Flashes of lightning followed which was fitting for a mercurial player at the centre of all French creativity whose sparks of inspiration helped illuminate an extraordinary final at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.
Villarreal have agreed to sell Argentine forward Luciano Vietto to Atletico Madrid, president Fernando Roig has said.
The Netherlands have plenty of marquee names in their Euro 2012 squad but they do not have an enforcer in the mould of Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger.
England hailed as heroes after World Cup heartache
Germany coach Joachim Loew could spring a few surprises in their second Euro 2012 Group B game against Netherlands on Wednesday after his two last-minute changes paid off in the win over Portugal, he said on Monday.
"I'm very happy for my players, we showed character and the right mentality, it was very hard for us tonight. We worked hard defensively."
UEFA president Michel Platini has warned players they would be booked if they walked off the pitch for being racially abused at Euro 2012 and they should instead talk to the referee who can decide whether to stop the game.
Teenager Curtis Jones grabbed a 58th-minute winner as an injury-hit Liverpool qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Ajax Amsterdam at Anfield on Tuesday.
Italy striker Mario Balotelli said he would "kill" anyone who threw a banana at him in the street during the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine next month.
A rousing 2-1 La Liga victory at Real Madrid on Saturday may suggest otherwise, but Atletico Madrid are still rebuilding after losing several key players in the close season, coach Diego Simeone said on Monday.
Juventus supporters coach Massimiliano Allegri has often been in his element when he is apparently on the back foot.
As Chelsea and Bayern Munich prepare to battle for honours in the final, here's a look at some memorable moments in this year's Champions League.
Manchester City have lodged a complaint with European soccer's governing body UEFA about what they said was racist abuse directed towards striker Mario Balotelli during a Europa League match against Porto.
World champions France had eight players, one less than former holders Spain, in international players' association FIFPro's 55-name shortlist for its World XI of 2018 award.
World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka had to dig deep to overcome the hugely talented Mona Barthel of Germany 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 to reach the Stuttgart indoor tournament semi-finals on Friday.
FIFA World Cup revs up television sales in India
Liverpool laboured to a 2-0 win over Denmark's Midtjylland on Tuesday as a goal from Diogo Jota and a Mohamed Salah penalty secured a hard-fought Champions League Group D victory at Anfield.
Bayern Munich showed no signs of letting up as they routed Eintracht Frankfurt 5-0 on Sunday for their 10th straight home win of the season in the Bundesliga.
President Pratibha Patil has approved the conferment of Padma Awards 2012. This year the president has approved 109 awards including one duo case (counted as one) and 14 in the category of foreigners/non-resident Indians/ Persons of India Origin/ posthumous. These comprise five Padma Vibhushan, 27 Padma Bhushan and 77 Padma Shri Awards. There are 19 ladies among the awardees.
The Hobbit director was joined by friends and colleagues on his memorable day.
Ivan Rakitic outshone Barcelona team mate Arda Turan as Croatia ran out 1-0 winners against Turkey at Euro 2016 on Sunday, a victory that was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
Mexico sprang the perfect trap for confident and overwhelming pre-game favourites Germany on Sunday to take advantage of the champions' defensive weakness in their opening match at the World Cup.
Big-spending Manchester City opened the Premier League title door to Manchester United ahead of the Old Trafford's team visit to Blackburn Rovers on Monday after being held to a 3-3 home draw by Sunderland.
Holders Spain and former champions Italy made it through to the last eight of Euro 2012 in contrasting fashion on Monday.
Pune Strykers and Sher-E-Punjab will meet in the final of the Bridgestone WSH, at the Mumbai Hockey Association's Mahindra stadium on Monday. The Pune side made the grade after beating Chandigarh Comets 7-6 in the penalty shoot-out after regulation time in the second semi-final in Mumbai ended 4-4.
Manchester City salvaged a point with two late goals to draw 3-3 with Sunderland on Saturday but the result helped tip the balance in the Premier League title race more in Manchester United's favour.
Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic struck his third goal of Euro 2012 to earn a 1-1 draw against Italy who let their opponents off the hook after taking the lead in the Group C match on Thursday.
Mario Mandzukic scored his third goal of Euro 2012 as Croatia came from behind to draw 1-1 with Italy and strengthen their position in a tough Group C on Thursday.
Germany took a big step towards the Euro 2012 quarter-finals on Wednesday when two classy first-half strikes from Mario Gomez secured a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands who are in serious danger of elimination.
Two goals from Mario Gomez gave Germany a 2-1 victory over Netherlands in their Euro 2012 Group B match on Wednesday, putting them on the brink of the quarter-finals while the Dutch face a potential early exit.
Croatia made a flying start to Euro 2012 after pouncing on sloppy defending to beat Ireland 3-1 in their Group C opener on Sunday.
Mario Gomez thumped in a superb 72nd-minute header to give Germany a 1-0 victory over Portugal after they had been frustrated for long periods of a cagey Euro 2012 Group B match on Saturday.
Top German football club Bayern Munich, on Wednesday, announced a 24-member squad for the Bhaichung Bhutia farewell exhibition match against India XI, in New Delhi, on January 10 with all the first team players being named.
Germany worked hard for a 2-0 win over Israel in a Euro 2012 warm-up match on Thursday with Mario Gomez and Andre Schuerrle on target in their final test before next month's tournament.
Mario Gomez scored four opportunist goals as Bayern Munich shattered Champions League records and ruthlessly ended Basel's surprise run with a 7-0 win on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti on Wednesday spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the row over killing of two fishermen allegedly by two Italian marines and agreed that the issue should be resolved amicably in accordance with law.
Serge Gnabry scored twice as Bayern Munich beat Chelsea 3-0, while Antoine Griezmann's second-half equaliser handed Barcelona a vital away goal and earned them a 1-1 draw at Napoli in their Champions League last 16, first leg on Tuesday.
Manchester City raced five points clear in the league with a 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday while Chelsea's woes under Andre Villas-Boas continued after a 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion.
Premier league Leaders Manchester City piled the pressure on Manchester United with a 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday to move five points clear of their neighbours.
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