It's time for the 'sleeping giant' to wake up from its slumber as the King of football Pele will grace India in October, adding to the festive mood in the country that hosted him 38 years ago.
Finances aside, though, there is an even bigger question mark hanging over Lionel Messi. Is he a fading force?
He stayed on in his country after the Islamic revolution in 1979, but had been working internationally for the past decade.
Laxmi Negi/Rediff.com picks the very best players from what has been an outstanding tournament.
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde said the football world must get used to the idea that Lionel Messi will retire in the near future.
'India is called the largest democracy in the world, and one cannot believe that there are two Constitutions, two penal codes and two sets of laws.'
Portugal and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world's best footballer for the second time on Monday, preventing his great rival Lionel Messi from winning the award for a fifth year in a row.
Portugal star striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been out of action since injuring his knee in the successful Euro 2016 final, has vowed to return soon after stepping up training at Real Madrid's Valdebebas training base.
A far cry from its reputation of Hollywood's no holds barred night for glamour and glory, this year's Globes was a bizarrely informal affair.
Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Real Madrid this summer, after reportedly being miffed over club president Florentino Perez's growing closeness with teammate Gareth Bale.
Lionel Messi, still only 25, was named the world's best player for the fourth time in a row on Monday after a year in which finally produced his best form for Argentina as well as Barcelona.
A summary of Sunday's action in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers across Europe.
The final day the film festival saw Palme D'Or go to critical favourite French drama Blue Is The Warmest Colour and Grand Prix prize went to the Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis.
After five years of hard work, and many months of film festival touring, Mira Nair is finally getting ready for the theatrical release of The Reluctant Fundamentalist in India.
The film titled Gaadha is based on the short story Kadal
Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo was second, the third time the 2008 winner has finished runner-up, and Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta was third as Spain again missed out.
With a fifth world player of the year award safely tucked away in the trophy cabinet, Lionel Messi can set his sights on one of the next milestones in his remarkable career: reaching 500 goals for club and country. The Barcelona and Argentina forward can add to his jaw-dropping tally of 479 in 609 official games -- 430 for Barca and 49 for his national team -- in Sunday's La Liga match at home to Athletic Bilbao. The 28-year-old from Rosario, who picked up the FIFA Ballon d'Or on Monday, is looking close to his best following a two-month injury layoff late last year and netted a hat-trick when second-placed Barca crushed Granada 4-0 at the Nou Camp last weekend in their most recent outing in Spain's top flight.
Argentina talisman Lionel Messi has revealed that his eldest son, Thiago, has little interest in the game in which his father has arguably become the greatest of his generation.
The infamous Ukrainian feminists known for their topless protests, the Femen, have launched an 'international training camp' in Paris to teach a new generation of women to fight sexism
Former France soccer great Raymond Kopa, who won three European Cups with Real Madrid in the 1950s, died at the age of 85 on Friday.
Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is in line to become the first man to win the World Player of the Year award for the fourth time in a row after the shortlist for FIFA's Ballon d'Or was published on Monday.
Here's what your favourite Bollywood celebrities are tweeting.
Hazard, who will face his former manager when Chelsea host United in the league next Saturday, admitted he made a complacent start to that campaign.
Billed in Spain as the decisive showdown between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or award, Sunday's La Liga El Clasico gave plenty of ammunition to both camps as each player netted twice in a thrilling 2-2 draw.
Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho did not attend the FIFA Ballon d'Or gala because he was warned by some of those who voted for him as coach of the year that their votes showed up as supporting other candidates instead.
The Portuguese is reported to be demanding another new deal to bring his salary in line with Lionel Messi and Neymar, the top two earners in world soccer.
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has become the latest to insist that all is well at the club, dismissing reports of a rift between Argentina forward Lionel Messi and coach Luis Enrique.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The friendly between Netherlands and France on Friday will be halted for a minute's silence in the 14th minute in a tribute to Johan Cruyff.
Ready for the joyous cine fest on the French Riveira that Bollywood folk can't get enough of?
The top prize Palm d'Ore went to Austrian director Michael Haneke for his heart-wrenching Amour.
West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo heaped praise on India and Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kolhi and equated him with legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Holders Spain clinched a Davis Cup semi-final berth at home to the United States when David Ferrer cruised to a 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Austria's Juergen Melzer to give the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead on Sunday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Friday
Lionel Messi won the inaugural UEFA Best Player in Europe award on Thursday, finishing ahead of Barcelona teammate Xavi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo.
Films that amazed Aseem Chhabra at the El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt.
Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, still only 24, won the World Player of the Year award for the third time in a row on Monday.
According to Goal.com, Messi was set to return to the Catalan capital with his family at the weekend, but will now not be back until around July 12.
Mohamed Salah heads to the World Cup with the reputation of being one of the most lethal finishers in the game, and his country's hopes of making it to the knockout stages rest overwhelmingly on his shoulders.
