Real Madrid have signed Argentina midfielder Angel di Maria from Benfica on a six-year contract, the Spanish club said on their website on Monday. The 22-year-old, who has helped Argentina reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup in South Africa, is the first signing the club have made since Jose Mourinho replaced Manuel Pellegrini as coach last month.
Chelsea's Spanish striker Diego Costa was named along with usual suspects Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the 23- man FIFA Ballon D'Or short-list released on Tuesday.
Manchester United smashed the British transfer record when they signed Argentina winger Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid for 59.7 million on Tuesday.
There was little fanfare but a few lessons perhaps learnt as the most expensive player in the history of English football - Angel di Maria - lasted 70 minutes on his Premier League debut for Manchester United in their goalless draw at Burnley on Saturday.
A stunning goal from Angel Di Maria enabled the defending champions beat Nigeria 1-0 in Saturday's final at the Beijing Olympics.
Argentina produced their best performance of the Copa America so far to crush Paraguay 6-1 and set up a classic final against hosts Chile.
Argentina marked the revival of the Cup of Champions in style as an inspired Lionel Messi helped them outclass Italy 3-0 in a heavyweight clash billed as the 'Finalissima' at a raucous Wembley Stadium in London on Wednesday.
You would have been hard pressed at the start of the season to find anyone to bet on Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers becoming the first Premier League manager to get the sack, but he is now the bookies' joint favourite.
Chile, Argentina, Nigeria and Mexico went through to the quarter-finals of the Under-20 World Cup with victories on Thursday.
Argentina's experimental line-up proved too strong for an outclassed Singapore in their international friendly on Tuesday, with the South Americans swatting aside their hosts 6-0 and the opening five goals coming from first-time scorers.
In a big blow to Real Madrid's title hopes, Real Betis held them to a goalless draw in their La Liga encounter on Sunday.
Angel Di Maria scored in the dying minutes of extra-time to give Argentina a 1-0 victory over Switzerland and a place in the last eight of the World Cup in Sao Paulo on Tuesday.
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IMAGES from the Champions League semi-final played between PSG and Leipzig at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica in Lisbon on Tuesday.
Ever the perfectionist, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is still chasing the complete performance despite a run of six straight victories that have propelled his side to third in the Premier League table.
Sergio Aguero, in fine scoring form for Manchester City this season, looks set to lead Argentina's attack in next month's World Cup qualifiers after being recalled to their squad on Friday.
Paris St Germain would be odds-on certainties to easily beat Chelsea and take a big step towards the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday if statistics and domestic form decided matches.
Messi has spoken at length about the dream of winning a title with Argentina and his compatriots know how much an international trophy means to him.
PSG's big buy has been left out squad for the Ligue 1 match against Brest.
Champions Real Madrid earned a 2-0 win in a feisty LaLiga encounter at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday to ensure they stayed in the hunt for the LaLiga title with leaders Barcelona.
Paris St Germain completed a domestic treble as they beat Olympique Lyonnais 6-5 on penalties to lift the French League Cup on Friday with the match ending in a 0-0 stalemate after regular and extra time. Second-half substitute Pablo Sarabia scored PSG's final penalty in the shootout after goalkeeper Keylor Navas had saved Bertrand Traore's spot kick to give the Ligue 1 champions and French Cup winners their ninth League Cup trophy.
Leaders Barcelona played out a second straight 0-0 draw in LaLiga after mid-table Getafe battled for a home point in a hard-fought game on Sunday.
Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria will miss Tuesday's game against Stoke City and is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after limping out of Saturday's 3-0 win over Hull City.
The Barcelona striker has won the FIFA World Player of the Year a record six times and is widely considered one of the greatest players ever to play the game, alongside Pele and countryman Diego Maradona. But his inability to win an international title with Argentina always left an asterisk beside his name on the all-time greats list.
Di Maria to retire from international soccer after World Cup
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's second-half strike earned Paris St Germain a spot in the French Cup final as the holders beat Lorient 1-0 away on Tuesday.
Argentina moved top as South America dominated the monthly FIFA rankings on Thursday with five teams, half of the continent's total, in the top 10.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been left out of the Argentina squad for the crucial World Cup qualifier clash against Brazil to be held at the Mineirao Stadium later this evening. The 28-year-old has been struggling with form in his recent international appearances including missing a penalty for Argentina during their 0-1 defeat at the hands of Paraguay in their last outing.
After a string of middling transfer windows, Manchester United have made their biggest statement of intent in recent years by signing centre back Raphael Varane and winger Jadon Sancho.
What a difference an international break makes. Before Europe's top domestic leagues were interrupted by players jetting off around the world to play for their countries, Manchester United's supposed new dawn under Louis van Gaal was obscured by dark clouds.
A Lionel Messi masterclass, netting a brilliant free kick before laying on two more goals, put Argentina's World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a resounding 3-0 win over Colombia in San Juan on Tuesday.
Barcelona winger Raphinha secured a 1-0 win in LaLiga for the second straight week this time at Athletic Bilbao as his side tightened their grip on top spot.
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has claimed that star forward Cristiano Ronaldo could make a return to Manchester United because he is disillusioned at the La Liga side.
Benjamin Pavard's swerving strike from the edge of the area in France's round of 16 win over Argentina in Kazan has been voted the best goal of the World Cup finals.
Images from the international friendly and Euro qualifying football matches played on Tuesday.
Argentina players will do everything in their power in Russia to help the team lift the World Cup trophy again after falling at the last hurdle four years ago in Brazil, defender Marcos Rojo has said.
With most Manchester United fans praying for much-needed defensive reinforcements, manager Louis van Gaal made a surprise deadline-day swoop for flamboyant Colombian striker Radamel Falcao on Monday.
Check out the 10 most expensive transfers in British soccer history.
Five-times European champions Barca, with their trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar subdued, have not exited in the last 16 since going out to Liverpool in the 2006/07 season and the score equalled their worst Champions league loss.
Paris St Germain are hoping their Parc des Princes crowd will help them overturn a 3-1 deficit in their Champions League last-16 return leg against Real Madrid as they try to cope without the injured Neymar.
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