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.
Five strikers who surprised us in World Cup 2022.
Messi, who scored 37 times in La Liga last season, has been at Barcelona since the age of 13, rising through their youth system to become one of the most successful and recognisable footballers in the world.
Man United were mistakenly drawn with Villarreal, even though both teams had already faced each other in the group stage.
IMAGES from the FIFA World Cup semi-final between Argentina and Croatia played at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday.
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.
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.
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.
Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo would like Barcelona's Lionel Messi to leave Spain and rekindle their rivalry by joining him in the Italian top flight.
Cristiano Ronaldo has suggested Real Madrid should offer him a 10-year contract to ensure he sees out his career at the Spanish club. "If I were the president of Real Madrid, I would give myself a 10-year contract," Real's all time top scorer, now 31, told reporters after scoring on his return from injury in a 5-2 La Liga win over promoted Osasuna. Ronaldo's current contract runs out in 2018.
Cristiano Ronaldo will call curtains on his illustrious career at Real Madrid, according to the Portuguese international's agent.
The duo has constantly been compared in terms of their playing style, in addition to having represented Spanish giant club Barcelona and captained Argentina.
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.
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.
Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo escaped unhurt on Thursday after his sportscar hit a roadside barrier. "No one was injured in the collision," Great Manchester Police said in a statement after the Portugal international's Ferrari crashed in a tunnel near Manchester airport.
Ronaldo's 62nd minute strike was his 17th league goal this season
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.
Virgil van Dijk joined Liverpool in January 2018, has helped the club win the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup. Van Dijk wants to become a 'Liverpool legend' and says there is nothing stopping the Premier League club achieving 'incredible things'.
Here are all the records he can break this year.
With Barcelona already through to the Champions League last 16 as Group D winners, Pep Guardiola gave several young players from the club's academy a chance against Rubin Kazan on Tuesday and they did not disappoint.
Brazilian Neymar is set to become the next best player in the world after Argentina's Lionel Messi, according to Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic.
World Cup winners Spain have seven players featured in a 23-man shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d'Or unveiled by soccer's governing body and France Football magazine on Tuesday.
Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has been selected as one of the six nominees for the 2022 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award.
Real Madrid got off to a flying start in La Liga by beating Celta Vigo 3-1 away from home on Saturday with the help of a magnificent long range strike from Toni Kroos.
In December 2008, legendary Diego Maradona had set foot in this football-crazy city. Come September 2, another Argentine stalwart Lionel Messi is set to arrive with his national team.
He is certainly not the first to say this but World Cup and Ballon d'Or winner Rivaldo too feels India should follow the 'Japan model' in order to improve the standard of football in the country.
Ronaldo leads the scoring charts in the Champions League for the sixth season running with nine goals and is the top marksman in the competition's history with 114 strikes, 17 more than nearest challenger Lionel Messi.
Vinicius started a foundation that is building schools in impoverished areas and is investing in research to develop new ways to improve the education system in Brazil.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has taken a swipe at arch-rivals Real Madrid for their multi-million euro spending spree that has dominated the headlines and the transfer market ahead of the treble-winners.
Between trying to compose himself, wiping away tears and facing a long standing ovation, it took Lionel Messi more than a minute to start his farewell news conference on Sunday at FC Barcelona, where the Argentine has spent all of his playing career.
Lionel Messi scored within two minutes of coming on as a substitute to help Barcelona complete a 3-1 comeback win over Mexico's Atlante in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and reach the Club World Cup final against Estudiantes. Forward Guillermo Rojas put the CONCACAF champions ahead in the fifth minute and midfielder Sergio Busquets equalised for Barcelona after 35 minutes.
The week gone by has been full of drama and here we bring you all the action from the sporting field in pictures!
Barcelona, who provide the backbone for World Cup favourites Spain and will be parading Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, are the team to beat at the Club World Cup that kicks off this week in Abu Dhabi.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were vying for top billing in La Liga on Saturday after leading their sides to victories.
Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored in the second half as Barcelona squeezed past bottom club Xerez 2-0 to go five points clear at the top of La Liga on Wednesday.
Lionel Messi scored a stunning freekick and helped set up two more goals as Barcelona swept hosts Deportivo Coruna aside 4-0 to surge five points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo believes he changed the game by scoring 31 goals from midfield in the Premier League last season to win the European Golden Boot award.
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.
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.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner returned to his homeland prior to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down football around the world.
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