Ian Hawkey

Ian Hawkey

European Football Correspondent


Osame Sahraoui, right, of Lille in action against Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid in the Uefa Champions League . EPA
Morocco's renaissance boosted as Lille star Sahraoui switches allegiance to Atlas Lions

Just days after playing his part in French club's famous victory over Real Madrid, the winger joins up with Atlas Lions for the first time

October 04, 2024
Al Ahly's Palestinian forward Wessam Abou Ali, right, celebrates scoring his team's second goal in the second leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final against TP Mazembe in Cairo. AFP
Abou Ali and Faraj bring Palestinian punch to Al Ahly and Zamalek clash

International teammates set to go head-to-head as Egypt's great rivals battle for silverware in Riyadh

September 27, 2024
Saudi Future Falcons in training. Photo: SSDFT
Future Falcons: The Saudi football factory preparing stars of tomorrow

Based in Salou, Spain, the programme is providing talented youth players with the experience and education to launch professional careers at home and abroad

September 20, 2024
Girona's Spanish coach Michel, centre, leads a training session on the eve of the Uefa Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain. EPA
Girona's first Champions League adventure has its roots in Abu Dhabi

Catalan club make their debut in Uefa's top club competition against PSG, thanks in large part to backing of City Football Group

September 18, 2024
Mohamed Salah and Egypt finished as runners-up at both the 2017 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. AP
Salah has unfinished business with Egypt at Afcon

Forward looks to banish painful Africa Cup of Nations memories to the past as he enters final year of contract at club side Liverpool

September 06, 2024
Riyad Mahrez has scored 31 goals in 93 appearances for Algeria. AFP
Mahrez hopes for Afcon redemption after return to Algeria set-up

Veteran winger at crossroads in career and will be hoping for one final push ahead of 2026 World Cup

September 05, 2024
Moroccan players celebrate winning bronze in the men's five-a-side blind football at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Reuters
Morocco hope Paralympics platform leads to bright future for cecifoot

Five-time African champions won bronze in Tokyo and have high expectations in Paris

August 29, 2024
Qatar's Fares El-Bakh won gold in the men's 96kg weightlifting division at the Tokyo Olympics. AFP
Qatar's El-Bakh aims to cement weightlifting legacy

Tokyo Games gold medalist faces biggest challenge from China’s Liu Huanhua in 102-kg category

August 09, 2024
Sara Ahmed of Egypt on her way to winning gold in the 76kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last year. DBM-Deepbluemedia
Egyptian weightlifters join female pioneers at Paris Olympics

Competing near garden commemorating French pilot Elisabeth Boselli, they hope to inspire more girls to take up their sport

August 08, 2024
Algeria's Djamel Sedjati won the men's 800m event during the Wanda Diamond League in Monaco. AFP
Algeria’s Sedjati has 800m gold and world record in sight at Paris 2024

Sedjati part of a strong group of runners expected to raise the bar at the Games

August 07, 2024
Soufiane El Bakkali celebrates winning the men's steeplechase event at the 2022 Diamond League meeting in Doha. AFP
El Bakkali on a mission to defend Olympic steeplechase gold

Having broken Kenya's decades-long stronghold on the event at Tokyo 2020, El Bakkali arrives in Paris aiming to complete the double

August 05, 2024
Morocco's Ilias Akhomach, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the quarterfinal men's soccer match between Morocco and the United States at the Parc des Princes during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug.  2, 2024, in Paris, France.  (AP Photo / Aurelien Morissard)
Akhomach and Morocco face familiar foes Spain with medals at stake

Atlas Lions seeking to upset La Roja in men's football semi-final and earn their shot at gold

August 05, 2024
Achraf Hakimi was part of the Moroccan team that enjoyed a remarkable 2022 World Cup in Qatar. PA
Olympics gold will be pinnacle for Moroccan football's golden generation

Achraf Hakimi the star of another talented bunch that will look to take the country's burgeoning legacy forward at summer Games

July 23, 2024
Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Final - Spain v England - Berlin Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany - July 14, 2024 Spain's Alvaro Morata lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning Euro 2024 REUTERS / Angelika Warmuth     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Euro 2024: Depth, diversity and unity fuel Spain's historic triumph

All corners of nation represented in squad that rose to every challenge placed in front of them in Germany

July 15, 2024
Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Final - Spain Training - Donaueschingen, Germany - July 13, 2024 Spain's Lamine Yamal during training REUTERS / Robin Rudel
Spain v England: Football's coming home in Euro 2024 final

Three Lions out to end to '58 years of hurt' but Spanish can clinch record fourth European Championship title

July 14, 2024