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Kubo Vows to Lead Japan at World Cup with Mitoma Out

Takefusa Kubo was named in Japan's World Cup squad on Friday. Karl Mondon / AFP
Takefusa Kubo was named in Japan's World Cup squad on Friday. Karl Mondon / AFP
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Kubo Vows to Lead Japan at World Cup with Mitoma Out

Takefusa Kubo was named in Japan's World Cup squad on Friday. Karl Mondon / AFP
Takefusa Kubo was named in Japan's World Cup squad on Friday. Karl Mondon / AFP

Japan's Takefusa Kubo has vowed to fill the World Cup void left by Kaoru Mitoma, who will miss the tournament with a heartbreaking late hamstring injury.

Winger Mitoma was left out of Japan's squad on Friday after their medical staff decided he did not have enough time to recover after limping out of Brighton's 3-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League last weekend.

The 28-year-old is one of Japan's best players and scored the winner in their 1-0 friendly victory over England at Wembley in March, AFP said.

Real Sociedad attacker Kubo is also a key man for Japan and he pledged to step up after hearing that Mitoma would not be with them in the United States, Canada, Mexico.

"His injury is so disappointing. I got in touch with him directly but naturally it's a tough time for him, he's such an important player," the 24-year-old Kubo was quoted as saying by Japanese media on Friday.

"I want to carry Mitoma's feelings with me and give my all with an even greater sense of responsibility."

Japan have been drawn with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F and they start their campaign against the Dutch in Arlington, Texas on June 14.

Kubo was named in coach Hajime Moriyasu's 26-man squad after recovering from a hamstring injury of his own.

Kubo was hurt in a game against Barcelona in January and returned for Sociedad in April.

He said Mitoma had been in touch to support him during that time.

Kubo also said Japan cannot afford to dwell on the winger's injury, and backed others in the squad to make an impact.

"The replacement players will get their chance," he said.

"We have to come together as one, and for Mitoma's sake I hope we can pull together and make this a successful tournament."

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Xabi Alonso Appointed Chelsea Manager on Four-year Deal

FILE - Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso looks on before the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Betis Sevilla in Madrid, Spain, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia, File)
FILE - Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso looks on before the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Betis Sevilla in Madrid, Spain, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia, File)
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Xabi Alonso Appointed Chelsea Manager on Four-year Deal

FILE - Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso looks on before the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Betis Sevilla in Madrid, Spain, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia, File)
FILE - Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso looks on before the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Betis Sevilla in Madrid, Spain, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia, File)

Chelsea appointed Xabi Alonso as the club's manager on Sunday on a four-year deal with the Spaniard the latest coach tasked with turning around the club's fortunes.

The Blues lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City on Saturday and lie ninth in the Premier League with two games of the campaign to go.

Alonso rose to prominence as one of Europe's brightest coaches by guiding Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten German league and cup double in the 2023/24 season.

However, he lasted just seven months in the Real Madrid hotseat. Appointed last year, he departed the Spanish giants in January.

"Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Xabi Alonso as manager of the men's team," Chelsea said in a statement.

"The Spaniard will begin his role on July 1, 2026, having agreed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge."

Alonso faces a huge task to get Chelsea back in the running for major honors.

Chelsea did win the World Club Cup and the UEFA Conference League last year but have little else to show for well over one billion pounds ($1.35 billion) of spending on players since as US consortium BlueCo took over in 2022 following Roman Abramovich's trophy-laden ownership of the club.

Defeat at Wembley on Saturday means they have now gone eight seasons without a domestic trophy.

Fans have continuously protested against BlueCo, who have embarked on a scattergun approach to hoovering up young talent from across the globe.

That policy has secured some notable successes such as England international Cole Palmer.

But a lack of experience in both the playing squad and, often in the coaching staff, has been blamed for a lack of consistency.

Alonso becomes the sixth permanent manager to take charge at Stamford Bridge in the past four years after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.

The 44-year-old has a point to prove after a turbulent short spell in Madrid.

Alonso's arrival is a coup for Chelsea's much-criticised owners.

Many Liverpool fans were desperate for him to return to Anfield, where he starred for five years as a player between 2004 and 2009, to succeed the under-fire Arne Slot.

Sports

North Korean Women Footballers Land in South Ahead of Rare Match

North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC players arrive at Incheon International Airport in Incheon on May 17, 2026, ahead of the Women's Asian Champions League semi-final football match against South Korea's Suwon FC Women. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC players arrive at Incheon International Airport in Incheon on May 17, 2026, ahead of the Women's Asian Champions League semi-final football match against South Korea's Suwon FC Women. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
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North Korean Women Footballers Land in South Ahead of Rare Match

North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC players arrive at Incheon International Airport in Incheon on May 17, 2026, ahead of the Women's Asian Champions League semi-final football match against South Korea's Suwon FC Women. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
North Korea's Naegohyang Women's FC players arrive at Incheon International Airport in Incheon on May 17, 2026, ahead of the Women's Asian Champions League semi-final football match against South Korea's Suwon FC Women. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)

A North Korean women's football team landed in South Korea on Sunday, marking the first visit by a sports team from the isolated country to its southern neighbour in eight years, to play in the Asian Champions League semi-finals.

