Team Offers Free Season Ticket to First Fan Who Wins League with Them on Football Manager

Cabinteely FC may just be a small, relatively newly formed League of Ireland team but their PR and media team have got their game very much on point.

We say that because of their latest promotion to offer one lucky supporter a free season ticket – if they’re the first to win the league with them on Football Manager. Having only gone pro this year, the Dublin-based club just finished their first season in Ireland’s second tier and will appear in a Football Manager game for the first time when the latest edition – FM16 – is released on Friday… Continue

Belgium unveil New Kit For Euro 2016

Belgium are among the first teams to showcase their new home kit ahead of Euro 2016.

Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Kevin De Bruyne, Nacer Chadli and Axel Witsel were chosen to model the new red, black and yellow adidas kit which they will don in France next summer.  And it could be the strip they wear as they win their first international tournament – with Marc Wilmots’ team one of the favourites going into the competition.

Belgium rose to become the world’s number one team in the latest FIFA rankings after winning their last four games on the bounce to finish top of their qualifying group last month. See it after the cut

Is this the worst penalty ever?

If FIFA decided to have a Worst Penalty of the Year award, Steven MacKay would win it this year, and maybe for the next 25.

In the Scottish Highland League match between Vale and Brora Rangers, the Brora Rangers striker was tackled in the box by Vale’s goalkeeper, winning a penalty. McKay felt he deserved to kick it himself. Watch after the cut

Cocaine seized from buses carrying Colombian soccer fans

A throng of Colombian soccer fans traveling to Chile unexpectedly found themselves in a real-life episode of the hit Netflix series Narcos this weekend.

Colombian police seized more than half a ton of cocaine – 1,265 pounds, to be exact – found on two buses carrying fans on a 2,500-mile trek to watch Thursday’s World Cup qualifier in Santiago.

“These drugs, hidden inside these buses, were bound for Santiago de Chile and the method of doing it was by transporting it through some tourists who were going to see the Colombia-Chile match,” Major General Rodrigo Gonzalez, Commander of the Region Four National Police of Colombia, told reporters.

The cocaine was hidden in compartments under the bus floors and under the seats of both drivers, who were arrested.

Pornhub To Sponsor An Italian Team

Tired of the same old, boring kit sponsors in soccer? Wish your team promoted something a bit peppier than “Fly Emirates” on their chests?

Well, good news! Potentially. Continue

Herrera: Van Gaal not as tough as he looks

Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has hailed his relationship with Louis van Gaal and claims the Dutchman is not as tough as he appears.

Van Gaal has received plenty of criticism in recent weeks, with several former United players claiming the team are too defensive under the former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach.

Nevertheless, Herrera is adamant Van Gaal only wants what is best for the club and believes he is the right man for the job. Continue

Japan's oldest player signs new contract aged 48

Veteran Japanese striker Kazuyoshi Miura has signed a new one-year contract with Yokohama FC at the age of 48.

Miura, who extended his own record as the oldest scorer in the Japanese leagues in June, has agreed a new contract with the J2 League club for next season.

The former Japan international, dubbed 'King Kazu', will be 49 when the new deal expires. Continue

WATCH: Lionel Messi Playing Keepy-Ups With Orange Is Outrageous

This man is a genius.
Messi now has his own verified Twitter account 'Team Messi', giving fans regular updates of his incredible lifestyle.

Donnarumma inspired to emulate Buffon

Rising AC MIlan star Gianluigi Donnarumma says he wants to emulate the career of Italy great Gianluigi Buffon.

The 16-year-old has earned his first call-up to the Italy Under-21 squad after impressing since being thrust into the first team at San Siro in recent weeks.

Donnarumma has earned widespread praise for his performances, not least in the 0-0 draw with Atalanta at the weekend, when he made a string of superb saves in the second half to safeguard a point for his side. Continue

Mirallas hints at Everton exit in January

Kevin Mirallas will reassess his future at Everton in January if he is not getting regular first-team football under Roberto Martinez.

The Belgium international is desperate to keep his place in Marc Wilmots' thoughts ahead of Euro 2016, and knows he must be play on a regular basis to ensure he earns a spot in his final squad. Continue

Northern Ireland fans are not happy about their Euro 2016 kits

The euphoria that swept up Northern Ireland after its football team qualified for their first major tournament since 1986 is quickly dissipating thanks to – of all things – the release of the Green and White Army’s new kits.

