SAMUEL PETREQUIN

Sports writer and Europe reporter

Petrequin has been covering sports and general news for The Associated Press for more than two decades.

France head coach Didier Deschamps talks to the media after the UEFA Preliminary Draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, Friday, December 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Final chapter: France’s greatest coach Didier Deschamps says he’ll leave after 2026 World Cup

Didier Deschamps says he won’t continue as France coach after the next World Cup. The 56-year-old Deschamps said in an interview Wednesday with broadcaster TF1 that he will leave when his contract expires in the summer of 2026.

A Republican Guard holds a portrait of Samuel Paty in the courtyard of the Sorbonne university during a national memorial event, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020 in Paris. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, Pool, File)

France’s anti-terrorism court convicts 8 people of involvement in the 2020 beheading of a teacher

France’s anti-terrorism court has convicted eight people of involvement in the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty in 2020.

Benfica's Kerem Akturkoglu, right, and Monaco's Wilfried Singo vie for the ball during a Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Louis II stadium in Monaco, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

Singo apologizes for injuring Donnarumma and Monaco condemns ensuing racist abuse

Monaco has condemned the racist insults aimed at its defender Wilfried Singo after he gave Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma a bloodied face in their Ligue 1 game.

Environmental activist Paul Watson waves as he is released from prison in Nuuk, Greenland, Tuesday Dec. 17, 2024. (Alataq Moeller/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Emotional reunion awaits anti-whaling activist Paul Watson after his sudden release

Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson will not be extradited to Japan after being freed from prison in Denmark, his lawyer said.

Monaco's Folarin Balogun, center, Benfica's Orkun Kokcu, left, and Nicolas Otamendi fight for the ball during a Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Louis II stadium in Monaco, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

With US striker Balogun sidelined, Monaco needs another forward. Kolo Muani could be a solution

With United States striker Folarin Balogun injured, Monaco is in need of more firepower up front. The team has been hit by injuries and is showing signs of fatigue, both in the French league and the Champions League.

Lyon's Ainsley Maitland-Niles, center, and Lyon's Moussa Niakhate react at the end of the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Referee briefly stops French league match between PSG and Lyon after homophobic chants

A French league soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon was briefly interrupted Sunday because of homophobic chanting by PSG fans.

Trainees walk past a wall displaying the club's famous players in the AS Monaco academy in Cap d'Ail near Monaco, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)

Riviera gems: Monaco’s renowned soccer academy keeps churning out some of France’s biggest stars

Monaco’s strategy of developing young talents who often go on to represent their national sides is bringing both sporting and financial benefits to the French league club.

Monaco's Folarin Balogun, left, controls a ball chased by Benfica's Tomas Araujo during a Champions League opening phase soccer match at the Louis II stadium in Monaco, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

US and Monaco striker Balogun doubtful for Champions League match against former club Arsenal

United States striker Folarin Balogun sat out training for Monaco after taking another hit on his recently dislocated shoulder, putting him in doubt for next week’s Champions League match against his former club Arsenal.

FILE - Olympique de Marseille fans cheer during an Europa League semifinal first leg soccer match between Olympique de Marseille and Atalanta at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, France, Thursday, May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole, file)

French fans belt out homophobic chants with ‘complete impunity’ during game, campaign group says

A French campaign group has renewed calls for authorities to take action against homophobic chanting by soccer fans, saying Marseille supporters belted out anti-gay slurs “with complete impunity” during a home game against Monaco.

United States' Alyssa Thompson jumps over England's Lucy Bronze during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

US and England women draw 0-0 in Emma Hayes’ homecoming

Emma Hayes witnessed a dominant display from her players at a packed Wembley stadium, but the U.S. coach could not taste victory on her return to England.

FILE - The pack passes a windmill near the village of Beek during the 50th edition of the Amstel Gold cycling race over 258 kilometers (160 miles) with start in Maastricht and finish in Valkenburg, southern Netherlands, Sunday, April 19, 2015. (AP Photo, File)

NATO summit in the Netherlands threatens to derail 2025 Dutch cycling season

A NATO summit next June in the Netherlands is putting at risk a big chunk of the cycling season in the bike-crazy country.

Lille's head coach Bruno Genesio gives instructions to his players during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Lille and Juventus at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, outside Lille, France, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Coach Bruno Genesio guiding Lille to success after outwitting Ancelotti and Simeone

Just a year ago, Bruno Genesio left Rennes amid general indifference. Back to work at Lille this season, the French coach is being hailed as a master tactician, drawing comparisons with his most famous peers.

FILE - Monaco's Wissam Ben Yedder celebrates scoring his second goal during a French League One soccer match between Lyon and Monaco at the Groupama stadium in Decines, outside Lyon, France, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani, File)

Former France striker Wissam Ben Yedder gets 2-year suspended jail sentence in sexual assault case

French soccer star Wissam Ben Yedder has been sentenced to a suspended prison term of two years after his trial last month in France for sexually assaulting a woman.

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match against AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Struggling captain Mbappé once again left out of France squad

Struggling to make an impact at Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé has again been left out of the France squad.

A giant banner reads "Free Palestine" is seen before the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Atletico Madrid at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

French interior minister wants explanation from PSG for ‘Free Palestine’ banner

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau says a giant “Free Palestine” banner unveiled before Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League match against Atletico Madrid is “unacceptable.”

