Former France captain Zinedine Zidane, currently coach of the Real Madrid reserve side, admitted Tuesday he would consider a coaching job with his native France.

The former World Player of the Year worked as Carlo Ancelotti's assistant as Real won the Champions League and Copa del Rey last season and is following in the footsteps of Pep Guardiola by beginning his career in management in the Spanish third tier.

Former FIFA international relations director Jerome Champagne has confirmed his plan to challenge President Sepp Blatter in next year's election.

Champagne wrote on his campaign website Monday that he informed FIFA's 209 member federations and the election supervisor, Domenico Scala, of his decision.

The formidable North Korean women's football team has more reasons than usual to kick off its Asian Games campaign with a stirring win over Vietnam.

The participation of 150 North Korean athletes competing in 14 sports is drawing special attention in Incheon because of enduring tensions on the divided peninsula dating from the 1950-1953 Korean War that ended in a ceasefire rather than a peace treaty.

Roma forward Gervinho has extended his contract with the Serie A club by a year, tying him to the Stadio Olimpico until 2018.

Roma said Monday the Ivory Coast international's new deal "has a four-year duration, with a fixed expiry date of June 30, 2018."

Liverpool's return to European action for the first time in five years and Real Madrid's shaky start to the season dominate the start of the new battle for the Champions League title on Tuesday.

Liverpool take on surprise Bulgarian team Ludogorets Razgrad, while defending champions Real clash with Switzerland's Basel in the key matches of the first day.

Toni Kroos' summer transfer to Real Madrid has done no harm to German giants Bayern Munich, club captain Philipp Lahm claimed in Monday's edition of soccer magazine Kicker.

"Bayern Munich have so much quality and strength in depth they are difficult to weaken," said Lahm, as Bayern prepare to host Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Rio Ferdinand has revealed what he believes were a series of mistakes David Moyes made during his unsuccessful stint as manager of Manchester United -- including the banning of chips the night before matches.

Former United defender Ferdinand -- who made an unhappy return to Old Trafford when his QPR side were hammered 4-0 in the Premier League by his old club on Sunday -- has had his say on Moyes's woeful 10 months in charge of United in his autobiography '#2Sides', which is being serialized in the Sun.

Two months after exiting the Tour de France with a leg fracture, Alberto Contador rebounded in style by winning his sixth grand tour title after protecting his lead on the 21st and final stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday.

The Tinkoff-Saxo rider won his home race for a third time, to go with two Tour de France victories and one Giro d'Italia title.

Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka each have Grand Slam singles titles, and Olympic gold together in doubles. Now they've got the chance to win Switzerland's first Davis Cup.

Federer carried Switzerland to its first final in 22 years, beating Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the opening reverse singles Sunday for a winning 3-1 lead over Italy and into a November 21-23 decider against France, which beat the defending champion Czech Republic 4-1.

Filip Krajinovic denied India a place in the Davis Cup World Group by defeating Yuki Bhambri in the decisive reverse singles Monday to clinch the playoff 3-2 for Serbia.

Krajinovic's 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory quashed India's hopes of returning to the World Group after three years.