Lionel Messi became the first Argentine to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award on Monday. The 22-year-old forward, who also landed the European Footballer of the Year prize earlier this month, picked up the accolade after collecting four major titles with Barcelona -- the Champions League, the Club World Cup, La Liga and the King's Cup.
FIFA should postpone Thursday's vote to choose the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts and allow an independent investigation into corruption allegations, watchdog body Transparency International (TI) said on Monday.
Eight years is a long time in the life of an athlete. But just like Messi, Di Maria has preserved and persisted towards his childhood dream, points out Deepti Patwardhan.
Now that the World Cup is over, we take a look at the good, bad and ugly moments in the month-long football extravaganza.
In Gujarat, the Congress must have felt like the Swiss in Doha. Suffering at the hands of both the BJP and the AAP, they seemed to lack a goalkeeper. In Himachal, although a victory for the Congress, the tenor was more akin to Spain versus Morocco. The underdog triumphed, points out Shyam G Menon.
Luis Suarez emerged from a month of treatment on his injured knee to score both goals as Uruguay beat England 2-1 to keep his team's World Cup hopes alive and leave England's hanging by a thread on Thursday.
Spain defeat England in final of record-breaking Women's World Cup
'Without Cristiano, it would be impossible. But with him nothing is impossible'
FIFA president Sepp Blatter ruled out a January World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and said on Friday November/December was the only alternative to a summer tournament.
Wales' 33-year-old all-time top scorer came to the rescue, using all his drive and experience to win a penalty against a tiring US defence and then converting it brilliantly.
'It is a matter of great pride for India to be among the hosts of the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers, and I am particularly pleased to see Ahmedabad take centre stage.
A goal, an assist and an all-round performance filled with menace from Kylian Mbappe was enough to help France to an emphatic win that left them top of Group D.
The North American bid beat the rival Morocco proposal, winning 134 votes to 65 for Morocco.
Qatar will permit ticketed fans to buy alcoholic beer at World Cup soccer matches starting three hours before kick-off and for one hour after the final whistle, but not during the match, a source with knowledge of plans for the tournament said.
Soccer's governing body FIFA has confirmed that goal-line technology will be used at the 2014 World Cup and has invited more providers to submit tenders.
Richarlison is a rarity among the overindulged footballing elite. In a World Cup which has been overshadowed by social issues, Brazil's latest football sensation is championing more than just one cause, observes Deepti Patwardhan.
The top two teams in each group go into the last 16. In the case of teams finishing level on points, FIFA has put in place seven tie-breakers starting with goal difference and then the number of goals scored in all group matches.
Germany was overwhelmed, badly prepared and below standard at the tournament
The Russian Football Union's director general, Aleksandr Alaev, urged football fans from across the world to ignore "some critical remarks" on the country hosting the tournament.
A proposal to increase the number of teams, from 32 to 36, in the 2006 World Cup finals was opposed.
Reigning champions France take on Argentina in a showpiece final at Lusail Stadium with both teams looking to add a third star to their crest.
Hinata Miyazawa scored her fifth goal of the tournament as Japan beat Norway 3-1 in a clash of former champions on Saturday to reach the quarter-finals of the Women's World Cup.
Images from the FIFA World Cup Group F match between Belgium and Morocco on Sunday.
The United States and Iran severed formal relations in 1980 after the Revolution and ties were hostile when their soccer teams clashed in the 1998 World Cup.
Spain's captain Olga Carmona -- the scorer of Sunday's deciding goal -- plays for Real Madrid, where the women's team generated revenues of 1.4 million euros in the 2021/22 season, according to Deloitte. That compared with the Real Madrid men's teams revenues of 713.8 million euros in the same season.
Lionel Messi's passionate performances at the Qatar World Cup are earning him oodles of love from Argentines, but their old favouritism for Diego Maradona may resurface unless he brings home the trophy on his final attempt.
World champions Brazil remain in top spot, with Argentina, currently leading the South American qualifying competition for the 2006 World Cup, still in third.
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse with the long braided hair and rock-star looks has provoked intense interest among women across Russia.
Valencia, who was taken off for the last 15 minutes of Sunday's Group A game, has had a decade-long career in the Ecuador side, starting off as a winger but being converted to a striker in the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup.
Argentina look set to keep Julian Alvarez in attack for Sunday's World Cup final
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday handed over the mantle of World Cup host to the emir of Qatar, whose country will stage the 2022 edition of the tournament.
Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday instructed the states in the National Capital Region to take all possible measures to prevent any spike in air pollution levels during the upcoming Under-17 FIFA World Cup in Delhi to save India the blushes.
Fans were flanked by hundreds of police trucks securing the area as they let off fireworks and flares to the sound of honks and cheers.
France's national soccer team returned from Qatar to the acclaim of huge crowds in Paris on Monday, after their heroic defeat to Argentina in the World Cup final.
Russia and Qatar could be stripped of their World Cup hosting rights if evidence emerges of bribery in the bidding process, Domenico Scala, the independent chairman of FIFA's audit and compliance committee, told a Swiss newspaper.
Italy beat Israel 3-0 at home on Tuesday thanks to a Mateo Retegui double and a late goal from Gianluca Mancini.
Midfielder Marco Verratti said North Macedonia's goal in added time was a "real nightmare".
Romanian Itsvan Kovacs will be the fourth referee.
A piece of the original World Cup trophy, which was stolen in Brazil in 1983 and never recovered, has been found in a basement at FIFA's headquarters.
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