Naegohyang Women's FC -- which means "My Hometown" in Korean -- emerged from South Korea's Incheon International Airport near Seoul surrounded by throngs of reporters and supporters holding welcome signs.

A total of 39 North Korean players and staff, dressed in identical dark jackets and skirts and wheeling pink suitcases, were greeted by dozens of people from South Korean civic groups holding welcome signs.

"We welcome you!" they said as the players walked past along a cordoned-off route under heavy security presence.

The players swiftly boarded a bus, which departed the airport under police escort.

"I came here today to welcome the Naegohyang team players, who are visiting South Korea for the first time in eight years," civic group member Choi Young-ok told AFP.

But she cautioned against having lofty hopes that the event would improve relations between the two Koreas.

"While I do hope it will help, I don't think this match alone will solve anything significant unless the fundamental issues between the two sides are addressed," she said, without elaborating.

"A sports match is just a sports match," she added.

Naegohyang Women's FC, based in Pyongyang, will face Suwon FC Women in the semi-finals of the Women's Asian Champions League on Wednesday.

Founded in 2012, the club won North Korea's top-flight title in the 2021-22 season and defeated Suwon 3-0 during the tournament's group stage last year.

The North Korean entourage arrived via Beijing on an Air China commercial flight and will stay at a hotel in Suwon, south of Seoul.

Local reports said the North and South Korean teams would stay at the same hotel but use separate dining areas and travel routes, limiting direct interaction.

Interest in the match has been intense, with more than 7,000 tickets selling out within hours. The game will be at Suwon Sports Complex, which has a capacity of just under 12,000.

Seoul's unification ministry has also provided funding for civic groups planning to support both teams at the game, describing the event as an opportunity to promote "mutual understanding between the two Koreas".

According to local media, civic groups have been discussing cheering guidelines with the authorities, because waving North Korean national flags in public is prohibited under the national security law.

In past such events held in the South, civic groups instead waved flags depicting the Korean Peninsula.

Women's football is one of North Korea's strongest international sports, with their national teams regularly competing at the highest levels in Asia and globally.

North Korea are ranked 11th in the FIFA women's rankings, far ahead of their men's team, who are 118th.

Sports

Mourinho Says Will Decide Future by Next Week amid Real Madrid Talks

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Primeira Liga - Estoril v Benfica - Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota, Estoril, Portugal - May 16, 2026 Benfica coach Jose Mourinho before the match REUTERS/Rodrigo Antunes/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Primeira Liga - Estoril v Benfica - Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota, Estoril, Portugal - May 16, 2026 Benfica coach Jose Mourinho before the match REUTERS/Rodrigo Antunes/File Photo
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Mourinho Says Will Decide Future by Next Week amid Real Madrid Talks

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Primeira Liga - Estoril v Benfica - Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota, Estoril, Portugal - May 16, 2026 Benfica coach Jose Mourinho before the match REUTERS/Rodrigo Antunes/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Primeira Liga - Estoril v Benfica - Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota, Estoril, Portugal - May 16, 2026 Benfica coach Jose Mourinho before the match REUTERS/Rodrigo Antunes/File Photo

Jose Mourinho has opened the door to a return to Real Madrid, saying his agent is in touch with the Spanish club, but the Benfica manager stressed no offer is on the table and he is in no rush to decide.

Mourinho, 63, led Benfica to an unbeaten season in the Portuguese Primeira Liga this season to finish third and has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Real coach Alvaro Arbeloa, according to Spanish and Portuguese media.

Mourinho, who won a La Liga title and Copa del Rey during his previous three-year ⁠spell at Real, ⁠is under contract at Benfica until June 2027, and he said the Portuguese club has already proposed a renewal.

"My future should be decided this week," Mourinho told reporters on Saturday.

"I have a proposal from Benfica. I don't have a proposal from Real Madrid. At the same time, I ⁠was saying that to hide that there is nothing, we cannot do that, there is something, but not with me directly.

"I need time, I need space, I need time to make my decision and this week I think is going to be very important."

Arbeloa, speaking ahead of Real's La Liga clash with Sevilla, praised Mourinho and welcomed the prospect of his return to the club, where he coached from 2010 to 2013.

"For me, as one of ⁠his players, ⁠but above all as a Real Madrid fan, I feel he's number one and I think he is number one," Reuters quoted Arbeloa as saying on Saturday.

"And I think I felt that way a month ago and I'll continue to feel that Jose has been, is and always will be one of us, and if he's the one here next season, I'll be very happy to see him back home."

Mourinho has previously coached Chelsea, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, and has also lifted the Champions League trophy twice in his career.