Zinedine Zidane's appointment as Real Madrid coach in place of Rafa Benitez has handed the club's former France great his chance to follow up a stellar career on the pitch with management success at the highest level.
Real Madrid have sacked coach Rafa Benitez after less than half a season in charge and promoted their former France great Zinedine Zidane from the B team to replace him, president Florentino Perez said on Monday.
A team led by Brazilian Ronaldinho will face a side captained by Andriy Shevchenko in the match to raise money for victims of the Asian tsunami.
Defending champions Chennaiyin FC rallied from one-goal deficit to play out a 1-1 draw against Atletico de Kolkata in their Indian Super League football match in Chennai.
A round-up Wednesday's football news on and off the field.
'We are upset because we have lost a great professional and a top-class player,' Real Madrid director of football Arrigo Sacchi said.
Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not about to leave Paris St Germain and return to AC Milan despite his good relationship with the Italian club's CEO Adriano Galliani, he said on Friday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte hates not being in the Champions League and has made it his mission to ensure the Premier League leaders consistently qualify for Europe's elite competition.
Giampaolo Pazzini struck an 89th-minute equaliser on his Levante debut to earn his side a deserved 2-2 draw against struggling giants Real Madrid on Saturday.
Six months ago Gianni Infantino was a low-profile right-hand man to European soccer boss Michel Platini. He was the striking, shaven-headed character who pulled balls out of glass pots during televised UEFA competition draws. Barely-known by the general public, he was also the man behind a complex attempt to force Europe's clubs to reign in their spending, but which ended up leaving fans and even club directors confused. On Friday, Infantino was chosen as the new president of FIFA, a position which made his predecessor Sepp Blatter as instantly recognisable as some of the world's leading statesman. It was a remarkable leap for the affable Swiss-Italian. The polyglot lawyer only entered the FIFA race in late October, one day before the deadline, as a stop-gap candidate after Platini had been placed under investigation for ethics violations.
The Italian has always been a fans' favourite and was voted the greatest player in Chelsea's history in a poll last season.
Palestinians long riven by geography and factional feuding enjoyed a rare show of unity on Thursday in a soccer match that brought together teams from their two territories.
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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.
Paris St Germain coach Laurent Blanc criticised the new generation of footballers after defender Serge Aurier was suspended indefinitely by the French champions for insulting the former national team manager.
The son of former Argentina captain Diego Maradona, rejected a contract offer from the Scottish premier league club.
The victory, Chelsea's 28th of the season, put the long-time league leaders 10 points clear of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who have only three games left to play.
Italian Ranieri takes his side, currently bottom of the Premier League, to United on Saturday and said he is looking forward to renewing his friendship with the man who replaced him as Chelsea manager in 2004.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
RB Leipzig marked their first appearance in the Champions League knockout round with a deserved 1-0 victory at last season's runners-up Tottenham Hotspur
Italian Bracciali banned for life, Starace for 10 years
Andriy Shevchenko scoring both goals in an impressive 2-1 victory in the Serie A league.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni had hoped Paolo Maldini could be persuaded to come back.
Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri says he believes that Manchester City are now at the same level as Barcelona and Real Madrid and can go on to win the UEFA Champions League this season.
Juventus appears to have surprised Serie A organisers by reaching the Champions League final, forcing last-minute changes to the domestic fixture list.
'For more than two decades, Pirlo, with the velvety touch, penetrative eye, and parabola-pass perfection, roamed the middle of the park like a creative colossus.'
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Antonio Conte's title ranks as one of the finest of the Abramovich era because this title was so unexpected. Out of the blue, in fact.
Manchester United can give up hope of signing AS Roma's Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman in the next transfer window, the Italian club's owner told the BBC on Wednesday.
Maldini, an ace defender, who donned the Italian national team colours 126 times, made his AC Milan debut in 1985, and played his last Serie A match in May 2009.
Juventus supporters coach Massimiliano Allegri has often been in his element when he is apparently on the back foot.
City are 18 points clear of second-placed Liverpool after beating Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday and need just four wins from their final nine games to be sure of the title.
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Tuesday.
