Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d'Or for world player of the year on Thursday for a joint-record fifth time, going level with eternal rival and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi as the player to have won the prize the most times.
Rodri only made return to competitive action in May after eight months out of action due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Football's world governing body FIFA named Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery as the three nominations from a 10-player shortlist for the Ballon d'Or award on Monday.
Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti is stunned that striker Diego Milito was not included in the 23-man shortlist for the new FIFA Ballon d'Or.
Salah's strikes brought him to a remarkable 43 goals in all competitions this season, keeping him at the front of the list of top scorers in Europe
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.
Spain's World Cup winners Xavi and Andres Iniesta were joined by holder Lionel Messi on an all-Barcelona shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d'Or announced on Monday.
Real Madrid star striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who defeated Barcelona star Lionel Messi to clinch the Ballon d'or award for the fourth time, has said the victory celebrations have been tarnished by allegations of tax fraud. Ronaldo, who lifted the coveted award after inspiring Zinedine Zidane's side to the Champions League glory and Portugal to the European Championship 2016 trophy, said the allegations have been hard to bear for himself and his loved ones and also "partly spoiled the pleasure" of winning the coveted award.
Should the Portugal forward triumph, he will equal the record of his great rival and five-time winner Lionel Messi of Barcelona, who is also nominated.
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.
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.
After picking fifth Ballon d'Or, Ronaldo's reignites eternal debate
A summary of Friday's action in the FIFA World Cup 2026 UEFA Qualifiers.
Argentina's Lionel Messi won the World Player of the Year for the second time in a row on Monday and Jose Mourinho walked off with the coach's award, leaving Spain's World Cup winners disappointed.
Cristiano Ronaldo's sister failed to see the funny side after Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk joked that the Portuguese forward is "not really a rival" in the Ballon D'Or award voting.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has criticised what he called FIFA's political decision not to include former team mate Luis Suarez on their shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or award as the world's best footballer.
Lionel Messi reclaimed the FIFA Ballon d'Or award for the world player of the year on Monday from his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo who had walked off with the award for the previous two years.
The Swedish striker has been in superb form this year for Paris St Germain, scoring eight goals in this season's Champions League - as many as Real Madrid's Ronaldo - to help the French side ease into the last 16.
Football's world governing body FIFA named Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery as the three nominations from a 10-player shortlist for the Ballon d'Or award. The winner will be announced on January 13.
The FIFA Ballon D'Or award has become a painful reminder of the sorry state Italian football, Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said.
So, who in your opinion, dear readers, is your favourite to win the prestigious prize at the ceremony in Zurich on January 12? Take your pick and vote now!
Manchester City fans took a not-so-subtle dig at Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr during Tuesday's Champions League playoff game
Real Madrid teammates Eder Militao, Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurelien Tchouameni praised him on social media, calling him the "best player."
Images from the Club World Cup quarter-finals between Paris St Germain-Bayern Munich and Real Madrid-Dortmund.
Manuel Neuer became the first goalkeeper since 2002 to make the final short list for the FIFA world player of the year award on Monday when he was included alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the final three.
Luka Modric has played almost 600 games for Real and won nearly 30 trophies including a record six Champions League titles and four LaLiga trophies.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will go head-to-head once again for the title of world's best footballer after being short-listed along with Neymar on Monday for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or.
Lionel Messi reclaimed the FIFA Ballon d'Or award for the world player of the year on Monday from his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo who had walked off with the award for the previous two years.
Fresh off a dominant title-winning campaign, Liverpool kick off the new Premier League season on Friday as the team to beat, as the Reds have transitioned from Juergen Klopp's high-octane chaos to a more measured possession-based style under Arne Slot.
Norway secured a commanding 5-0 win at home to Israel in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday, as Erling Haaland struck a hat-trick to celebrate his 50th international goal and helped move his side to the brink of a place at next year's tournament.
Real Madrid's Welsh winger Gareth Bale has joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for FIFA's Ballon d'Or award.
Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema scored twice to lead his side to a 3-1 victory over Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Cup final on Friday as they completed the domestic double.
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.
Indian Super League side FC Goa was drawn along with superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia in Group D of the AFC Champions League 2.
'They don't allow me to be on the field anymore.'
Paris St Germain teenager Desire Doue, who was not even guaranteed a spot in the starting lineup, burst into instant stardom when he lit up the Champions League final as they thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 on Saturday.
The French and English sides, two of European football's most powerful and richest clubs, will compete for the honour of being the first champions of FIFA's expanded competition, created with the promise of revolutionising club football and as a glittering curtain-raiser for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Video footage showed Messi approach the coach and grab the back of his neck, causing him to pull away from the eight-times Ballon d'Or winner after the 2-2 draw in Miami.
In a recent interview with El Pais, Suarez was asked whether he and Messi had talked about retirement.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo are the three final contenders for the 2013 Ballon d'Or award.
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