Costa Rica made it to the last 16 of the World Cup with a 1-0 victory over four-times winners Italy in their Group D clash on Friday. Captain Bryan Ruiz headed the team to victory with a 44th-minute goal.
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The last time Stanislav Cherchesov walked out at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium to face Fernando Hierro's side, the Spaniards were heavy favourites but the Russians reached the next round.
How did how a reluctant, chain-smoking, beer-swigging footballer captain the greatest football nation in the world?
Four-time world player of the year Lionel Messi would soon face trial for alleged tax evasion; a Spanish judge has ruled and might face a six year jail term if convicted.
The world's lowest ranked soccer team, Bhutan, will take on Sri Lanka next month, while sleeping giants India face Nepal in the first qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Football fans were treated to a month long diet of mainly breathless, intoxicating action in Brazil but their team collapsed in the final stages.
Barcelona left it late to snatch a 1-0 win at Valencia on Sunday after Atletico Madrid's 2-0 victory at home to Deportivo La Coruna was overshadowed by the death of a visiting fan hours before kickoff.
Salah, 25, struck four goals in Liverpool's 5-0 thrashing of Watford that lifted them back into third place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo capped a remarkable year by claiming a fourth Ballon d'Or award on Monday after leading Portugal to an emotional European Championship title and Real Madrid to a record-extending Champions League crown in 2016.
Copa America kicks off in Chile on Thursday as a widening US-led investigation lifts the lid on rampant corruption among the sport's top officials.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will again be duelling for the title of world's best footballer after their names once again headed the shortlist on Thursday for The Best FIFA Men's Player.
Costa Rica's World Cup goalkeeper Keylor Navas and United States women's team striker Abby Wambach were named CONCACAF's Players of the Year for 2014 on Tuesday.
Summary of World Cup qualifiers played across the world on Thursday
The uncertainty surrounding the Liverpool forward's participation after he suffered shoulder ligament damage in last month's Champions League final, had a huge impact on both preparations and team confidence coming into the tournament.
I feel in a very good place, physically and mentally. Every day, I feel better in this club, says Luis Suarez.
Real's Cristiano Ronaldo will be going in search of his third consecutive World Player of the Year award
A decision to include Japan and Qatar as the invited sides to this year's Copa has also done little to generate faith in the new leadership, with the tournament usually featuring the 10 South American nations plus two invited teams, although they are generally from elsewhere in the Americas.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Barcelona soccer star Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after a court in Barcelona found him guilty of three counts of tax fraud, a statement from the court said on Wednesday.
Indian football saw a big jump in the FIFA rankings on Thursday, rising 24 places to go up to 147 spot.
Images from Sunday's English Premier League matches.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field
No one expects Nigeria to win, but by now everyone knows that shirt...
Barcelona's five-time soccer World Player of the Year Lionel Messi went on trial on Tuesday along with his father on accusations of defrauding the Spanish state of millions of euros (dollars).
Hosts Russia have exceeded expectations after advancing to the World Cup quarter-finals with a win on penalties over Spain but they will need more firepower if they are to give Croatia a run for their money on Saturday.
The right-footed Quaresma has scored at least one dozen similar goals during his career and also uses the trivela for passing and crossing.
Atletico Madrid fell to their heaviest league defeat of the season
Zidane was accompanied on stage by his wife and four sons, who all look good to follow in the footsteps of their father.
India, hosting its first ever FIFA tournament in the U-17 World Cup, will set the record of having the farthest distance between two venues in the event's history.
Increasingly isolated on the global stage, the World Cup has so far helped Vladimir Putin send a defiant message to his opponents that Russia is succeeding despite Western efforts to hold it back.
Real Madrid will welcome back the added firepower of talisman Cristiano Ronaldo and striker Karim Benzema when they entertain promoted Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday.
Ten-man Greece held Japan to a 0-0 draw that will suit neither side in a Group C match, which ended with boos ringing around the Dunas arena and sent Colombia into the last 16 of the World Cup on Thursday.
The World Cup lost its headline acts on Saturday as the game's two biggest stars, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, readied to leave Russia after their teams were eliminated in the round of 16. Messi's Argentina lost 4-3 to France and hours later Ronaldo's Portugal went down 2-1 to Uruguay, leaving the tournament without its two best known and most loved players.
Soccer's five-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi said on Thursday he knew nothing about an alleged tax evasion scheme when he signed contracts related to image rights.
Former England captain John Terry will not be brought of international retirement to play at this year's World Cup finals in Brazil, manager Roy Hodgson said on Wednesday
Two quickfire headed goals from Wilfried Bony and Gervinho helped Ivory Coast recover to beat Japan 2-1 on Saturday as their bid for a first appearance in the World Cup knockout stages got off to a fine start.
Real Madrid and Atletico each slipped 10 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona after an intense Madrid derby finished goalless and the Catalans picked up an 11th victory in 12 games by winning 3-0 at Leganes.
