International Sports

Former football star Thierry Henry to coach France at 2024 Olympics

Published

2 years ago

August 22, 2023

Thierry Henry was on Monday named as coach of France’s Under-21s and will be in charge of the team competing at next year’s Olympics in Paris.

The 46-year-old former Arsenal and France striker replaces Sylvain Ripoll and returns to management after leaving his role as Belgium assistant following last year’s World Cup.

Henry, who won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France, has struggled to hit the same heights in coaching that he reached as a player, AFP reported.

He lasted barely three months as Monaco coach in the 2018-19 season and stepped down at MLS club Montreal Impact in February 2021 after just over a year at the helm.

He has also worked previously with Arsenal’s youth teams and twice served on the Belgium coaching staff, helping the country finish third at the 2018 World Cup.

Henry, scorer of 51 goals in 123 games for France, has been working as a TV consultant in recent times.

He could have a team built around Kylian Mbappé at the Olympics, with the France captain making no secret of his desire to play at the tournament, which is largely reserved for players aged 23 or younger.

Henry’s first match as France Under-21 coach is a friendly against Denmark in Nancy on September 7, four days before his team’s opening Euro 2025 qualifier away to Slovenia.

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International Sports

Dubai Capitals secure ILT20 play-off spot with win over Sharjah Warriorz

Published

2 days ago

December 25, 2025

Ariana News

England batter Jordan Cox struck an unbeaten 61 as defending champions Dubai Capitals secured a six-wicket victory over Sharjah Warriorz to book their place in the International League T20 play-offs.

Cox’s 50-ball knock included six boundaries and a six, helping Capitals chase down a target of 135 with five deliveries remaining. Opener Shayan Jahangir also played a key role, scoring 51 from 39 balls.

Jahangir and Mohammad Nabi were both removed by Sikandar Raza, while Leus du Plooy departed cheaply, leaving Capitals at 114-4 in the 18th over. Cox then took charge to guide his team to victory.

Earlier, Sharjah Warriorz posted 134-8 from their allotted 20 overs, with West Indies batter Johnson Charles top-scoring with 43.

The Warriorz remain in contention for the final play-off spot alongside Gulf Giants and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Meanwhile, Dubai Capitals can still finish second in the standings, giving them two opportunities to qualify for the final on 4 January.

Cricket fans across Afghanistan can watch the next ILT20 match between Sharjah Warriorz and Desert Vipers on Ariana Television tomorrow, Friday, December 26, from 7pm.

International Sports

Ariana News to broadcast key AFC Champions League Two clash

The match will be played in Riyadh, where Al-Nassr will aim to make home advantage count following their strong performances earlier in the campaign.

Published

3 days ago

December 23, 2025

Ariana News

Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr will take on Iraq’s Al-Zawraa in a crucial AFC Champions League Two group-stage encounter tomorrow, Wednesday December 24, as both sides look to strengthen their positions in the competition.

The match will be played in Riyadh, where Al-Nassr will aim to make home advantage count following their strong performances earlier in the campaign.

With a squad packed with international stars and attacking depth, the Saudi club will be targeting another positive result to move closer to qualification for the knockout stages.

Al-Zawraa, one of Iraq’s most successful clubs, arrive determined to bounce back and keep their continental hopes alive.

Known for their discipline and resilience, the Baghdad-based side will be looking to frustrate the hosts and capitalize on any opportunities on the counterattack.

The encounter is expected to draw significant attention from football fans across the region, as the AFC Champions League Two continues to showcase competitive clashes between leading clubs.

The match will be broadcast across Afghanistan live and exclusively on Ariana News from 8:30pm.

International Sports

Dubai Capitals and MI Emirates register key wins in ILT20

Published

4 days ago

December 22, 2025

Ariana News

The Dubai Capitals secured a crucial six-wicket victory over the Gulf Giants at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday, climbing to second place in the ILT20 standings and handing the Giants a fourth straight defeat.

Mustafizur Rahman starred with the ball, taking three wickets in a decisive over to help restrict the Giants to 156 all out, despite solid knocks from Azmatullah Omarzai (43) and James Vince (36).

In reply, Shayan Jahangir’s steady 48 and an unbeaten 47 from Rovman Powell guided the Capitals to victory with four balls to spare. Mohammad Nabi added a quick 25 not out to seal the chase.

In Dubai, MI Emirates continued their strong form with a composed four-wicket win over table-toppers Desert Vipers, registering their third consecutive victory of the season.

Shakib Al Hasan delivered an outstanding all-round performance, claiming 2 for 14 to limit the Vipers to 124 before anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 17. Kieron Pollard’s brisk 26 swung the momentum decisively as MI Emirates reached the target with 15 balls remaining.

Cricket fans across Afghanistan can watch the next ILT20 match between Sharjah Warriorz and MI Emirates on Ariana Television today, Monday, December 22, from 2pm.