The race to succeed Sepp Blatter as president of Fifa is picking up steam and there is a scramble for nominations.
It will have made uneasy viewing for coach Jorge Sampaoli and emphasised more than ever how reliant his side are on their talisman Messi, who has been struggling with a muscle problem.
The Arab region squandered the chance to help elect their first FIFA president because their two candidates failed to cooperate, leaving the door open for Swiss Gianni Infantino to triumph on Friday, Arab soccer chiefs and pundits said.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Rathore, Tendulkar lead accolades for Chhetri
'Now, we have very different setting including changes in rules with two new balls and the fielding restrictions are very different. But ODI fever started in the 1990s. On-field noticeable changes, early to mid 90s was okay, but from 1996 things changed at rapid pace.'
Yaya Toure has no intention of leaving Premier League champions Manchester City and is looking forward to the new season with them, he said on Friday.
France hits back at US TV show host over make-up of World Cup team
France's Human Rights League (LDH) said on Thursday it would file a legal complaint against soccer club Paris Saint Germain (PSG) after an investigative website reported its scouts had for years listed the ethnic origins of young recruits.
Crisis-hit world football governing body FIFA faces one of the most important days in its 112-year history when it elects a new leader on Friday hoping to usher in a fresh era after decades of tawdry controversy.
'He's done a lot for the African American community, and it's cost him a lot. It's sad' 'To be compared to Ali or Jordan, I really have no words'
Most Turks well integrated in Germany, government says after Ozil's racism comments
Former Manchester United and Mumbai City forward, Uruguay's Diego Forlan and La Liga's managing director for India, Jose Antonio Cachaza discussed ways for India to become a footballing powerhouse. Norma Godinho/Rediff.com sat in as the duo discussed Indian football and the Spanish League's new India tie-up.
Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has been banned for three months and fined 10,000 euros ($12,400) for referring to Inter Milan's Indonesian owner Erick Thohir as "that Filipino" and saying he should leave the club.
President Donald Trump on Saturday tweeted that it was "very important" that players stand during the national anthem, following an ongoing controversy over athletes and others kneeling in protest.
The football world gathered in the Qatari capital on Friday as the draw ceremony for the World Cup finals got under way with music and dance.
FIFA named an African woman with no experience in football administration as its second most powerful official on Friday, part of changes made by the sport's ruling body to move on from a major corruption scandal.
A second-string Spain celebrated coach Vicente del Bosque's two-year contract extension with a 2-1 away win over Equatorial Guinea in a friendly on Saturday that was marred by an injury to Xabi Alonso.
Southgate hopes Black Lives Matter protests could signal change in society
FIFA presidential candidate Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has signed an amended version of an Amnesty International pledge to end human rights abuses and corruption in the sport should he win election to soccer's top job later this month.
'Our defence system starts with our first four and that's why we have a solid defence. People look to Brazil and always try to find players who score or dribble but we have many other qualities. With our goalkeeper and defenders, we have a solid defence' 'It's pretty exciting for us and we are looking to do something great here'
Roberto Martinez's Belgium collected two wins, including their first in the UEFA Nations League over Iceland earlier this month, to bring them level with France on 1729 points.
The 24-year-old Tunisian is the only player from the continent in the women's draw and only the second Arabic woman ever to crack the top 100 in the WTA rankings.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi rescued a 1-1 draw at Villarreal with a sensational late free-kick on Sunday but could not prevent the champions finishing the weekend third in La Liga, five points behind leaders Real Madrid.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Sepp Blatter could still perform a U-turn on his promise to stand down as FIFA president, a former adviser said on Monday, while FIFA did not directly deny the possibility.
Egypt are hopeful Mohamed Salah will be available for the start of their World Cup campaign in Russia but the team must find a way to avoid depending too much on the striker, coach Hector Cuper has said.
Summary of World Cup qualifiers played across the world on Thursday
The tribunal said in a statement on Tuesday that "in terms of dimension and real perception", the chants could not be considered discriminatory under the league's disciplinary code.
Argentina got their World Cup qualifying campaign off to the perfect start on Thursday when Lionel Messi's early penalty gave them a 1-0 win over Ecuador in a lacklustre match in Buenos Aires.
Ansu Fati is the second-youngest player to represent the Catalan giants in La Liga aged 16 years and 298 days.
The United Nations has asked the world governing body FIFA to overturn its ban on allowing women footballers to wear a hijab, the Islamic headscarf, when its law-making body meets on Saturday.
Real Sociedad midfielder Carlos Vela was called up by Mexico for November tour friendlies on Tuesday after turning his back on his country since March 2011.
Cameroon were suspended indefinitely by FIFA on Thursday because of government interference in the country's football federation.
Tunisia won at the World Cup for the first time since 1978, beating Panama 2-1 in their final World Cup Group G match on Thursday.
US sports television network ESPN has invited the five candidates in FIFA's presidential election to participate in a debate on the future of the crisis-hit governing body for world football.
FIFA lifted Cameroon's indefinite suspension from international football on Monday, clearing the way for the team to finish their World Cup qualifiers.
England cricketer Kevin Pietersen took to Twitter to question Arsenal footballer Jack Wilshere's belief that the English national soccer side should only allow English-born players to represent it.
Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo and coach Carlos Queiroz visited former South African president Nelson Mandela and offered him a team shirt with his name on the back, the Portuguese Football Federation said on Thursday.
'We have to go out and win Test matches, and that's what we've got into these guys here'.
