Also known as: rivals Real Madrid
Spanish football club that defeated Athletic Bilbao 4-2 in their final 2025-26 La Liga match.
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The Namibian
Real Madrid fell to defeat against Benfica in the Champions League
“Last week Madrid fell to defeat against Benfica in the Champions League, out-played and out-fought, leaving them facing a play-off round double-header against Jose Mourinho's Portuguese side once again.”
Arbeloa's Real Madrid seeking consistency over magicThe Namibian
Real Madrid were handed a quick rematch with Jose Mourinho's Benfica in the Champions League play-off round draw
“Real Madrid were handed a quick rematch with Jose Mourinho's Benfica in the draw for the Champions League play-off round on Friday, while reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain will face domestic rivals Monaco.”
Real Madrid to play Benfica, PSG face Monaco in Champions League play offsThe Namibian
Real Madrid are aiming to seal direct passage to Champions League last 16 at Benfica
“Real Madrid are aiming to seal direct passage to the Champions League last 16 at Benfica on Wednesday, but standing in their way is their divisive former coach Jose Mourinho.”
Old ally Mourinho between Real Madrid and Champions League last 16The Namibian
Madrid crashed out of Copa del Rey at Albacete in Arbeloa's first match
“Madrid crashed out of the Copa del Rey at second-tier Albacete in Arbeloa's first match at the helm but have won the following three games, including a 6-1 demolition of Monaco.”
Old ally Mourinho between Real Madrid and Champions League last 16The Namibian
Real Madrid will wrap up last-16 berth with victory away to Jose Mourinho's Benfica
“Real Madrid, record 15-time winners of the competition, will wrap up a last-16 berth with victory away to Jose Mourinho's Benfica.”
Europe's elite jostle for Champions League last 16 placesThe Namibian
Real Madrid won 2-0 at Villarreal and moved to top of La Liga
“Kylian Mbappe netted twice to earn Real Madrid a 2-0 win at Villarreal on Saturday and take his side to the top of La Liga.”
Mbappe double at Villarreal takes Real Madrid top of La LigaThe Namibian
Real Madrid roared back to life this week, led by Vinicius Junior
“Real Madrid roared back to life this week, led by a superb Vinicius Junior, who is looking to confirm his own resuscitation and that of his team at Villarreal on Saturday in La Liga.”
Vinicius revival can help Arbeloa's Real Madrid lift offThe Namibian
Real Madrid earned new coach Alvaro Arbeloa credit via emphatic 6-1 victory over Monaco in Champions League
“An emphatic 6-1 victory over Monaco on Tuesday in the Champions League helped brighten the gloom in the Spanish capital and earn new coach Alvaro Arbeloa a modicum of credit.”
Vinicius revival can help Arbeloa's Real Madrid lift offThe Namibian
Real Madrid host Monaco on Tuesday in Champions League
“Madrid, seventh, host Monaco on Tuesday and if Arbeloa is to get the fans back on board with his side, anything other than progression in the Champions League is not an option.”
Champions League crunch time as pressure piles on Europe's eliteThe Namibian
Real Madrid beat Levante on Saturday
“The Catalan giants, who hit the woodwork four times and had two goals disallowed, now only lead rivals Real Madrid by a single point at the top of the table after Alvaro Arbeloa's side beat Levante on Saturday.”
Real Sociedad end Barca winning streak to tighten Liga title raceBrazil defeated Egypt 2-1 in a pre-World Cup friendly in Cleveland, with goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Endrick. Brazil open their World Cup Group C campaign against Morocco on June 13, while Egypt begin their Group G campaign against Belgium on June 15.
7 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Brazil defeated Egypt 2-1 in a pre-World Cup friendly in Cleveland, with goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Endrick. Brazil open their World Cup Group C campaign against Morocco on June 13, while Egypt begin their Group G campaign against Belgium on June 15.
7 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Brazil beat Panama 6-2 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in a World Cup send-off, with Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr scoring early and Brazil taking control after replacing most of their starting lineup at half-time.
1 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Paris Saint-Germain won the UEFA Champions League for a second consecutive year, beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final on Saturday at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Coach Luis Enrique said the victory was "even bigger" than their maiden European title.
30 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Arsenal are attempting to win their first Champions League trophy by facing defending champion Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on Saturday. PSG, who won the trophy 14 years after Qatar Sports Investments took over the club, are favourites to defend after Luis Enrique rebuilt the side following the departures of Messi, Neymar and Mbappe, while Arsenal are returning to Europe's biggest stage for the first time since their 2006 final loss to Barcelona.
29 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Spain's World Cup campaign is shadowed by injury concerns, with star winger Lamine Yamal potentially missing the opening two matches against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia due to a hamstring injury, and key players including Ballon d'Or winner Rodri struggling with recent injuries. Coach Luis de la Fuente has nonetheless expressed confidence that Spain can win the tournament.
28 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Mohamed Salah, 33, leads Egypt at what is likely his final World Cup, seeking a first tournament victory for the Pharaohs after three previous campaigns without a win. Salah recently ended his nine-year Liverpool career with 257 goals before joining Al-Ittihad.
28 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Paris Saint-Germain, after winning their maiden Champions League title last year by defeating Inter Milan 5-0, face Arsenal in Budapest aiming to retain the trophy. Manager Luis Enrique's side are favourites and have proven difficult to stop, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia describing the team as capable of beating any opponent when they play their way.
27 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Canada, co-hosts for an upcoming World Cup, are targeting their first-ever tournament victory after losing all six previous matches across appearances in 1986 and 2022. Coach Jesse Marsch's squad, featuring Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies and Juventus's Jonathan David, reached the 2024 Copa America semi-finals and will face Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar, and Switzerland in their group.
