Indian football was a picture of good health with a 10-man under-20 outfit's triumph over Argentina
'I feel as confident and motivated as at the beginning. I can't control rumours, but I still have faith'
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo won the FIFA Ballon d'Or award for the second year running and the third overall on Monday after a prolific, trophy-filled year with Real Madrid.
It was a night of mixed emotions at the Camp Nou on Saturday as FC Barcelona's veteran midfielder and captain, Xavi, known for his slick short passes, played his final La Liga match against Deportivo la Coruna.
'I arrived at Manchester United a boy, and I left a man'
FC Barceloana laid out a memorable tribute to veteran midfielder Xavi Hernandez on Wednesday.
Barca are also planning to offer new deals to forwards Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, and midfielder Ivan Rakitic before the end of the year.
Barcelona pulled off a stirring comeback to overturn a two-goal deficit and reach the Copa del Rey final, beating Sevilla 3-0 after extra-time in Wednesday's semi-final second leg, to go through 3-2 on aggregate.
Real Madrid star striker Critiano Ronaldo has been reportedly informed that he will be crowned this year's Ballon d'or winner.
Rediff.com encapsulates all the sporting action from the past week in this eye-catching photo feature.
Real Madrid duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are in the running with Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.
Barcelona's last Champions League triumph came in 2015, and since then they have failed to get beyond the quarter-finals while Real Madrid have monopolised the trophy.
Real Madrid dropped points for the third time in seven games since Zinedine Zidane's return as they were held to a 0-0 draw away to Getafe in La Liga on Thursday, which harmed their neighbours' hopes of a top-four finish.
Barcelona wrap up 23rd La Liga crown with Lionel Messi goal.
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola is now backing his former club Barcelona.
Xavi brought his glittering Barcelona career to a fitting and emotional end when he hoisted aloft the European Cup following a 3-1 victory over Juventus in the Champions League final.
Rediff.com brings you some interesting clicks from the by lanes of Indian cities that summarise the soccer madness...
He has won it all at club level and has three world player of the year awards but on Sunday Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated as never before -- with tears of joy streaming down his face after his Portugal beat France 1-0 to win the European Championship.
The Copa America was played as a 12-team tournament from 1993 when the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) invited two teams from CONCACAF, the North and Central America and Caribbean region, to join in.
Paralympic gold-winners Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Pramod Bhagat, Krishna Nagar, Manish Narwal were also given the Khel Ratna at a dazzling awards ceremony on Saturday.
Lionel Messi struck to end Manchester City's dreams of a famous comeback as Barcelona beat Manchester City 2-1 at the Nou Camp.
Barcelona retained the King's Cup with a 2-0 victory over Sevilla to complete a domestic double.
Barcelona's hopes of staging another sensational Champions League comeback fell flat against a hardened Juventus side who held the Catalans to a 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals 3-0 on aggregate.
Russian supermodel Irina Shayk has hinted towards a split from footballer beau Cristiano Ronaldo by unfollowing him on Twitter.
As Barcelona prepare to welcome back Pep Guardiola to the Nou Camp for Wednesday's Champions League game against Manchester City, check out how the club has evolved since the visionary coach departed in 2012.
Barcelona star striker Neymar has said that although winning the Ballon d'Or award is one of his goals, he will not 'die' even if he never lifts the coveted individual prize in his career.
Real Madrid star striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who defeated Barcelona star Lionel Messi to clinch the Ballon d'or award for the fourth time, has said the victory celebrations have been tarnished by allegations of tax fraud. Ronaldo, who lifted the coveted award after inspiring Zinedine Zidane's side to the Champions League glory and Portugal to the European Championship 2016 trophy, said the allegations have been hard to bear for himself and his loved ones and also "partly spoiled the pleasure" of winning the coveted award.
Cristiano Ronaldo's museum on Madeira has upsized to a larger home in anticipation of the Real Madrid star winning "future trophies", his cousin told AFP on Monday. The Portugal striker's self-financed shrine now occupies a prime seafront position in Funchal, the island's capital where "CR7" was born in 1985. The museum's new two-storey site "will be able to welcome Ronaldo's future trophies," his cousin and museum director Nuno Viveiros said. The treasure trove charting the success of Madeira's most famous son draws in 200,000 visitors a year. It boasts two waxworks of the former Manchester United forward whilst a 3.4-metre-high (11 feet) bronze statue he unveiled of himself in December 2014 has been moved to greet visitors at the entrance. In January the statue was the target of graffiti when it was tagged with the name and shirt number of arch-rival Lionel Messi, hours after the Barcelona superstar saw off Ronaldo to claim a fifth world player of the year award. Among the 160 trophies on display are Ronaldo's three Ballons d'Or.
"Barcelona and Sergio Busquets signed this morning an agreement to renew the player's contract, which will end on June 30 2023," Barca said in a statement.
Unlike some young football players of his generation, Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is a complete family man.
Cristiano Ronaldo capped a remarkable year by claiming a fourth Ballon d'Or award on Monday after leading Portugal to an emotional European Championship title and Real Madrid to a record-extending Champions League crown in 2016.
Chile upset favourites Argentina with a penalty shootout victory in the Copa America final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday to retain their title in the world's oldest continental soccer competition.
'Pep Guardiola is a fantastic manager because he is able to build a really strong identity of his team.'
Underlying tensions mean Luis Enrique will not be remembered with the same reverence as Pep Guardiola, even though he has delivered a similar trophy haul.
The 25-year-old Brazilian international beat Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo in the annual poll of national team coaches and captains.
The league said last week that the deal, called 'Boost La Liga', would strengthen its clubs and give them funds to spend on new infrastructure and modernisation projects as well as increasing how much they could spend on players' salaries.
Ronaldo's nomination comes after the 33-year-old last week denied rape allegations levelled against him by a woman who sued him in court in the United States.
Barcelona have emerged as favourites to be crowned champions after one defeat in their last 22 Liga games.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will again be duelling for the title of world's best footballer after their names once again headed the shortlist on Thursday for The Best FIFA Men's Player.
Setien was named Barcelona coach late on Monday, tasked with the job of restoring the club's iconic passing style, but the appointment represents a huge gamble for the Catalans given the 61-year-old's lack of success at the highest level.
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