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African Players in Europe: Rare Marmoush Goal Clinches City Win

Omar Marmoush (C) of Manchester City celebrates his goal during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Brentford FC, in Manchester, Britain, 09 May 2026. (EPA)
Omar Marmoush (C) of Manchester City celebrates his goal during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Brentford FC, in Manchester, Britain, 09 May 2026. (EPA)
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African Players in Europe: Rare Marmoush Goal Clinches City Win

Omar Marmoush (C) of Manchester City celebrates his goal during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Brentford FC, in Manchester, Britain, 09 May 2026. (EPA)
Omar Marmoush (C) of Manchester City celebrates his goal during the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Brentford FC, in Manchester, Britain, 09 May 2026. (EPA)

A rare Omar Marmoush goal sealed a 3-0 win for second-placed Manchester City over Brentford in the Premier League at the weekend.

It was only the second league goal this season for the 27-year-old Egypt striker, who ran on to an Erling Haaland pass and fired past goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

City trail Arsenal by five points with a game in hand. The Gunners edged West Ham United 1-0 and can clinch the title with victories at home to Burnley and away against Crystal Palace

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

ENGLAND

OMAR MARMOUSH (Manchester City)

The Egyptian was sent on to partner Haaland up front as Pep Guardiola chased goals at 0-0 early in the second half and the two combined as Marmoush produced a clinical finish from the Norwegian's pass.

YANKUBA MINTEH (Brighton)

Minteh helped fire in-form Brighton into the top six with the third goal in a 3-0 rout of already-relegated Wolves. The Gambia international started and finished a flowing team move before blasting in at the near post for his third goal of the season.

ISMAILA SARR (Crystal Palace)

Sarr took his tally for an impressive season to 20 goals as Palace secured survival in a 2-2 draw with Everton. The Senegal international blasted home at the second attempt after his initial effort was blocked.

BETO (Everton)

Beto was also on target at Selhurst Park with a brilliant individual run and finish past Dean Henderson. The Guinea-Bisseau international's 10th goal of the season put the Toffees in front, but they could not hold on as a draw dented their push for European qualification

SPAIN

EZ ABDE (Real Betis)

The Morocco winger scored with a superb finish into the top corner after bursting down the left and into the box as his Betis side drew 2-2 at Real Sociedad. Abde, 24, has been in brilliant form with five goals in his last six appearances for the Andalucian side.

AKOR ADAMS (Sevilla)

Nigeria striker Adams grabbed a vital goal in stoppage time to claim Sevilla a 2-1 win over Espanyol, which could help them avoid relegation. The 26-year-old has scored twice in his last four matches to help Sevilla climb away from danger.

GERMANY

BAZOUMANA TOURE (Hoffenheim)

Ivory Coast striker Toure scored the only goal in a crucial 1-0 win over Werder Bremen that saw Hoffenheim stay in the race for Champions League qualification. Toure curled in a smart finish on 25 minutes to score his third goal in five games and keep Hoffenheim level on points with fourth-place Stuttgart going into the final day of the season.

EDMOND TAPSOBA (Bayer Leverkusen)

Burkinabe defender Tapsoba conceded a decisive penalty in a 3-1 defeat to Stuttgart that dashed Leverkusen's hopes of Champions League qualification. Tapsoba tripped Ermedin Demirovic in the box shortly before half-time, allowing Maximilian Mittelstadt to put Stuttgart 2-1 up after Leverkusen had taken an early lead.

SERHOU GUIRASSY (Borussia Dortmund)

Guirassy scored the leveler as Dortmund came from a goal down to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 to lock in second spot. The Guinea international got just enough onto a Julian Ryerson assist to flick it into the corner of the goal for his 16th strike of the Bundesliga campaign.

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Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
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Portugal Changes How No. 7 Is Written to Honor Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the 1-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Hungary, in Budapest, Hungary, 09 September 2025. (EPA)

The Portugal football team is making a change to how the No. 7 is written to honor the recently-retired Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, who wore the number and went on to make it his own as “CR7,” retired from international soccer last week, ending a remarkable career that spanned six World Cups, a European title, and the men’s all-time international scoring record.

“Time to debut a new 7. Because there’s one that will be eternal,” the Portuguese national team wrote on social media on Saturday. The post included a goat emoji to signify “Greatest Of All Time.”

It also included a video that showed a horizontal crossed line through the No. 7 as it’s commonly written in Europe, suggesting that Ronaldo’s successors will all have that cross to bear when they wear the number.

