The World Cup's leading scorers, Wesley Sneijder of the Netherlands and Spain's David Villa, with five goals each, are among ten footballers shortlisted for the 2010 FIFA World Cup adidas Golden Ball.
Favourites Spain start the defence of their world title away to Georgia on Tuesday when coach Vicente del Bosque will have another chance to test the form of record marksman David Villa, recently returned from eight months out with a broken leg.
Barcelona striker David Villa ruled himself out of the running for a place in Spain's squad for Euro 2012 on Tuesday after failing to fully recover from a broken leg.
David Villa earned European champions Spain a 1-0 victory over Bosnia in their opening 2010 World Cup qualifier in Group Five on Saturday. The Valencia striker missed a first-half penalty but made amends early in the second half when he rounded the goalkeeper to score from Cesc Fabregas's pass.
Second-string Liverpool were thumped 3-0 by Crystal Palace as Ismaila Sarr struck twice for the visitors in the League Cup on Wednesday, booking the London side's spot in the quarter-finals and piling more misery on Arne Slot's struggling side.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Sunday
David Villa took his career goals tally to 301 when he netted twice as holders Barcelona eliminated third-tier Alaves 6-1 on aggregate to qualify for the last 16 of the King's Cup on Wednesday.
Barcelona striker David Villa had successful surgery on his broken left leg on Monday and doctors said it would take him four to five months to recover.
Villa remain fourth on 56 points, three points above Spurs in fifth, having played a game more. West Ham are seventh on 44, three points behind sixth-placed Manchester United who have a game in hand.
A summary of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Substitute David Villa scored a superb last-gasp winner and Cesc Fabregas netted twice as leaders Barcelona came from two goals down to stun 10-man Sevilla 3-2 and extend their perfect La Liga record on Saturday.
David Villa and Xabi Alonso netted long-range free kicks from near-identical positions to help Spain to a 3-0 win over Venezuela in a friendly international on Tuesday.
Spain striker David Villa spent a lot of time dodging questions about his future last summer and is likely to have to do the same again at the World Cup finals in South Africa from next month. Valencia's leading marksman was on the brink of joining Florentino Perez's new Real Madrid project last June, before his president Manuel Llorente pulled the plug on the deal.
Barcelona's David Villa proved he still has a sharp eye for goal by scoring twice as the holders cruised into the King's Cup quarter-finals by beating second division Cordoba 5-0 at the Nou Camp on Thursday.
Lionel Messi's double and a David Villa goal on his return form injury helped Barcelona hammer visitors Real Sociedad 5-1 to give new coach Tito Vilanova the perfect start to their La Liga campaign on Sunday.
Manchester City and Chelsea both secured their Champions League places with victories on the final day of the English Premier League season and Newcastle United joined them despite stumbling to a last-day defeat.
David Villa, a miner's son from the northern Spanish region of Asturias, has struck a rich seam of goals in South Africa that may help lift the Iberian nation to a first World Cup triumph.
David Villa struck twice to lead Barcelona to a 5-0 rout of Real Madrid on Monday with a scintillating performance which put the champions two points clear of their arch-rivals at the top of the Spanish La Liga.
An inspired David Villa scored one sublime goal and created another for Andres Iniesta as European champions Spain beat 10-man Chile 2-1 and advanced to the last 16 of the World Cup on Friday.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Sunday
New York City continued their recent surge as Spaniard David Villa notched two classy goals, including the late winner, in a 2-1 away win.
Manchester United's exiled forward Marcus Rashford has delivered a scathing assessment of the Premier League side's struggles
Neville said that within next week or two, Manchester United will have to "magic up a bit more money" or bring someone on loan.
England midfielder Jack Grealish joined Everton on a season-long loan from Manchester City on Tuesday as he seeks to restart his stalled international career.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
First-half goals by Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard looked like being enough for a lacklustre Arsenal against a lively Palace side who equalised with an Eberechi Eze volley.
Glimpses from around the world that will make you smile and cry.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
A round-up of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
The defeat halted Brighton's impressive three-game winning streak which included a 4-1 win over Chelsea and a 3-1 victory at Arsenal in the League Cup on Wednesday.
Manchester City's spending of more than 180 million pounds ($223.58 million) was the second-biggest outlay ever worldwide by a club in the January transfer window.
Images from Tuesday's action in the Premier League
Spain face Ronald Koeman's Netherlands away on Thursday before returning home for the second-leg on March 23.
Everton have signed David Moyes for a second spell as their manager, the Premier League club said on Saturday.
Images from the Champions League semi-final first leg between Arsenal and Paris St Germain at Emirates Stadium, London, on Tuesday.
A round-up of the UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg matches played on Tuesday.
The post was deleted about an hour later. The league did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday.
A summary of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Atletico Madrid kept pace with leaders Barcelona and restored their five-point lead over third-placed city rivals Real when Diego Costa and David Villa each scored a penalty in a 2-1 win at Granada in La Liga on Thursday.
