Neymar, who has scored twice so far to help Brazil into the World Cup quarter-finals in Russia where they will face Belgium on Friday, has been sharply criticised for a string of exaggerated reactions when clashing with an opponent.
Reigning champions Bangladesh bounce back against Canada.
When Brazil chose 12 cities to host the 2014 World Cup, the one stadium everyone thought would be finished on time was the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba.
Michael Owen was overlooked again on Sunday when England coach Fabio Capello named his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus. Portsmouth forward Peter Crouch and Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips return to the squad for the Group Six fixtures after good form for their clubs.
FIFA has reportedly raised objections of holding the 2022 Qatar World Cup in the summer in light of health risks and speculations are that the tournament would be held in winter.
Scotland pipped Kenya to secure their third World Cup appearance on Thursday while United Arab Emirates (UAE) also booked their ticket for next year's marquee 50-over tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
Sachin Tendulkar was named 2015 World Cup's ambassador for the second successive edition.
Three goals in eight first-half minutes sent the Mexican side on their way to victory, with stunning long-range strikes from Nelson Deossa and Jesus Corona coming either side of German Berterame's cool finish.
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.
Fresh off a dominant title-winning campaign, Liverpool kick off the new Premier League season on Friday as the team to beat, as the Reds have transitioned from Juergen Klopp's high-octane chaos to a more measured possession-based style under Arne Slot.
Qatar returns to the spotlight on Friday little more than a year after the first World Cup held in the Arab world when the relocated and delayed 2023 Asian Cup gets underway amid a seismic shift in football's global order.
Sunil Chhetri likened the national team setup with his home and expressed his relief at returning to where he belongs
Somerset wicket-keeper James Rew, 19, won the Young Cricketer of the Year having scored more than 1,000 runs in Division One of the County Championship.
Engineer played for Lancashire for close to a decade while former West Indies captain Lloyd was with the club for two decades, making indelible contributions to the history of club.
Real Madrid's Intercontinental Cup triumph marked a remarkable milestone for Carlo Ancelotti on Wednesday as the Italian became the manager with the most titles in the club's history with a total of 15 trophies.
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.
Officially timed at 52 seconds, Jose Batista remains the fastest sending off in World Cup history.
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.
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?
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.
'For him, win or defeat never mattered, he always told us to give our best and never worry about the results.'
Indian tennis legend Leander Paes on Saturday formally took charge as president of the Bengal Tennis Association, succeeding Hironmoy Chatterjee after the body's Annual General Meeting.
Images from the English Premier League matches on Saturday, August 30.
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.
Manuel Neuer announced his retirement from internationals on Wednesday after playing 124 times for his country since 2009.
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.
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'
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.
"Playing with Barcelona is special. It will be the last 'El Clasico' of the season because Barca are not in the Club World Cup."
Real Madrid have signed 17-year-old midfielder Franco Mastantuono from Argentine side River Plate on a six-year contract, the LaLiga club said on Friday.
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.
"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."
Scotland stunned Ireland as Oman beat UAE in the ICC ODI World Cup Qualifiers.
Bayern Munich made it 16 wins from 16 games this season to underline their credentials as early Champions League favourites, beating holders Paris St Germain 2-1 away as Luis Diaz scored two goals and was shown a red card on Tuesday.
Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer and legendary West Indies captain Clive Lloyd were on Wednesday honoured by the Lancashire County Cricket Club with stands named after them at the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, on the opening day of the fourth Test between India and England.
The commanding scoreline in the cross-town London derby came despite Chelsea's midfield talisman Cole Palmer being ruled out after he felt discomfort on the pitch during the pre-match warmup.
Stead, who guided New Zealand to the WTC title, T20 World Cup final in 2021, 2019 ODI World Cup final and 2025 Champions Trophy title clash, is now entrusted with the task of giving a fillip to Andhra cricket.
