When young players wear the national colours, they should not be charged for the honour.

Real Madrid want Gareth Bale to make his home debut a week on Sunday against Athletic Bilbao because the midday kick-off would maximise the global television audience watching his first game in Spain.

New Zealand's top young soccer players are being asked to pay to play at October's Fifa Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

As a player, Ryan Nelsen loved nothing more than testing himself against the world's best strikers. Wayne Rooney, no problem. Thierry Henry, sure thing. Ronaldinho, OK.

Manchester United expect Chelsea to increase efforts to unsettle Wayne Rooney by lodging a third bid for the forward within 48 hours.

Football's governing body is to build a multi-sports complex with artificial fields and an indoor arena in return for a 30-year lease on an East Auckland reserve.

All Whites striker Jeremy Brockie has been to Boston, Washington DC, Houston, Kansas City and Los Angeles in the past three months.

Jeremy Brockie is due to return to Wellington at the end of the month but Toronto are keen to get the Phoenix and All Whites striker back next year and might even be preparing a bid to secure him on a permanent deal.

Alan Smith, Graeme Souness and Niall Quinn discuss the English Premier League season's key issues with Jeremy Wilson ahead of tomorrow's kick-off

The beautiful game and some of its best young players are coming to Dunedin, with confirmation Forsyth Barr Stadium will host seven matches during the 2015 Fifa Under-20 World Cup.

Wayne Rooney is an integral part of the England set-up, regardless of whether he is playing regular first-team club football, national manager Roy Hodgson said yesterday.

It is less than a week until the first English Premier League games are broadcast live online instead of on Sky Sport - and some football fans are worried the quality of the picture will be too poor to enjoy.

Liverpool have banished Luis Suarez to train away from the first-team squad until he is ready to show respect to his club and teammates - a move that underlines their refusal to be cowed by a player whose contract leaves them under no obligation to sell.

It was appropriate that Mark Paston helped the All Whites get to the verge of next year's World Cup because he played a leading hand in getting them there in 2010.