London (AFP) – Michael Carrick will stay in charge of Manchester United for their clash against Arsenal this week as interim manager Ralf Rangnick awaits his work visa, the Old Trafford club said on Tuesday. Rangnick on Monday agreed to join United from Lokomotiv Moscow, where he was the head of sports and development. But […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has hit back at a "disrespectful" claim that his only remaining ambition is to win the Ballon d'Or more times than Lionel Messi. Paris Saint-Germain forward Messi won the prestigious award for a seventh time on Monday. Ronaldo, who finished sixth in this year's voting, has earned […]

Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi admitted winning the Copa America with Argentina might have been the determining factor in him claiming the men's Ballon d'Or prize for the seventh time after a turbulent year, as Spain's Alexia Putellas took the women's award. Now 34, Messi pipped much-fancied rivals like Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema to […]

Paris (AFP) – Some might question whether Lionel Messi really deserved to win his latest Ballon d'Or prize ahead of other worthy candidates, but the Argentinian has been rewarded for continuing to be so good for so long. The most turbulent year of Messi's glittering career, in which he was forced to tearfully bid farewell […]

Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi won the men's Ballon d'Or award for a record-extending seventh time at a ceremony in Paris on Monday. Messi won the last edition of the Ballon d'Or in 2019 before last year's awards were cancelled due to the pandemic. He also won in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and in 2015. […]

Madrid (AFP) – Alexia Putellas grew up dreaming of playing for Barcelona and after clinching the treble of league, cup and Champions League last season, her status as a women's footballing icon was underlined as she claimed the Ballon d'Or on Monday. Unlike the men's side, Barca's women swept the board last term with the […]

Paris (AFP) – Spain starlet Pedri won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday, while Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma was named the best goalkeeper. Barcelona midfielder Pedri, who only turned 19 last Thursday, was a key player for Spain as they reached the […]

Paris (AFP) – Alexia Putellas of Barcelona and Spain won the women's Ballon d'Or prize at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, completing a remarkable year for the 27-year-old. Putellas is the third winner of the prize, following in the footsteps of Ada Hegerberg, who won the inaugural women's Ballon d'Or in 2018, and United […]

Paris (AFP) – Barcelona and Spain starlet Pedri won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday. The midfielder, who only turned 19 last Thursday, was a key player for Spain as they reached the semi-finals of the European Championship and featured in […]

Paris (AFP) – Neymar is expected to be sidelined for between six and eight weeks after sustaining ligament damage to his left ankle, Paris Saint-Germain said on Monday. The Brazil star was stretchered from the pitch in tears after suffering the injury in the final minutes of Sunday's 3-1 victory at Saint-Etienne. "The examinations carried […]

London (AFP) – Brendan Rodgers says Leicester star Jamie Vardy shows no sign of slowing down, outlining the personal investment the veteran striker has made to prolong his career. Vardy, 34, took his Premier League tally for the season to nine with two goals in the Foxes' 4-2 home win against Watford on Sunday. The […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United announced on Monday they had appointed Ralf Rangnick as interim manager until the end of the season following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a disastrous run of results. The 63-year-old will arrive at Old Trafford from Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow, where he was manager of sports and development, […]

Paris (AFP) – Togo international Ihlas Bebou scored a hat-trick for fifth-placed Hoffenheim at the weekend in a 6-3 Bundesliga triumph at bottom club Greuther Fuerth. It was the first German league treble for the 27-year-old winger, who had spells with Fortuna Dusseldorf and Hannover before joining his current club in 2019 on a three-year […]

London (AFP) – Eddie Howe says it would be "foolish" for him to promise that bottom side Newcastle will buy their way out of Premier League relegation trouble in the January transfer window. The new boss celebrated his 44th birthday on Monday by preparing his team for Tuesday's clash with Norwich, with the club still […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United's new interim manager Ralf Rangnick once mentored Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel and now "The Professor" will use his studious approach to revive his troubled Premier League club. United hired Rangnick on Monday after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked last week following a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Watford that featured […]