The new variant is said to be 70 per cent more transmissible, though health experts say there is no evidence that it is more deadly or would react differently to vaccines.
Having started the year in the 129th position, the Sunil Chhetri-led team end the year at 105th spot in the FIFA rankings
Striker Adriano was recalled by Brazil on Thursday for their World Cup qualifiers away to Argentina and at home to Chile next month. Coach Dunga included Flamengo's former Inter Milan forward, last picked in March, for the games against Argentina in Rosario on September 5 and at home to Chile in Salvador four days later.
Argentina have reached three major finals in three years but the team who came so close to winning the 2014 World Cup face crunch games against Peru and Ecuador that will determine if they miss out on the global showpiece event for the first time since 1970.
Nadal converted two of three break chances to claim his 19th win in 22 encounters against the Swiss.
Following the unfortunate turn of events in Maraca, here is a list of how defending World Cup champions have fared in the years gone by...
Grim-looking Spaniards clutching beers in Madrid bars grasped for explanations after Spain lost 2-0 to Chile, their second defeat in Group B which left them unable to reach the knockout phase.
Most of the large Indian IT services players, such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and HCL Tech, have signalled increased offshoring efforts and opting for local hires in the US, primarily to address the immigration-related challenges.
India has been ranked as the world's biggest outsourcing destination.
Brazil have become the first team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, maintaining their proud record as the tournament's only ever-present side with a little help from Lionel Messi's foul mouth and lightly-regarded Peru.
Brazil's poster-boy striker Neymar flicked and tricked and along came the goals for Brazil.
Read on to find out who is the more popular team among the models.
The men's team last participated in an international competition in February last year when they played the FIH Hockey Pro League matches against Australia in Bhubaneswar.
Former Chile and Lazio striker Marcelo Salas, who scored a record 37 goals for his country, has retired at the age of 33. Former Latin American Player of the Year Salas began his career at Universidad in 1994 before joining Argentina's River Plate in 1996.
South American soccer's governing body CONMEBOL has enough prize money to get through the Copa America.
An amazing roundup of photos from 2011′s volcano eruptions
Amit Masurkar's black comedy didn't make it to the next round.
Italy's Fabio Fognini said it was a 'strange feeling' playing a Davis Cup tie with no fans. Japan were also playing their tie against Ecuador in an empty stadium in Miki because of the coronavirus spread, which has played havoc with sporting fixtures across the world.
World number one Rafael Nadal won a battle of attrition against fellow left-hander Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan 7-6(4), 6-4 to seal Spain's spot in the final eight of the inaugural ATP Cup in Perth on Wednesday. Meanwhile his long-time rival, world number two Novak Djokovic, had an easier outing in Brisbane, strolling past Chile's Cristian Garin 6-3, 6-3 to stay undefeated in the new year.
Images from Day 7 of the 2021 Wimbledon at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, in London, on Monday.
Hosts Brazil aim to become the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Saturday by maintaining their superb recent record against opponents Chile.
With barely days to go before the new season starts, the English Premier League has many new things to look forward to.
Aseem Chhabra watched some great films and some huge disappointments in 2021.
India beat Chile 4-1 in its last league game to enter the final of the men's Olympic hockey qualifier. Britain routed Austria 4-0 to finish on top of the six-team league. The final will be played on Sunday.
Lionel Messi marked his retirement about face with a goal to give 10-man Argentina a 1-0 win over Uruguay on Thursday that lifted them to the top of the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.
Hosts Russia were drawn on Saturday in Group A at next year's Confederations Cup along with Portugal, Mexico and New Zealand.
Rediff.com brings you a quick flashback of the Round of 16 matches at the World Cup through these stunning captures!
Argentina, still reeling from the shock resignations of captain Lionel Messi and coach Gerardo Martino, have chosen Edgardo Bauza as their new coach, the Argentine FA said on Monday.
Earlier in the night, Bolivia were denied their first win when Kaku scored with 18 minutes remaining to rescue a 2-2 draw for home side Paraguay in Asuncion.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is also being produced as part of a tie-up by the Serum Institute of India.
New Barcelona signing Arturo Vidal says he is stepping up a level in his career and is intent on winning the Champions League three times over his three-year deal.
Deputy US Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen on Wednesday announced that three indictments have been unsealed in the matter that collectively charge five Chinese nationals with computer hacking and charge two Malaysian nationals with helping some of those hackers target victims and sell the fruits of their crime.
Here's a glimpse of all that happened around the world last week in images.
Argentina and Brazil both lost their opening World Cup qualifiers on Thursday as the South American campaign for Russia 2018 started in unexpected fashion.
The draw for the eight groups for the final round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which will be played from June 12 to July 13 in Brazil, was just held in Costa do Saupe near Salvador de Bahia.
'India's cases of death per million population is 14.27 while the global average is more than its four times, at 68.29'
Despite Australia already having been eliminated from the World Cup, the Socceroos all-time leading scorer Tim Cahill believes Australian football can take a huge step forward with victory over dethroned world champions Spain.
Costa Rica's domination of a group with three former champions and Chile and Colombia's triumphant march through their first two matches highlights the strength of the Latin American challenge at the World Cup.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said there would be "consequences", including potentially for himself, after the holders' shock elimination from the World Cup on Wednesday, but that he needed time to reflect.
The current generation of Argentina players is one of the best ever even though the team have not won a major trophy in 22 years, coach Gerardo Martino said on Friday.
