continental second-tier tournament, up to the 2027-28 season, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

One of the oldest football clubs in Asia, Mohun Bagan were also handed a $50,000 fine and told to pay $50,729 for damages and losses incurred by the AFC and Sepahan.

Mohun Bagan were withdrawn from the competition after their no-show and their matches were declared null and void by the AFC.

The club had earlier asked the Court Arbitration for Sport to move the match to a neutral venue, but the request was rejected, AFP reported.

The club also did not travel to Iran last year for a match against Tractor SC, a day after Iran launched missiles towards Israel.

Sports

Henry Says Nancy Can Turn Things Around at Celtic

Soccer Football - Scottish League Cup Final - St Mirren v Celtic - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - December 14, 2025 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy reacts Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough
Soccer Football - Scottish League Cup Final - St Mirren v Celtic - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - December 14, 2025 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy reacts Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough
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Henry Says Nancy Can Turn Things Around at Celtic

Soccer Football - Scottish League Cup Final - St Mirren v Celtic - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - December 14, 2025 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy reacts Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough
Soccer Football - Scottish League Cup Final - St Mirren v Celtic - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - December 14, 2025 Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy reacts Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough

Wilfried Nancy has endured the worst start of any manager at Celtic after losing his first four games but former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry has called for patience and said he is confident his fellow Frenchman can turn things around.

Celtic's 2-1 defeat by Dundee United on Wednesday marked their longest losing run since the 1977-78 season and ‌the Glasgow ‌side, who have won ‌13 ⁠of the ‌last 14 league titles, are second in the current campaign, six points behind leaders Hearts, though with a game in hand.

Their defeat by St Mirren in last week's League Cup final prompted calls for Nancy's dismissal ⁠but Henry, who had Nancy as his assistant ‌at CF Montreal, told the ‍BBC it was ‍difficult to impose a philosophy and ‍an identity on a club quickly.

"Right now it's too early, and I do think he can turn it around. He is a great guy and has a great mind," Reuters quoted him as saying on Thursday.

"It's not working ⁠at the moment and obviously it doesn't look great. But he's a friend of mine, so I am going to be biased.

"You don't want any coach to lose their job that early. It doesn't make sense to me."

On Wednesday, the club's chairman Peter Lawwell said he was leaving by the end of the month, blaming ‌abuse and threats during a tough season.

Sports

Morocco Beat Jordan 3-2 after Extra Time to Clinch Arab Cup

Morocco's players celebrate with the winner trophy after defeating Jordan in the FIFA Arab Cup final soccer match in Lusail, Qatar, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)
Morocco's players celebrate with the winner trophy after defeating Jordan in the FIFA Arab Cup final soccer match in Lusail, Qatar, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)
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Morocco Beat Jordan 3-2 after Extra Time to Clinch Arab Cup

Morocco's players celebrate with the winner trophy after defeating Jordan in the FIFA Arab Cup final soccer match in Lusail, Qatar, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)
Morocco's players celebrate with the winner trophy after defeating Jordan in the FIFA Arab Cup final soccer match in Lusail, Qatar, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)

Morocco defeated Jordan 3-2 after extra time to claim the Arab Cup on Thursday thanks to two goals from Abderrazzaq Hamed Allah following a stunning long-range strike from Oussama Tannane.

Morocco opened the scoring after four minutes when Tannane's audacious shot from the center circle caught advancing goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila off guard, Reuters reported.

Jordan, set to make their World Cup debut in 2026, hit back with a second-half double from Ali Olwan's header and penalty in the 48th and 68th minutes respectively.

But Hamed Allah scored three minutes from the end to force extra time before grabbing the winner from close range.

Morocco enjoyed another success despite missing several Europe-based players ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.

They became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup – also in Qatar three years ago - eliminating Spain and Portugal before falling to France.

Morocco were crowned Under-20 world champions in October when they beat Argentina 2-0 in the final to become the first Arab nation to lift the trophy.

The under-17 side reached the World Cup quarter-finals, while the under-23 team won the Africa Cup of Nations and a place at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they took bronze.

Morocco is set to host AFCON from December 21 to January 18.