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Sports Shorts: Kroos joins Real Madrid after signing six-year deal
Germany midfielder Toni Kroos has signed a six-year deal to join Real Madrid from Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga club confirmed on Thursday.
The 24-year-old was instrumental in Germany's World Cup-winning campaign that culminated in a 1-0 final victory over Argentina on Sunday and moves to the Bernabeu for a fee believed to be in the region of 25 million euros ($33.82 million).
Kroos is Real's first signing ahead of the new season and he could well take over set-piece duties from Xabi Alonso. His arrival could also lead to the departure of Germany team mate Sami Khedira, who has been linked with a move to England.
"We are grateful to Toni Kroos for his time in Munich," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the club website.
"Together we had great achievements here and we wish he and his family all the best in Madrid with Real."
Kroos joined the Bayern youth setup in 2006 and was a key member of the back-to-back domestic double winning sides of the past two seasons following a short loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen.
- Next: Germany on top of FIFA rankings
FIFA rankings put Germany on top of the world
Germany's World Cup triumph has seen them rise to the top of the world rankings for the first time in 20 years, FIFA announced on Thursday.
The 1-0 victory in the final has taken them up one place to top spot, ahead of their opponents in the Brazil final, Argentina, who rise three to second.
The Netherlands move up a hefty 12 rungs on the ladder to third after their impressive World Cup third-place finish.
Spain have paid the penalty for not progressing from the group stages in Brazil by dropping from first to eighth place with Colombia, Belgium and Uruguay occupying the places above them.
Hosts Brazil, hammered 7-1 by Germany in the World Cup semi-final in the shock of the tournament, drop four places to seventh.
England have fallen 10 places to 20th in the list, their lowest position since May 1996, after a dismal World Cup when defeat in their opening two group matches gave them their worst performance in over 50 years.
- Next: Gallopin claims Tour de France 11th stage
Attacking Gallopin claims Tour de France 11th stage
Two days after wearing the yellow jersey, France's Tony Gallopin claimed the 11th stage of the Tour de France thanks to late attacks in a nervous finale on Wednesday.
German John Degenkolb was second and Italian Matteo Trentin took third place at the end of a 187.5km ride from Besancon.
Italian Vincenzo Nibali retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after staying safe by the front of the bunch in the final descent.
Gallopin, who gave France its second stage win this year after Blel Kadri prevailed last week, powered away in the last climb and after being rejoined by Michal Kwiatkowski, Peter Sagan and Michael Rogers, he counter-attacked 2.5km from the line.
The Lotto-Belisol rider looked back several times but held off the peloton to cross the line with the bunch breathing down his neck.
"It's incredible. I want to thank my family because my father had told me that we should check up this stage, and it clearly helped," said Gallopin, who wore the yellow jersey during Monday's 10th stage.
"I would not have imagined that but I had marked that stage after coming close in Sheffield and Nancy."
Nibali's Astana team suffered a minor wobble when the Italian's lieutenant, Michele Scarponi, fell off his bike in a climb, but he finished the stage.
Ireland's Nicolas Roche was voted the most aggressive rider in the stage after trying his luck several times in the finale as the Tinkoff-Saxo team turned its focus to stage wins following Alberto Contador's exit from the race.
Thursday's 12th stage takes the peloton from Bourg en Bresse to St Etienne and should favour a breakaway.
Next: Ozil donates World Cup winnings
Ozil donates World Cup winnings
Arsenal's Mesut Ozil has declared that he is donating his World Cup winnings to good causes in Brazil and would pay the surgery of 23 children in the South American country.
Ozil, who helped Germany win a fourth world crown in Brazil, had paid for the surgery of eleven sick children in the host country ahead of the tournament, in conjunction with the charity Big Shoe.
Now, Ozil has revealed on his Facebook page that he would raise that number to 23 to mark the number of players in the German squad, as a personal thank-you to the people of Brazil for their hospitality during the last month, The Mirror reported.
Ozil, a practising Muslim, has reportedly decided to donate his World Cup earnings to the children of Gaza amid conflict in the Middle East.
According to the Middle East Monitor, Ozil is expected to give all of the money that he earned from the tournament to the territory occupied by Israel.
Next: Chelsea agree deal to sign Atletico defender Filipe Luis
Chelsea agree deal to sign Atletico defender Filipe Luis
Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign Brazilian left back Filipe Luis from Spanish champions Atletico Madrid, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Luis is expected to join Chelsea after the two clubs agreed a fee reported to be 20 million euros ($27.06 million) according to Spanish newspaper Marca.
"Atletico Madrid and Chelsea have reached an agreement for the transfer of Filipe Luis pending a medical by the English club," Atletico said in a statement.
"The Brazilian footballer communicated to us at the end of season of his wish to join the London club."
Chelsea have been in search of a left back after allowing Ashley Cole to leave on a free transfer at the end of last season and Luis, who joined Atletico in 2010, is looking forward to a new challenge.
