Sunil Chhetri likened the national team setup with his home and expressed his relief at returning to where he belongs
The world's most-talented young players gave India a memorable show of high quality football on the field as the country showcased its organizational skills in a near-flawless and record-breaking FIFA Under-17 World Cup across six cities, which culminated with England clinching the title in Kolkata on Saturday.
Winning back-to-back titles for the first time since 1984 is likely to prove a rather more arduous challenge for Liverpool.
Son Heung-min said he is "here to win" after he joined Los Angeles FC for a record Major League Soccer transfer fee, ending a decade-long stint at Tottenham Hotspur.
The 22-year-old seemed to pull up with a muscle problem in the first half, with Fabian Delph getting ready to come on, but Alli managed to continue until being taken off after 80 minutes.
India shot out Thailand for a paltry 55 before cantering to a nine wicket-win in their second match of the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier, in Colombo, on Wednesday.
Striker Andy Carroll withdrew from England's squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine after injuring his hamstring on his West Ham United debut on Saturday.
Real Madrid delivered manager Carlo Ancelotti and midfielder Luka Modric a victory in their final game at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice in a 2-0 win over Real Sociedad to end their LaLiga season.
Liverpool shrugged off the absence of Mohamed Salah as midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai scored an 88th-minute penalty to give them a 1-0 Champions League win at Inter Milan.
Officially timed at 52 seconds, Jose Batista remains the fastest sending off in World Cup history.
"Corinthians joins his family, friends and fans in this time of mourning for Brazilian sport," the club posted on X.
Germany and Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira has had successful surgery on torn knee ligaments and he may be available for the World Cup, according to Germany team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt.
'We've been talking during this week and now it's the right moment to announce it.'
Scotland stunned Ireland as Oman beat UAE in the ICC ODI World Cup Qualifiers.
India's women cricketers commence their World Cup campaign with a Group A match against the West Indies in Mumbai on Thursday. The day-night clash will set the ball rolling for the event, which will also have matches in Cuttack, where the Pakistan team (placed in Group B) is based due to security concerns in Mumbai.
Host nation Qatar is happy to accommodate a change in the dates for the 2022 World Cup, while insisting it can still stage the tournament in summer.
Have you joined the rediff fan club to support your favourite football team in the World Cup 2006?
Xabi Alonso guided Bayer Leverkusen to a double last season as they won the German Cup and lifted their first Bundesliga title without losing a game.
FIFA legends Carlos Valderrama and Marcel Desailly on Wednesday advised the Indian colts to view the upcoming FIFA Under-17 World Cup as a huge opportunity to shine on the international stage and perform to their potential.
Lee Dong-gook will miss the World Cup after being told he needs surgery to repair torn knee ligaments, his K-League club said on Friday.
Two-time world champions West Indies will be the star attraction when 10 teams battle it out at next month's ICC Cricket World Cup qualifier for the two remaining places at the mega-event in 2019.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner and Delhi Dynamos coach says 'ISL can also improve Indian players by having good coaches, academies which will help to grow Indian football'
"He has been sprinting and the knee is absolutely no issue for the World Cup. We still have a bit of time and it is nothing dramatic."
Alan Ball, the youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup winning side, has died of a suspected heart attack at the age of 61.
India's top men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty withdrew from the BWF Sudirman Cup Finals due to illness.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 75, wishes poured in from across the country, with sporting icons Gautam Gambhir, R Praggnanandhaa, and Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker sending their heartfelt messages.
Grandmaster and former Asian champion S P Sethuraman has knocked out former FIDE champion Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine in a big first round upset at the Chess World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia.
He played just two first-class matches.
The Indian Premier League will be a boon, not bane, for India's World Cup-bound players, VVS Laxman believes amid a raging debate around players' workload management programme.
Mexico have confirmed Miguel 'Piojo' Herrera will coach the national squad at the World Cup finals in Brazil next year.
Despite widespread speculation that FIFA will vote to switch the dates of the 2022 World Cup on Friday, soccer's world governing body will probably delay making a decision and instead set up a task force to analyse the huge implications of moving the tournament from the searing heat of the Middle East summer.
Brazil playmaker Kaka shrugged off worries about his fitness and form after a difficult season for Real Madrid on Tuesday and said he would be 100 percent fit at the World Cup.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
India will begin their campaign against South Africa at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on January 15.
'It's amazing because it's a question that's coming quite often. Look, Qatar is the organizer for FIFA World Cup 2022. It is the case ever since Qatar was awarded by the FIFA executive committee in 2010,' FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke tell Rediff.com.
A summary of Tuesday's qualification matches next year's FIFA World Cup.
The 33-year-old Son, who is under contract until 2026, is set to leave Spurs after a decade.
Penpix on the Ireland team for the 2015 cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
FIFA ended more than four years of uncertainty over the timing of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by announcing on Thursday that it would be played in November and December with the final on December 18.
A wake is expected to take place at a chapel in Gondomar from 4 PM (1500 GMT) and a funeral on Saturday at a church nearby at 10 AM local time, Gondomar's mayor's office said.