Adidas unveiled Northern Ireland’s Euro 2016 strips a few days ago, and reaction has been so poor, an online petition to come up with an alternate design has already collected over 5,000 signatures in a day.

“We qualify for our first tournament in 30 years and they go and produce something like this – it’s horrendous,” Ian McKinney, who set up the petition, told the Belfast Telegraph. 

“Kits that have divided opinion in the past have either not been the traditional color or messy – this is both. It’s a perfect storm of rubbish.”

Tough to argue with poor McKinney here. Those are pretty dreadful. 

Benzema suing for breach of confidentiality in sex tape case

Karim Benzema's lawyer will take legal action against a radio station that published a transcript of a conversation between the France striker and a friend which was recorded as part of the investigation into a sex tape involving national teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

French radio Europe 1 violated the confidentiality of an official investigation, Sylvain Cormier told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The extracts published on Monday tend to give credence to the claim that Benzema, who was charged last week with conspiracy to blackmail and participation to a criminal group, took an active role in the extortion scam. Continue

US Soccer Have Banned Children From Heading The Ball For 'Safety Reasons'

Throwing yourself into heading a size 5 Mitre on a soggy ash pitch could finally about to become a thing of the past for young aspiring footballers.

Well, for American kids at least. Continue

Comparing Leo Messi's Football Manager stats since 2005

Imagine yourself 10 years ago; there's a good chance you weren't as good at some things as you're now. Equally, depending on age, there's probably a few parts of your life where your attributes have fallen. 

We live in an age where we can feel genuinely privileged that we've been able to watch Lionel Messi go from  up and coming teen sensation to perhaps the world's greatest ever player and man of the most annoying Facebook comment on the planet! But of course whilst Messi has been achieving ridiculous amounts in the last 10 years he wasn't always so great.

A decade ago Messi nearly signed for Rangers on loan after Alex McLeish's son saw the brilliance of the Argentine on Football Manager but on the game with Barcelona starlet didn't start with great stats;

 As you can see back then the 17 year-old didn't even hit the high of double figures for his passing, technique, flair, influence, positioning or composure!

That's in comparison to how he started last year's game;

How times have changed ey...

                                                       source: theSportsbible

WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo's Son Meeting Lionel Messi Is A Priceless Moment

Being the son of one of the world’s best footballers, you’d expect that when they meet another star, they’d be perfectly fine. But for Cristiano Ronaldo’s son, he was shy. Very, very shy. He just can't quite believe it...

To this little boy, his father is a perfectly normal human being while Messi is the demi-god...

Photo: Every Chelsea fan's logic right now

I believe in miracles...do you???

Mario Balotelli caught sending messages to a guy's girlfriend on Instagram

Since moving to AC Milan, we haven’t heard much of Mario Balotelli. The Italian striker struggled with life in the Premier League with Liverpool, and return to Serie A in the summer on a season-long loan. But he’s back on the scene again after a guy called him out for messaging his girlfriend.

According to Instagram user benmdub, Balotelli messaged his girlfriend ‘chatting her up’. After seeing the text from the AC Milan striker, Ben posted a screen shot on Instagram telling him that she doesn’t want to talk to him ‘because he has more money’. See it after the cut

Turkish Media Claim Mesut Ozil Is Engaged To Miss Turkey 2014, Amine Gülşe

Earlier this year, Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil was pictured with Miss Turkey 2014, Amine Gülşe, and it was reported that the two were dating. A relationship between the two was denied but it is now being reported by Turkish media that the couple could be engaged.

The engagement could definitely be why the German international is currently enjoying some fantastic form, assisting 10 and scoring one goal in 11 Premier League appearances. 

Only time will tell if it's official. See pictures of Amine after the cut

Kaka wary of motivated Argentina

Kaka is expecting Argentina to display an even greater desire to beat Brazil on Thursday given their poor start to World Cup qualifying.

Gerardo Martino's men have claimed just one point from games with Ecuador and Paraguay and require a win in Buenos Aires to kick-start their bid to reach Russia in three years.

The home side will be without talisman Lionel Messi, while Carlos Tevez is also unlikely to be passed fit.

But their troubles make them more dangerous opponents, according to Orlando City's Kaka. Continue

Sampdoria sack Walter Zenga

Sampdoria have announced the sacking of head coach Walter Zenga on Tuesday.

Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Fiorentina – which left the club 10th in Serie A - was the last straw for president Massimo Ferrero.

Reports in Italy have suggested former Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Montella is set to be appointed as his replacement.