Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo stole the limelight as Barcelona and Real Madrid drew 2-2 in a thrilling La Liga 'El Clasico' at the Nou Camp on Sunday.
The list of candidates to win the 2009 Ballon d'Or award was reduced to 10 men on Sunday, with Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi the overwhelming favourite.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann appear among the 55 nominees for the FIFPro 2016 World 11 released on Friday but England forward Wayne Rooney failed to make the shortlist for the first time. Portugal captain Ronaldo, led his country to victory at Euro 2016, while France forward Griezmann was the top player at the tournament. It is the first time that 25-year-old Griezmann has made the cut, but England captain Rooney is absent for the first time in the competition's 12-year history, after England crashed out of Euro 2016 to lowly Iceland.
Lionel Messi of European champions Barcelona was named the European Club Player of the Year on Thursday for helping his side lift the UEFA Champions League trophy last season. Argentine Messi was also named forward of the year with his club mate Xavi Hernandez, who also played a key role for Barca last season, named as midfielder of the year ahead of a third Barcelona club mate Andres Iniesta.
Spain's glorious third successive triumph in a major tournament and individual goal scoring brilliance from Argentine Lionel Messi will be remembered as soccer's golden hallmarks of 2012.
Neymar injured as Brazil lose 2-0 in Uruguay
Lionel Messi became Argentina's youngest World Cup captain when he led his country for the first time two days before his 23rd birthday against Greece in Group B on Tuesday.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola described Lionel Messi's achievements as 'outrageous' after the World Player of the Year produced another masterclass in Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League win at Real Madrid.
The 18-year-old became the sixth youngest goalscorer in the history of the World Cup and the youngest Argentine to play in the tournament.
The unstoppable Lionel Messi set a record for goals scored in a calendar year and kept unbeaten La Liga leaders Barcelona six points clear of Atletico Madrid in a nervy 2-1 win at Real Betis on Sunday.
The 18-year-old trained with the team on Monday but has not been given the all-clear to play by club medical staff.
Heinze returned recently to action for Manchester United after seven months, following a knee surgery.
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Wednesday.
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi kept his date with India and unfolded his magic when he led Argentina in a FIFA international friendly against Venezuela in Kolkata even as the euphoria of one of the most high-profile matches in the country reached the crescendo.
"The conditions here have been better than I expected, the conditions are a little bit windy. And considering the air conditioning in the stadiums, it will even get cold during the games," Kramaric said on Monday.
It would be a crime if Cristiano Ronaldo lost out to Lionel Messi for the 2012 Ballon d'Or, his Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said.
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.
Lionel Messi came to Barcelona's rescue for the second time in a week by snatching a late winner to give his side a barely deserved 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday which provisionally took the champions top of La Liga.
In its effort to make ticket prices 'affordable' for the friendly between Argentina and Venezuela, involving star footballer Lionel Messi, on September 2, the West Bengal government is planning to introduce dedicated family blocks wherein tickets would be available at a discounted price.
FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo and runner-up Lionel Messi need to reverse a surprising trend if either is to propel his side to victory in the Champions League final.
Barcelona have been very active in the transfer market in recent years, completing three of the top six most expensive transfers ever.
The moment that defined Lionel Messi as the greatest player in the world came after 69 minutes of the Champions League final on Saturday, rather than the 54th when he scored. That's how remarkable it was.
Here are glimpses of unbound joy for the Samurais...
Salah, 25, struck four goals in Liverpool's 5-0 thrashing of Watford that lifted them back into third place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Lionel Messi saved Argentina's blushes with a brilliant stoppage time winner against unheralded Iran at the football World Cup on Saturday to send the South Americans into the last 16.
Lionel Messi celebrated a second successive World Player of the Year award with a hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed second division Real Betis 5-0 in a King's Cup quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Luis Suarez said he had missed linking up with his insatiable strike partners Neymar and Lionel Messi after Barcelona's 'MSN' attack scored six goals in their 7-0 record rout of Celtic on Tuesday. Messi scored a record sixth European Cup hat-trick while Neymar became the first player in Champions League history to provide four assists and score in a game, curling in the third from a free-kick.
Lionel Messi squeezed home a stoppage-time penalty to grab a 3-2 win for champions Barcelona at Valencia in a thrilling and controversial La Liga match on Sunday.
'It's a prize that's called The Best and the guy who is, for us, the best player in the world wasn't there.'
Zlatan Ibrahimovic christened Sweden's new stadium with a sprinkling of gold on Wednesday, scoring three classy goals and an unforgettable one in a 4-2 friendly win over England, while Argentina's Lionel Messi drew a blank in Riyadh.
Cristiano Ronaldo's son Cris junior is a Lionel Messi fan the boy's father said after they met up with the Argentina captain at the Ballon D'Or ceremony in Zurich on Monday.
Star footballers Lionel Messi, Manuel Neuer and Cristiano Ronaldo, who had been shortlisted for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award, have been selected by their peers for the 2014 FIFPro World XI team.
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to lead Barcelona to a 4-0 victory over Sevilla Saturday and a 5-3 aggregate win in the Spanish Super Cup.
Lionel Messi will play against Greece in an Argentina team full of changes for their final World Cup Group B match on Tuesday, coach Diego Maradona said.
Lionel Messi put playing for Argentina at the Olympic Games in August ahead of Barcelona's Champions League third qualifying round tie.
Hundreds of Argentines protested in the pouring rain on Saturday, demanding that soccer star Lionel Messi return to Argentina's national team after he unexpectedly quit following a loss in the regional Copa America final.
Lionel Messi's injury is a painful blow for Barcelona but is also a motivation for the rest of the squad, midfielder Ivan Rakitic said before the holders host Bayer Leverkusen in Champions League Group E on Tuesday.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances