Trade pundits and quick think piece experts can speculate all they like, but what works at the box-office is a mystery as always.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Churches also tolled their bells, after the Church of England sent out guidance to parishes, chapels and cathedrals across the country encouraging them to open for prayer or special services. Major sporting events, including football and cricket matches, have been postponed as a mark of respect.
Manchester United's deadline day signing Anthony Martial has played down comparisons with Arsenal's record goalscorer Thierry Henry, saying he still has everything to prove.
Iran were banned from an Olympic football qualifying match against Jordan later that year after refusing to remove their hijabs before kick-off.
The games sounded more like Sunday kickabouts or high-intensity training sessions than the return to action of highly-paid professionals in the world's best attended football league with normally an average of about 42,000 spectators per game.
Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League following a 3-0 defeat at Bayern Munich on Wednesday, failing to make it past the group stage of the competition for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
Ronaldo's career tally includes goals for four top-flight clubs
Laxmi Negi/Rediff.com picks the very best players from what has been an outstanding tournament.
A round-up of Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
The reigning champions have won 53 and drawn 11 of those 64 games, scoring 169 goals and conceding 42 for a total of 170 points.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Images and summary of all the World Cup 2022 qualifiers played across continents on Tuesday.
The first step for any move forward will be the UK government's review of lockdown restrictions due on May 7.
There were a few nerves at the end but Liverpool set up a Champions League semi-final with Spain's Villarreal after Roberto Firmino scored twice in a 3-3 second-leg draw with Benfica on Wednesday to ensure a 6-4 aggregate win.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
'Pure, unadulterated football joy has been in short supply for United fans for a long time now,' complains Dhruv Munjal.
American World Cup champion Alex Morgan will be one of two women football players to score a first by featuring on the front cover of FIFA, the world's most popular football video game.
Villa's chief executive Christian Purslow said 10 first-team players are among 14 positive cases of coronavirus at the club.
A former midfielder for Sporting Gijon, Real Madrid and Barcelona, Luis Enrique won two Liga titles, one Champions League and three King's Cups as Barca coach between 2014 and 2017.
40 must know nuggets about the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Manchester City came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw with Liverpool in a breathless and pulsating Premier League encounter, at Anfield, on Sunday. All four goals came in the second half.
The World Cup has seen the most talented footballers on the planet. The tournament is also home to the glamorous wives and girlfriends (WAGs) of these players.
Manufacturers have plastered his image on traditional Ramadan products ranging from pillows to lanterns "famous" and paper cut-outs as they try to cash in on his success to offset economic hardships caused by the government's financial reforms.
Striker Costa ends second spell at Atletico Madrid.
The much-travelled Ranieri won the Premier League title with unfancied Leicester City in 2016 and most recently coached French side Nantes.
England captain acknowledges and appreciates diverse culture in team
Frank Lampard has been named Chelsea's Player of the Year for a record third time. The England midfielder is the first player to win the accolade three times, the English Premier League club said on Friday.
Laggards in international rankings, India finally made their presence felt by pulling off an impressive under-17 World Cup that drew all-round praise even though the country was eliminated in the very first round.
The French envoy was notified about "discrimination" towards Russian citizens, it said, adding that "further fanning of anti-Russian sentiments" could damage relations between France and Russia.
Stirling Moss, the British racing driver who ranked as one of the all-time Formula One greats despite never winning the world championship, died on Sunday at the age of 90 after a long illness. News of his passing was mourned across the world of motorsport, with Formula One hailing a 'legend' and 'one of the true greats'.
Premier League clubs enjoyed record revenues of 3.3 billion pounds ($4.76 billion) in 2014-15 thanks to broadcast deals that will be even more lucrative next season, according to Deloitte.
It would only be 'fair' for rivals Liverpool to be awarded the English Premier League trophy if the season cannot be completed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
It was the final time that India's most successful skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was seen leading the national side although it is an 'A' team.
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.
Tottenham Hotspur missed the chance to move up to provisional fourth place in the Premier League after relegation-threatened Newcastle United held them to a 2-2 draw with a late equaliser from substitute Joe Willock at St James' Park on Sunday. Images from EPL matches played on Sunday.
Tuchel has agreed an 18-month contract with the option of another year, the west London club announced.
Premier League champions Liverpool maintained their 100 per cent start to the season with a 3-1 win against Arsenal at Anfield on Monday leaving them level on nine points with pacesetters Everton and Leicester City.
Wayne Rooney of England and the Netherlands' Ruud van Nistelrooy continue to lead the goal scorers' list with four goals each at the Euro 2004 football tournament in Portugal after Friday's quarter-final between Greece and France.
