African Players in Europe: Salah Takes Liverpool Back to Top

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
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African Players in Europe: Salah Takes Liverpool Back to Top

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)

Mohamed Salah took Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League with the winning goal as the Reds came from behind to defeat Brighton 2-1 at the weekend.

It was the ninth goal of the season in all competitions for the 32-year-old Egypt captain and two-time African Player of the Year.

The goal came amid continuing speculation over the future of Salah, with his contract due to expire at the end of this season.

Here, AFP Sport highlights some African headline-makers in the major European leagues.

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

The forward struck in the 72nd minute with a superb curling finish from the edge of the area. Liverpool are two points clear of second placed Manchester City after winning eight of their first 10 league games.

JORDAN AYEW (Leicester)

The Ghana forward was the Foxes' last-gasp hero again as he rescued a 1-1 draw at Ipswich. Steve Cooper's side were in danger of losing to winless Ipswich until Ayew came off the bench to strike from close-range deep in stoppage time. Ayew's third goal this season was his first since netting a stoppage-time winner in Leicester's 3-2 victory at Southampton in October.

ANTOINE SEMENYO (Bournemouth)

Ghana winger Semenyo helped the Cherries claim a shock 2-1 win against champions Manchester City. The 24-year-old netted in the ninth minute with a composed finish from Milos Kerkez's cut-back. It was the hosts first win against City at the 22nd attempt.

SPAIN

MUNIR EL HADDADI (Leganes)

Morocco international El Haddadi scored a brilliant goal against Girona in his team's 4-3 defeat. The 29-year-old Spain-born former Barcelona forward cut in from the right and launched a shot into the top corner from distance after 77 minutes having come off the bench just moments earlier. It was his second goal in two matches after netting for Leganes against Ciudad de Lucena in the Copa del Rey.

ITALY

ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (Atalanta)

The London-born Nigerian international grabbed two goals as Atalanta stunned Serie A leaders Napoli 3-0 in the sunshine at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium. Lookman's second goal, a curled shot after shaking off two Napoli defenders, was particularly memorable.

GERMANY

OMAR MARMOUSH (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Marmoush was on fire again in Eintracht Frankfurt's 7-2 demolition of Bundesliga tailenders Bochum, with the Egyptian named man of the match after scoring one goal and creating two. The 25-year-old Egyptian international curled home a free kick on 18 minutes. He has scored 10 goals this season, one less than Bayern Munich and England star Harry Kane.

SERHOU GUIRASSY (Borussia Dortmund)

Guirassy scored the winner as Borussia inflicted a first Bundesliga defeat of the season on RB Leipzig with a 2-1 home win. Probably the only Dortmund player who can hold his head high after recent poor form, Guirassy was a constant threat up front. With the match locked at 1-1 and half an hour remaining, the Guinea international headed in Maximilian Beier's looping cross.

FRANCE

ABDOULAYE TOURE (Le Havre)

Toure played a captain's role by scoring the only goal as Le Havre defeated Montpellier 1-0 in a battle of Ligue 1's bottom two clubs. The France-born Guinea international, who was key in the club's promotion to the top flight for this season, struck from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute after Mali international full-back Falaye Sacko was penalized for handball.



Egyptian Teenager Abdelkarim to Extend Barca Deal to 2030

Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
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Egyptian Teenager Abdelkarim to Extend Barca Deal to 2030

Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
Hamza Abdelkarim of FC Barcelona salutes fans during presentation the Joan Gamper Trophy, football match played between FC Barcelona and Al-Ahly FC at Spotify Camp Nou stadium on August 19, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. (Europa Press via Getty Images)

Egyptian teenager Hamza Abdelkarim will sign a new contract with Barcelona next week that runs until 2030, the club said on Friday.

The 18-year-old joined Barcelona on loan from Cairo giants Al Ahly in February before making a permanent switch in the summer, having featured at the World Cup.

He became the youngest player to represent Egypt at the World Cup, where he appeared in four of the team's five games.

Abdelkarim impressed in pre-season for Barca with four goals in five matches and made his competitive debut for the Spanish champions as a late substitute in last month's 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

He is due to sign his contract extension on Tuesday, the club said.


