Ashley Cole will be invited to captain England against the Republic of Ireland on May 29 to commemorate his 100th cap — only seven months after the controversial full back branded the FA a ‘bunch of t***s’.Hodgson, who will name West Ham’s in-form Andy Carroll in a 22-man squad for fixtures against Ireland at Wembley and Brazil on June 2, wants Cole to lead the national t...Full Story »

Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer was content with a point after the team's feisty 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund. Kevin Grosskreutz struck the opening goal of the game for Borussia Dortmund, but Mario Gomez equalized for the new Bundesliga champions. However, Neuer also played his part when the German international was called upon to stop Robert Lewandowski's spot kick and he made a series of...Full Story »

Shea's Stoke City will play his former team, FC Dallas, on July 27 as part of a summer tour of the United States, the club announced on its official website on Thursday. It will mark the second straight summer tour in America for Stoke, which played Columbus, Sporting Kansas City and USL Pro side Orlando City SC."The tour to the United States was extremely successful last year, first and foremos...Full Story »

Wayne Rooney, sent off in his last game in Montenegro, will be encouraged by the fact German referee Wolfgang Stark won’t be in Podgorica for England's World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. Sweden’s Jonas Eriksson will be in charge. Stark sent off Rooney for kicking out at an opponent in Montenegro in October 2011, while Eriksson awarded a penalty for a foul on Rooney at Wembley in Sept...Full Story »

The England team intend to embrace life in Rio de Janeiro at the 2014 World Cup by staying in a landmark hotel on the iconic Copacabana beach. Roy Hodgson’s team will stay at the five-star, seafront skyscraper, the Windsor Atlantica for the friendly against Brazil in the Maracana Stadium on June 2. Room with a view: England's hotel (tallest building) overlooks Rio's world famous Copacaba...Full Story »

Tottenham has agreed to play a May friendly against the Jamaican national team in the Bahamas on May 23 at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in the Bahamas. The match will commemorate the year-long celebration of the 40-year independence of the Bahamas, and it will be one of the first major events in the new 15,000-seat stadium. It would come just eight days after the UEFA Europa League final...Full Story »

Pep Guardiola will coach Bayern Munich against former club Barcelona in a friendly in July, the two clubs have confirmed. Bayern will host Barca at the Allianz Arena on July 24, a little over three weeks after Guardiola is due to take over from Jupp Heynckes as Bayern coach. The deal between the two clubs was finalised during the general assembly of the European Club Association in Doha and ...Full Story »

Wayne's word: Rooney (left) put Leighton Baines and Leon Osman through their paces on the train from Birmingham to London Platform to success: The England squad wait for their train to London from Birmingham International station Rooney quizzed: 'So Leighton, Leon, cold afternoon travelling down to London to take on Brazil tomorrow, how are you feeling? After having a chuckle at Rooney's inte...Full Story »

Ashley Cole: England left-back will win his 100th cap in friendly against Brazil Ashley Cole becomes England's seventh centurion at Wembley on Wednesday still scarcely able to believe his journey from the East End to international star. Coach Roy Hodgson has already confirmed Cole will follow Peter Shilton, David Beckham, Bobby Moore, Sir Bobby Charlton, Billy Wright and Steven Gerrard into th...Full Story »

Carles Puyol: Set to win 100th Spain cap Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque has heaped praise on Carles Puyol as the Barcelona defender prepares to make his 100th appearance for the national side. The 34-year-old has not played for Spain since their friendly against Venezuela last February, but will return for Wednesday's match against Uruguay in Doha, Qatar and in doing so will becomes the sevent...Full Story »

Jermain Defoe looks doubtful for England's friendly against Brazil on Wednesday after sustaining a suspected ankle injury during Tottenham's Premier League clash with West Brom. The 30-year-old appeared to turn his left ankle as he avoided a challenge from Baggies striker Shane Long. The striker was replaced by January signing Lewis Holtby before being helped down the tunnel by two members of ...Full Story »

BERLIN, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Germany holding midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has been ruled out of Wednesday's friendly game against France in Paris after being injured on Saturday, the German football association (DFB) said on Sunday.  Schweinsteiger, who has won 97 caps, picked up an ankle injury in the second half of Bayern Munich's 3-0 win over Mainz 05.  Coach Joachim Loew will n...Full Story »

England chief Roy Hodgson was on a scouting mission at Loftus Road tonight as he prepares to announce his squad for next week’s prestige friendly against Brazil. Hodgson turned up with assistant manager Ray Lewington to watch four English players in the starting line up for Manchester City’s trip to QPR. Keeper Joe Hart, who was so shaky in the 4-2 defeat in Sweden in England’...Full Story »

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal has opted not to include several accomplished stars in his 23-man squad for the upcoming international friendly against Italy. Players including Maarten Stekelenburg, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart and Arjen Robben have all been left out for the match in Amsterdam. Stekelenburg has lost his starting berth at Roma this term, while Sneijder only just left ...Full Story »

Ronaldinho has been named in Brazil's 20-man squad for the friendly against England at Wembley. The glamour game will kick off the FA's 150th anniversary celebrations on February 6 and the squad was revealed by Chelsea defender David Luiz, who will be one of the players involved. And the showpiece will have a suitably stellar cast with the return to international football of the two-time world...Full Story »

African Nations Cup holders Zambia have cancelled plans for a last friendly before the tournament starts next week in order to rest. Zambia, who have had a steady diet of warm-up games in preparation for the defence of their title, called off a friendly with Namibia in Nelspruit on Tuesday. "They have cited a strenuous schedule as the reason for the cancellation," Namibia Football Association ...Full Story »

The Three Lions boss, whose side exited Euro 2012 on penalties, would like to see spot-kicks introduced at the end of 90 minutes if international friendlies finish as a draw England manager Roy Hodgson has suggested penalty shootouts should be staged after draws in international friendlies. The Three Lions have the worst shootout record in international football, with a success rate of just ...Full Story »

Swansea City sensation Michu has been rewarded for his remarkable Premier League form with a promise of a Spain cap in February. Vicente del Bosque, the manager of the European and world champions, has confirmed that the 26-year-old will make his debut for Spain in their February 6 friendly against Uruguay in Doha. International pedigree: Michu will be called into the Spain squad next year T...Full Story »

The U.S. men's national team will face North American foe Canada on Jan. 29 friendly at Houston's BBVA Compass Stadium, the Canadian Soccer Association announced on Monday. The match will take place at the culmination of the USA's January training camp, the details of which have not officially been announced by Jurgen Klinsmann and U.S. Soccer as of yet. According to the CSA, the Americans' cam...Full Story »

Lionel Messi endured a rare quiet night as Argentina could only register a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia in an international friendly played in Riyadh. The South Americans were far from their best and came close to losing to the Saudis, who are led by former Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard, and who have already crashed out of World Cup qualifying. The hosts had the clearest chances of a s...Full Story »