FILE - Vincent Labrune, head of the French soccer league, leaves the French soccer federation in Paris, France, Jan. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

Investigators search offices of French soccer league and private equity firm CVC in corruption probe

French investigators have raided offices of the French soccer league and private equity firm CVC Capital Partners as part of an investigation into possible corruption and embezzlement related to an investment deal.

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme unveils the 2025 Tour de France cycling race roadmap, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Tour de France unveils 2025 route that includes a climb up the ‘evil’ Mont Ventoux

The Tour de France will have a more traditional look next year. After a rare finish outside Paris this year, cycling’s biggest race is getting back to basics for the 2025 route that was unveiled Tuesday.

FILE - New French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau speaks during the handover ceremony at the ministry, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

France interior minister urges stopping soccer matches when homophobic chants start

France’s interior minister says he wants soccer matches to be brought to a halt when homophobic chants are belted out by fans in stadiums.

Liverpool's Darwin Nunez, left, celebrates with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between RB Leipzig and Liverpool at the RB Arena in Leipzig, Germany, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024.(AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Liverpool stays perfect in Champions League and Raphinha scores hat trick for Barcelona

Premier League leader Liverpool moved level on points with Aston Villa at the top of the Champions League standings by extending its perfect record to three wins, and Manchester City set a new record for the most consecutive games undefeated in the history of the competition.

FILE - Then-Marseille's head coach Jean Louis Gasset stands next to the bench prior to the Europa League quarterfinals, first leg, soccer match between SL Benfica and Olympique de Marseille at the Luz stadium in Lisbon, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, File)

Veteran coach Gasset steps out of retirement to help struggling Montpellier

Veteran coach Jean-Louis Gasset is stepping out of retirement to try to get his hometown club struggling Montpellier back on track.

FILE -Montpellier's head coach Michel Der Zakarian yells during the French League One soccer match between Marseille and Montpellier at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, France, Feb. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole, File)

Montpellier coach Michel Der Zakarian gets fired after nightmarish start to French league season

Coach Michel Der Zakarian was fired by French club Montpellier after his team was thrashed 5-0 at home by Marseille for a sixth loss in eight matches this season.

PSG fans hold up their scarves on the stands before the start of a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Arsenal stadium in London, England, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Why does Paris have only one top soccer club as other big European cities thrive in competition?

When fans visit some European cities they are spoiled for choice about which match to watch. While there are seven London clubs in the English Premier League this season, there is only one top side in the French capital, the Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain.

FILE - A soccer fan tries to watch the PSG soccer team training at the Paris Saint-Germain training camp in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, west of Paris, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

Prosecutors reopen investigation into PSG over alleged discrimination in recruiting

The Paris prosecutor’s office is investigating alleged discrimination years ago by PSG following a complaint that scouts from the club illegally profiled potential recruits by their origin.

Dinamo's goalkeeper Ivan Filipovic, left, and Monaco's Folarin Balogun go for the ball during the Champions League soccer match between Dinamo Zagreb and Monaco at Maksimir stadium in Zagreb, Croatia, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

US striker Folarin Balogun sidelined two months with shoulder injury

United States striker Folarin Balogun will be sidelined for about two months with a shoulder injury, a person close to the player told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

FILE - Monaco's Wissam Ben Yedder celebrates scoring his second goal during a French League One soccer match between Lyon and Monaco at the Groupama stadium in Decines, outside Lyon, France, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani, File)

Prosecution requests jail sentence against soccer star Wissam Ben Yedder in sexual assault case

A French prosecutor has requested a jail sentence of two years and six months, including 18 months suspended, against French soccer star Wissam Ben Yedder after he went on trial for sexually assaulting a woman last month.

FILE - Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe tries to control the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Las Palmas and Real Madrid at the Gran Canaria stadium in Las Palmas, Spain's Canary Islands, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriel Jimenez, File)

Mbappé's representatives dismiss Swedish reports of a rape claim

French soccer star Kylian Mbappé’s representatives have rejected as “false and irresponsible” reports in Swedish media saying he is the subject of a rape investigation in the Nordic country.

German players celebrate after a goal during the Nations League soccer match between Bosnia and Germany in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Undav scores twice for Germany in Nations League and Hungary holds Dutch to draw

Denis Undav’s brace helped Germany extend its unbeaten record in the Nations League to three matches after a convincing 2-1 win at Bosnia-Herzegovina.

FILE - France's Richard Gasquet plays a shot against France's Arthur Rinderknech during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias, File)

Veteran French tennis player Richard Gasquet to retire after French Open

Richard Gasquet will end his career after the French Open next year. At 38, the French player renowned for his exceptional one-handed backhand told L’Equipe newspaper he plans to call it quits at the clay-court Grand Slam in front of his home fans.

France's Kylian Mbappe reacts during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Belgium at the Groupama stadium in Decines, outside Lyon, France, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

France starts post-Griezmann era amid Mbappé controversy

Antoine Griezmann has retired from France duty. Kylian Mbappé is absent, nursing a minor thigh injury in Madrid.

FILE - In this file photo dated Friday, Sept. 14, 2018, Paris-Saint-Germain player Lassana Diarra during a French League One soccer match against Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

Will global soccer be reshaped after EU’s top court issued a major ruling in Lassana Diarra case?

The global soccer transfer market is worth more than $10 billion each season but is facing a revolutionary overhaul or a nuanced evolution following last week’s ruling by the European Court of Justice in the Lassana Diarra case.