FIFA Bans for Life 2 Officials for Financial Wrongdoing when Presidents of Soccer Federations

(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich.  (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
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FIFA Bans for Life 2 Officials for Financial Wrongdoing when Presidents of Soccer Federations

(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich.  (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)
(FILES) The logo of FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) is seen through a net on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP)

FIFA judges imposed life bans on two former soccer federation presidents for financial misconduct, including one who stayed in office since being sanctioned in 2011 as part of a notorious election bribery scandal in the Caribbean.

Montserrat’s long-time soccer leader Vincent Cassell was charged with “abuse of position, systemic conflicts of interest” and misuse of FIFA and federation funds, FIFA said in a statement on Friday.

The former president of the Maldives soccer federation, Bassam Adeel Jaleel, was expelled from the sport for “misusing FIFA Covid-19 Relief Plan funds for his personal benefit,” FIFA said.

Maldives media reported this year that Jaleel was sentenced to 23 years in prison for embezzling $1.2 million from FIFA. The money was intended for local soccer clubs and was reportedly used to buy apartments.

Cassell and his federation’s long-time general secretary, Tandica Hughes, pleaded guilty in a Montserrat court in April to tax evasion charges, The AP news reported.

Cassell and Hughes continued to run the Montserrat soccer body, which is currently entitled to get at least $2 million each year from FIFA’s World Cup profits. FIFA installed an emergency management team last February this year after they left.

The decision to oversee Montserrat's day-to-day management was due to “exceptional crisis and institutional paralysis,” FIFA cited in February.

Hughes was banned by FIFA judges for 15 years for “benefiting from and facilitating improper transactions,” abuse of position and misuse of funds.

Cassell also faced FIFA charges of “conduct affecting the physical and mental integrity of (federation) staff members,” and was fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1.23 million). It is unclear what authority FIFA has to get the money.

Hughes was ordered to pay 150,000 Swiss francs ($184,000), FIFA said.

Jaleel from the Maldives also was ordered by FIFA to pay 1 million Swiss francs.

The Maldives federation’s former finance director, Mohamed Ageel, was banned from soccer for 10 years and fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($184,000).

FIFA said Ageel’s charges related to “facilitating and concealing misuse of FIFA funds, using falsified documentation and failing to cooperate” with the ethics investigation.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the Maldives last year and acknowledged in a news release “the challenges that football in the Maldives has faced in recent years.”


UEFA Urges US Court to Deny FIFA Subsidiaries' Bid to Join Infantino Discovery Fight

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
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UEFA Urges US Court to Deny FIFA Subsidiaries' Bid to Join Infantino Discovery Fight

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before a FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup match on September 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo

UEFA urged a US court on Thursday to reject an attempt by FIFA's American subsidiaries to intervene in its bid to obtain evidence for a potential Swiss criminal case against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over his abandoned World Cup commercial-rights plan.

In a filing in Manhattan federal court, European soccer's governing body said FIFA (Americas) Inc and FWC2026 US Inc were improperly trying to act as stand-ins for FIFA and Infantino, neither of whom has sought to join the case.

UEFA said its request under a US discovery law seeks documents and testimony from Thrive Capital Management and its founder Joshua Kushner, who it says may hold information about the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise transaction.

The plan, which Infantino withdrew on August 1 after a backlash from soccer bodies and other critics, envisaged selling a permanent stake in commercial and operational rights connected to the World Cup and other FIFA events to private investors.

UEFA CONSIDERING CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST INFANTINO

UEFA has said it is considering filing a criminal complaint in Switzerland alleging criminal mismanagement by Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials. Infantino and FIFA have not been charged with wrongdoing.

FIFA accused UEFA last week of running a "smear campaign" and characterized the discovery applications as a fishing expedition intended to damage FIFA and its leadership.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Infantino has denied doing anything wrong.

In Thursday's response, UEFA said the subsidiaries had no direct legal interest in the New York proceeding because they were not targets of the contemplated Swiss case and were not recipients of the proposed subpoenas.

It said the confidentiality concerns cited by the US subsidiaries belonged, if to anyone, to their Swiss parent, FIFA. UEFA also argued that Thrive and Kushner already have lawyers who can challenge any subpoenas after they are served.

Thrive did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Thrive founder Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

UEFA said granting the subsidiaries a role before the court rules would depart from the usual process for requests under Section 1782, which are commonly granted initially without opposition and then tested through motions to quash.

The European body argued that the subsidiaries' intervention would create unnecessary delay by adding another round of merits briefing before UEFA could seek the records.

The court has not yet ruled on either UEFA's discovery application or the intervention motion.