Portugal, already assured of reaching the quarterfinals, was hosting Denmark in the Nations League later Saturday.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo quit on Nov. 5 after falling out with coach Jorge Jesus. His last appearance with Portugal was Sept. 24 in a 1-0 home win over Wales in the Nations League.

Jesus kept him on the bench for the following match and said he didn’t plan to start him in the next one, so the superstar forward decided to leave the team’s training camp.

Jesus later said Ronaldo would be welcome back and the decision to return was up to him.

Sports

Ronaldinho Poised for Ravenna Start and, Perhaps, One Last Goal

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
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Ronaldinho Poised for Ravenna Start and, Perhaps, One Last Goal

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho waves during Ravenna FC’s team presentation for the 2026-27 season in Marina di Ravenna, Italy, Aug. 20, 2026. (AFP)

Ronaldinho will roll back the years this weekend when the 46-year-old Brazilian starts his first competitive match in over a decade, and in the unlikely setting of an Italian third-tier derby the World Cup winner may realize his dream of scoring one last time.

The Brazil great and Ballon d'Or winner signed for Ravenna in June, also taking a stake in the club, but because he had not played since his final appearance for Fluminense in 2015, doubts remained over whether fans would ever see him in action.

Ravenna revealed ‌three weeks ago ‌that the former Barcelona and AC Milan player ‌would ⁠make his return ⁠in Sunday's home clash with local rivals Forli, and on Friday, manager Andrea Mandorlini told reporters that Ronaldinho would start the match.

"He will play from the start, there's no doubt," Mandorlini said.

"Then together we will decide how long he plays. He is one of the greatest players of the modern era. And we have to get a ⁠result. We always play with three forwards. He will ‌be one of the three."

Ronaldinho was ‌welcomed by the Ravenna fans in August, without committing to a return ‌to the pitch. He returned to Italy on Friday afternoon and ‌will have just one training session with his teammates on Saturday before making his club debut.

A temporary stand has been erected at the Stadio Bruno Benelli to cater for the crowd, and if this does turn out ‌to be one last hurrah for Ronaldinho, he may well get the chance to score his 300th ⁠professional goal.

"I ⁠scored my first Italian goal in the derby," Ronaldinho told Corriere della Sera, referring to his first official goal for AC Milan, which came against Inter Milan.

"It was a special evening that will remain in the memory of all AC Milan fans. It was September 28, 2008. I scored with a header, which is not my specialty. Who knows if I'll be able to repeat that feat tomorrow."

"... Returning to the pitch at 46 is the best move of my career."

Simone Rabbi will play alongside the Brazilian up front for Ravenna, and in Friday's press conference he said that if his side are awarded a penalty on Sunday, Ronaldinho will take the spot kick.

Sports

Andreeva Says She Is Learning to Move on Faster from Defeats After WTA Finals Sweep

Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Andreeva Says She Is Learning to Move on Faster from Defeats After WTA Finals Sweep

Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Mirra Andreeva plays Diana Shnaider during day six of the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

Mirra Andreeva said she has learned to recover more quickly from setbacks after the Russian teenager completed an unbeaten run through the WTA Finals round-robin stage on Friday.

Andreeva won her third group-stage match in straight sets after a late opponent change, having already secured a semi-final berth. The 19-year-old said the match against tournament alternate Diana Shnaider presented a new mental challenge because her progression was guaranteed, but she still wanted to preserve her momentum.

"Before the tournament started I was afraid ‌that I ‌wouldn't win a match in the group," ‌Andreeva ⁠told reporters. "Now you ⁠see how it turned out."

The victory set up a first career meeting with American Jessica Pegula on Saturday. Andreeva described Pegula as one of the calmest players on tour and said coach Conchita Martinez would help prepare a detailed tactical plan.

Andreeva's poise in the desert marked a contrast with her emotional ⁠exit from Indian Wells in March, when ‌she lost her title defense ‌to Katerina Siniakova. Frustrated by the defeat, Andreeva launched into a profanity-laced ‌tirade toward spectators and was booed as she left ‌the court.

The French Open champion said her response to losses has changed significantly over the course of the season.

"Before it was super bad. I was very dramatic," Andreeva said. "It would take me a ‌good two, three days. I wouldn't talk to anybody. I would just sit in the ⁠room locked ⁠up, not wanting to practice."

Now, she said, disappointment generally lasts a day at most before the demands of the tour force her attention back to training or the next match.

Andreeva said the Indian Wells setback came while she was trying to incorporate changes made in practice into her match play, which produced inconsistency and frustration. She said continued work on court, along with sessions with psychologists, helped her make progress.

The results have followed. Andreeva won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros this year and arrived at the WTA Finals for her singles debut after a 50-win season.