26 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Brazil, hunting their first World Cup title in 24 years, face Morocco—semi-finalists in 2022—and Scotland in Group C, with new coach Carlo Ancelotti tasked with optimizing an unbalanced squad featuring strong defensive options but clear gaps at full-back, midfield, and centre-forward.
26 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Mohamed Salah played his final match for Liverpool on Sunday in a 1-1 draw with Brentford, leaving as the club's third-highest goalscorer of all-time with 257 goals after nine years at Anfield. The 33-year-old Egyptian winger provided an assist for Curtis Jones before being substituted.
25 May 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece argues that while Namibia and other African cities marked Africa Day to reflect continental unity and achievement, thousands in Windhoek, Nairobi and Johannesburg instead filled public spaces celebrating Arsenal's English Premier League triumph, raising questions about identity priorities and neo-colonial influence over African football loyalty.
25 May 2026 · Namibian Sun →
Real Madrid ended their La Liga season with a 4-2 win over Athletic Bilbao. Mallorca and Girona were relegated from the Spanish top flight despite Mallorca's 3-0 victory over already-relegated Real Oviedo.
24 May 2026 · The Namibian →
World number one Aryna Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, arrives in Paris for Roland Garros aiming to win the tournament after finishing as runner-up last year to Coco Gauff. Her dominance has shown signs of weakness following recent losses, including a quarter-final exit at Madrid to 30th seed Hailey Baptiste during the European clay swing.
19 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The 2026 World Cup has attracted leading coaches to international positions, including Thomas Tuchel to England and Carlo Ancelotti to Brazil, reversing international football's typical struggles to compete with club football for top talent.
19 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time Wimbledon champion, has withdrawn from both Queen's and Wimbledon as he recovers from a wrist injury sustained at the Barcelona Open. The world number two, who is the reigning two-time Roland Garros champion, says his recovery is progressing but he is not yet ready to compete.
19 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Brazil's all-time leading goalscorer Neymar was recalled to the national team for the World Cup after a near three-year absence, the biggest surprise in coach Carlo Ancelotti's 26-man squad. Neymar, who last played for Brazil in 2023 before injuries sidelined him, has now rejoined Santos and earned selection for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
18 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Former Manchester United and England star David Beckham and his wife Victoria have a combined wealth of approximately £1.185 billion, making him Britain's first billionaire sportsman according to the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List. Beckham, a co-owner of Inter Miami and brand ambassador for major companies, ranks second among UK's wealthiest sportspeople, behind Bernie Ecclestone's family.
18 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Vinicius Junior scored as Real Madrid won 1-0 at Sevilla on Sunday, but Sevilla secured safety from relegation through other results. Mallorca, 19th after losing 2-0 to Levante, and Girona, 18th after a 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid, are in danger of relegation.
17 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Chelsea appointed Xabi Alonso as manager on a four-year contract starting July 1, 2026. Alonso, who guided Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten double in 2023/24, left Real Madrid after seven months and takes over a club that has spent over one billion pounds on players since 2022 but won no domestic trophy in eight seasons.
17 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are set to become the first players to appear in six different World Cups at this year's tournament in North America, two decades after their debuts at the finals. Despite Messi suggesting his career was complete after Argentina's 2022 World Cup victory, he has continued playing, most recently winning the MLS Cup with Inter Miami and captaining Argentina to Copa America victory in 2024.
16 May 2026 · The Namibian →
With Barcelona already crowned champions, La Liga's penultimate round focuses on other matters, including Antoine Griezmann's farewell at Atlético Madrid and a tight relegation battle involving multiple teams between 10th and 19th place, with only Real Oviedo guaranteed to go down.
15 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Barcelona secured their 29th Spanish league title after defeating Real Madrid 2-0 in the Clasico on Sunday, clinching La Liga in consecutive years and moving 14 points clear of second-place Madrid with three matches remaining.
10 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Barcelona, leading by 11 points, host Real Madrid on Sunday needing only a draw to clinch a second consecutive La Liga title. A victory could help them set records with a potential 100 points and 33 victories if they win their final four matches.
8 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Prominent businessman Josua Haimbodi, who recently obtained a Specialised Diploma in Political Science from Bircham International University in Madrid, Spain, has called on young Namibians to embrace education and hard work, sharing his journey from a barefoot village boy to a university graduate as evidence that anything is possible with faith and determination.
8 May 2026 · Informanté →
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 6-5 on aggregate with a 1-1 second-leg draw to advance to the Champions League final, where they will face Arsenal on May 30 in Budapest.
6 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany has promised to maintain his team's high-octane, high-risk attacking approach in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG, despite criticism for defensive vulnerability. Bayern hold a 21-goal tally in their past six games but have conceded 16 goals in the same span, trailing PSG by one goal from the 5-4 first leg.
5 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 2-0 on Sunday, postponing Barcelona's chance to be crowned Spanish champions. Barcelona lead by 11 points with four matches remaining and will next attempt to claim their 29th league title when they host Real Madrid in a week.
4 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres scored late goals to give Barcelona a 2-1 win at Osasuna, moving them 14 points clear of Real Madrid. Barcelona will be crowned champions if Real Madrid drop points against Espanyol on Sunday.
2 May 2026 · The Namibian →
FIFA boosted total World Cup cash distributions to nearly $900 million (specifically $871 million) from an initial $727 million, citing concerns over rising costs for the 48 teams competing in Mexico, Canada and the United States. The increase includes raising preparation costs per team from $1.5 million to $2.5 million and qualifying payments from $9 million to $10 million per team.
29 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, the highest-scoring match ever at this stage of the competition. Kvaratskhelia and Dembele each scored twice as PSG took a narrow advantage into next week's return leg at the Allianz Arena, with the final in Budapest on May 30 at stake.
28 April 2026 · The Namibian →