"I never thought about leaving Atletico but I took the decision because of the offer which came from Chelsea," Luis told a news conference in Madrid. "A change of team gives new hunger and ambition, and I was worried about being too comfortable here. A footballer's career is very short and I want to finish it in a strong and spectacular way."
Midfielder Tiago Mendes, a former Chelsea player, is also expected to rejoin Jose Mourinho's side after his contract at Atletico expired, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who has spent the last three seasons on loan at the Calderon club, will return to Stamford Bridge.
Next: Pacquiao to fight unbeaten Algieri in Macau
Pacquiao to fight unbeaten Algieri in Macau
Filipino southpaw Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring on Nov. 22 to defend his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) welterweight title against undefeated American Chris Algieri in Macau, his promoter Bob Arum said.
The Venetian Macao, where Pacquiao (56-5-2) claimed a unanimous decision victory against American Brandon Rios last November, will host the bout.
In April, Pacquiao scored a points win over Timothy Bradley to regain the WBO welterweight title and avenge a highly controversial loss to the American in June 2012.
"We have a deal. On my end, it wasn't a hard deal at all," Arum told ESPN.com.
The 30-year-old Algieri, a former kick-boxer, has a 20-0 professional record and won the WBO light-welterweight title last month by a split decision against Russia's Ruslan Provodnikov.
"Manny is 100 percent for it," Arum added. "I told him I was coming along with it. He said Algieri seems like a nice young man and he saw his fight with Provodnikov.
"Manny said he thought it would be a good fight and he was OK with fighting Algieri."
Pacquiao has not scored a knockout since stopping Miguel Cotto in November 2009, and was himself knocked out at the end of the sixth round by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012 in his first outing after losing to Bradley the same year.
The 35-year-old, who has won world titles in a record eight weight divisions, cooled retirement talk with wins against Rios and the convincing defeat of Bradley in the April rematch.
Next: French striker Riviere joins Newcastle
French striker Riviere joins Newcastle
French forward Emmanuel Riviere has joined Newcastle United from Monaco for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club has said.
"This is an important signing because the striking area is one we really had to improve," British media quoted Newcastle manager Alan Pardew as saying.
"We have looked at Emmanuel for a while and we know he will score goals for us."
Newcastle did not disclose the length of the deal the Martinique-born 24-year-old signed.
"When the club spoke to me I said yes immediately. It was an easy decision," Riviere said.
"My dream was always to play in the Premier League and Newcastle have given me the opportunity."
Next: Farah confirms he will compete at CWG
Farah confirms he will compete at Commonwealth Games
Double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah confirmed he will be fit to take part in this month's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after recovering from abdominal pains.
The 31-year-old, who is due to represent England in the 5,000m and 10,000m, pulled out of last weekend's Diamond League meeting in Glasgow because of illness.
Farah was admitted to hospital in the United States with abdominal pains at the start of the month but after coming through a series of medical tests, he was given the all-clear to resume training.
"Training is going good! Next stop Commonwealth Games," Farah tweeted on Wednesday from his Pyrenean training base in Font Romeu.
Farah is scheduled to race in the London Anniversary Games on Sunday.
The Commonwealth Games run from July 23 to Aug. 3. The 5,000m final is on July 27 and the 10,000m on Aug. 1.
Next: Donald under the radar but still chasing Open first
Donald under the radar but still chasing Open first
The bad rounds don't feel as bad and the tough ones are easier to handle these days for Luke Donald but before anyone believes the Englishman has lost his hunger to win a long-awaited major – think again.
With two young children the Chicago-based 36-year-old has more to occupy his time than dawn to dusk practice rounds but the former world number one could never be accused of enjoying the fruits of his distinguished career and settling for easy street.
After all, this time last year he was busy taking apart the swing that had fired him to the top of the rankings, reconstructing it in his quest for perfection.
It is a process he says is only 90 percent complete which perhaps explains why he has arrived at this week's British Open under the radar, rather than riding high on the list of potential champions.
"If the changes improve me just a little bit then it was worth it," said Donald who has missed the cut in two of the last three Opens.
"I'm excited about what I've done and hopefully the results will start to show soon," he told Reuters in an interview after going through his putting routines in pouring rain at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club on the eve of the tournament.
"I didn't have a good 2013 so, compared to three years ago when I went to Sandwich as number one in the world, I'm probably under the radar a little.
"My form this year has been a little inconsistent but I've had some good tournaments and I feel I've reached a place where I can trust my swing.
"I wouldn't surprise myself if I was in the mix this week," added Donald who is an ambassador for Ralph Lauren, official outfitters of the British Open.
"If I get a good start tomorrow I'll have a chance on Sunday."
No Englishman has won the Claret Jug since Nick Faldo in 1992 and while denying that ending that 22-year streak is an obsession, Donald would love to be the man to deliver.