African Players in Europe: In-Form Mbeumo Scores Again 

Manchester United's Cameroonian midfielder #19 Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on November 8, 2025. (AFP) 
Manchester United's Cameroonian midfielder #19 Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on November 8, 2025. (AFP) 
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African Players in Europe: In-Form Mbeumo Scores Again 

Manchester United's Cameroonian midfielder #19 Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on November 8, 2025. (AFP) 
Manchester United's Cameroonian midfielder #19 Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on November 8, 2025. (AFP) 

Manchester United striker Bryan Mbeumo notched his fourth goal in his last four appearances at the weekend, opening the scoring in a 2-2 Premier League draw at Tottenham Hotspur.

The 26-year-old Cameroon star will switch his attention to the 2026 World Cup this week as the Indomitable Lions face the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday in an African play-off.

A win for Cameroon in Rabat will take them into a final against Gabon or Nigeria three days later with a place in the inter-continental play-offs next March up for grabs.

AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the major European leagues:

ENGLAND

BRYAN MBEUMO (Manchester United)

Mbeumo bagged his sixth goal this season in a dramatic draw at Tottenham. He struck in the 32nd minute, heading past Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario from a cross by Ivory Coast winger Amad Diallo. Mbeumo is starting to heat up following a slow start after his mid-year move from Brentford.

IDRISSA GUEYE (Everton)

The Senegal midfielder's goal kick-started the Toffees' 2-0 win against Fulham. Gueye netted four minutes into first half stoppage-time, prodding in his second goal of the season after Tim Iroegbunam miscued his shot from a James Tarkowski header which rebounded off the crossbar. After failing to score last season, Gueye is well on his way to beating his best return of four goals in an Everton shirt from 2023-24.

IBRAHIM SANGARE (Nottingham Forest)

The Ivory Coast midfielder notched his first goal for Forest in a 3-1 win against Leeds at the City Ground. Sangare, signed from PSV Eindhoven in 2023, fired home with a clinical finish from 10 yards to put Sean Dyche's side ahead in the 15th minute. Further goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson wrapped up second-bottom Forest's first league win since the opening weekend of the season.

GERMANY

YAN DIOMANDE (RB Leipzig)

Diomande continued his scoring streak for Leipzig, but his early goal was not enough in a 3-1 Bundesliga loss at Hoffenheim. The 18-year-old Ivorian teenager cut the ball past the home goalkeeper with nine minutes gone, scoring for the third week in a row, to go with three assists.

FRANCE

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Marseille)

Substitute Matt O'Riley delivered a pin-point cross that veteran Gabon captain and striker Aubameyang slid into the net to complete the scoring in a 3-0 home win over Brest. Victory temporarily took Marseille to the top of Ligue 1, and they finished the weekend second, two points behind Paris Saint-Germain.

MAMADOU SANGARE (Lens)

The Mali international was among the goals as Lens triumphed 4-1 at Monaco to lie third, behind Marseille on goal difference. As half-time approached, Sangare was fouled, leading to a red card for Folarin Balogun. The midfielder recovered to score in added time at the end of the half to give Lens a two-goal lead.



Serena Williams' Comeback at Queen's Club is Over after Injury to Doubles Partner

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 10, 2026  Serena Williams of the US during practice REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 10, 2026 Serena Williams of the US during practice REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
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Serena Williams' Comeback at Queen's Club is Over after Injury to Doubles Partner

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 10, 2026  Serena Williams of the US during practice REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 10, 2026 Serena Williams of the US during practice REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

Serena Williams' much-hyped comeback to professional tennis at the Queen's Club lasted just one match.

The 44-year-old Williams' doubles partner, 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, was forced to withdraw from the draw on Thursday because of a knee injury she sustained in a singles match against Karolina Pliskova in the last 32 on Wednesday.

In her first professional match since the 2022 US Open, Williams teamed up with Mboko to beat third-seeded duo Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6 (2), 6-2 at the grass-court event on Tuesday. They were scheduled to face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals.

Williams is set to play doubles at the Berlin Open in Germany next week. Her partner has yet to be announced, The Associated Press reported.

Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles — including seven at Wimbledon — before stepping away from the game, saying at the time she was “evolving” away from tennis rather than "retiring."


Wolves Fire Coach after Relegation from Premier League

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - May 24, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - May 24, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
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Wolves Fire Coach after Relegation from Premier League

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - May 24, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - May 24, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes

Wolverhampton fired manager Rob Edwards on Thursday following the team's relegation from the Premier League.

Edwards was in charge for only seven months, having been hired in November when Wolves was winless and in last place.

He couldn't keep them up but, as a local-born former player, he was widely viewed as a coach the club was looking to build its future around.

Instead, Edwards was dumped a few weeks after he said Wolves were “not good enough” and “this place is in a mess.” He lost 16 of his 30 matches in charge of the team, which finished bottom of the league on 20 points.

“Following a comprehensive review at the conclusion of the season, the club has determined that a change in leadership is necessary as Wolves enters the next stage of its development,” The Associated Press quoted Wolves as saying in a statement.

“While the club recognizes the significant challenges faced by Edwards and his staff during their tenure, and acknowledges the commitment and professionalism they demonstrated throughout, it ultimately concluded that a different sporting direction would provide the strongest platform for future success.”

Wolves has already signed former England right back Kieran Trippier and Mexico striker Raul Jimenez as the club prepares for life back in the second-tier Championship.


German Players to Pay for 600 Fans' Stadium Trip amid Soaring Transport Costs

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Germany Training - Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US - June 10, 2026 A football with the FIFA World Cup logo is pictured during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Scott Kinser
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Germany Training - Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US - June 10, 2026 A football with the FIFA World Cup logo is pictured during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Scott Kinser
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German Players to Pay for 600 Fans' Stadium Trip amid Soaring Transport Costs

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Germany Training - Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US - June 10, 2026 A football with the FIFA World Cup logo is pictured during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Scott Kinser
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Germany Training - Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US - June 10, 2026 A football with the FIFA World Cup logo is pictured during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Scott Kinser

German players have stepped up to ease fans' pain from soaring transport costs at the World Cup, offering to pay for 600 of them to travel by bus to their last Group E game against Ecuador in New Jersey on June 25, media reports said. City authorities hiked rail and bus fares from New York to the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey by several times citing increased pressure on the public transit systems. That triggered a backlash from fans who have already paid high prices for match tickets, Reuters reported.

"In light of the high cost of bus and train travel in New York during the World Cup, the German national team players have organized free transport to the final group match for 600 fans," the BBC quoted the German Football Association as saying.

"Captain Joshua Kimmich and his teammates are covering the cost of buses to take supporters from New York to the arena in New Jersey for the match against Ecuador."

Reuters could not immediately confirm the statement. A round trip to the stadium by train, which usually costs $12.90, has been set at $98 during World Cup games, down from the originally proposed $150 fare after NJ Transit faced heavy criticism.

Shuttle buses will cost $20, down from the initial $80 price tag.

Transport was free for fans at the last two World Cups in Russia and Qatar. Four-time champions Germany will begin their campaign in Houston against Curacao on Sunday.