Italian Serie A club Genoa FC has announced the appointment of former Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira as its new head coach.

The club made this announcement in a statement published on its website on Wednesday, titled “Press Release – Vieira Appointed New Head Coach.”

The statement read, “Genoa CFC announces that Patrick Vieira has been appointed as the head coach of the first team. The new coach will oversee his first training session this afternoon, following the formalisation of his contract at the Villa Rostan Headquarters.”

Vieira, a former French defensive midfielder, was a key member of Arsenal’s historic ‘Invincibles’ squad that clinched the club’s third English Premier League title. He played alongside French teammates Thierry Henry and Robert Pires, among others. Vieira also lifted the FIFA World Cup in 1998 with France.

The statement continued, “With a professional journey that included a role as Executive Development Football at Manchester City’s Academy from 2011 to 2015, Vieira has also managed teams such as New York City, Nice, Crystal Palace, and Strasbourg. Welcome, coach!”

The announcement comes following Genoa’s dismissal of former head coach Alberto Gilardino, 42, after a disappointing start to the Serie A season.

“Genoa CFC announces that Alberto Gilardino has been relieved of his duties,” the club confirmed on Tuesday.

Gilardino, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, took charge of Genoa in December 2022 after managing their Under-19 team. He led the club to direct promotion to Serie A in 2023 and achieved an 11th-place finish last season.

However, the club currently sits in 17th place in Serie A, just one point above the relegation zone, with only two wins in 12 matches.

Rafael Nadal said he has left both a sporting and personal legacy after retiring from professional tennis on Tuesday at the Davis Cup.

The 38-year-old was beaten in the opening singles rubber of the quarter-finals as Netherlands defeated Spain 2-1 to reach the final four.

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, enjoyed a glittering and historic career over the past 23 years.

“I leave with the peace of mind that I have left a legacy, which I really feel is not just a sporting one but a personal one,” Nadal told fans in Malaga in a speech during a ceremony to honour his retirement.

“I understand that the love I have received, if it was just for what happened on the court, would not be the same.”

Nadal paid credit to many who have helped him along the way, including his uncle Toni Nadal, who coached him as a child and for a large part of his career.

“The titles, the numbers are there, so people probably know that, but the way that I would like to be remembered more is like a good person, from a small village in Mallorca,” continued Nadal.

“I had the luck that I had my uncle that was a tennis coach in my village when I was a very, very small kid, and a great family that supports me in every moment…

“I just want to be remembered as a good person, a kid that followed their dreams and achieved (even) more than what I had dreamed.”

Nadal was celebrated with a video montage on the many screens around the Martin Carpena arena in Malaga where over 10,000 fans saw his career come to a close.

Former rival Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Serena Williams and other tennis greats left messages in the video, alongside former Spanish football stars including Raul and Andres Iniesta, who retired from playing in October.

“I leave the world of professional tennis having encountered many good friends along the way,” said Nadal in his emotional speech.

The Spaniard said he hoped to be a “good ambassador” for tennis in the years to come and was not afraid to begin his retirement.

“I am calm because I have received an education to take on what is coming next,” he explained.

“I have a great family around me who help me with everything that I need every day.”

Ademola Lookman has been listed among the final five nominees for the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.

The African football governing body announced the top echelon of candidates for the coveted award in a tweet on Monday.

Only Lookman is the Nigerian named among the five finalists. William Troost-Ekong did not make the final cut despite being named in the initial 10-player list.

Other footballers in the top five are Achraf Hakimi, Simon Adingra, Ronwen Williams and Serhou Guirassy.

Lookman had an impressive 2023/24 season for both club and country. The winger scored 17 goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions last season for Atalanta, which retained its status as one of the best in Serie A.

He scored a hattrick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, winning Atalanta’s first-ever European title.

Lookman was one of Nigeria’s best players at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. He scored three goals as the Eagles won silver at the tournament. He was also named in the competition’s best XI alongside captain Willian Troost-Ekong.

The 27-year-old ranked 14th best player in the world at the 2024 men’s Ballon d’Or ceremony — the only African to make the top 30.

Lookman has been tipped to be the next award winner, following the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, who won the prize in 2023.

In the other award categories, Stanley Nwabali was nominated for the goalkeeper of the year prize, while Nigeria will vie for the national team of the year category alongside Ivory Coast, Morocco, South Africa, and six others.