Football

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most successful and decorated footballers of all time and at the age of 38 he is still one of the fittest players in the world. Ronaldo’s fitness is the result of a strict and disciplined regime. In addition to his physical training, Ronaldo also follows a strict diet. Brazilian footballler Arthur Melo recently spoke about Ronaldo’s mentality and professionalism when he played alongside the Portuguese at Juventus during the 2020-21 season. In an interview with Mundo Deportivo,

The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual prize in football. It is presented by the French news magazine France Football to the best-performing footballer in a season. Over the course of time, the Ballon d'Or has come to represent the pinnacle of individual achievement in the world of football. The winner of the Ballon d'Or is chosen by a combination of votes from media representatives, national team captains and coaches. Only the greatest players to have ever pulled on a pair of

Corinthians midfielder Luan was assaulted by fans in Sao Paulo on Tuesday, the Brazilian club said, describing the incident as a "cowardly" act of aggression. Local media reported that the 30-year-old player suffered minor injuries after being dragged out of a motel by supporters who urged him to immediately terminate his contract with the club. Luan joined Corinthians in 2020 and has made 80 appearances for the club, scoring 11 goals and making five assists. His contract expires at the end of this

Roberto Firmino signed for Al-Ahli on Tuesday to become the latest star to head to Saudi Arabia’s lucrative Pro League. The Brazil striker left Liverpool at the end of last season after a trophy-filled eight-year spell, which saw him lift every major club title. Now, at the age of 31, he will join a host of other top soccer stars in Saudi Arabia as the oil-rich kingdom embarks on a spectacular attempt to raise the profile of its league. “I always played for

India had been taken into deep waters over the past four days. More than 240 minutes of physically gruelling football against two good teams in Kuwait and Lebanon. And penalty shootouts were needed to decide these intense games. Enter Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. The SAFF Championship on the line, the Bengaluru FC goalkeeper guessed correctly, dove to his left, and stopped Kuwait captain Khaled Hajiah’s spot kick and for the second time in four days, won India a penalty shootout – this time for

Fernando Diniz has been hired as head coach of Brazil’s national team on a 12-month contract that will be due to expire when Carlo Ancelotti’s deal with Real Madrid ends. The 49-year-old Fluminense coach will keep his job at the Rio de Janeiro club. He takes over from Ramon Menezes, who led the team into this year’s friendlies on an interim basis. Brazil is yet to appoint a long-term coach to replace Tite, who left the job after a quarterfinal loss to Croatia

The All India Football Federation is contemplating changing the format of the domestic pyramid’s second tier, I-League, from the traditional home-and-away to a US-style conference system when the new season kicks off later this year. The proposal was presented during the AIFF’s executive committee meeting on Monday. A senior AIFF official said the idea was ‘disruptive’ and added it was necessary to ‘reinvent’ the I-League to ensure ‘it doesn’t die a slow death while also making it cost-effective for teams by reducing travel

"I am really excited, feeling great. It was a dream (coming to India). I had promised to come to India, I am happy to be here," Martinez said. One of the prime cast members of Argentina’s historic FIFA World Cup triumph last year in Qatar, Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martinez finally arrived in India on Monday. The Aston Villa and Argentina player landed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata on Monday for a two-day visit for a series of events, from meet

The former Liverpool and England midfielder said last month he would not be taking up an offer to join the team. However, the 43-year-old has had a change of heart and becomes the latest big name to join the growing league. Steven Gerrard has been appointed coach of Saudi side Al-Ettifaq, having previously decided against taking up the position, the Saudi Pro League club said on Monday. The former Liverpool and England midfielder said last month he would not be taking up an

On the rare occasion Sunil Chhetri did not score, India, too, drew a blank. It isn’t a new story in Indian football but as the national team continues to ride on the back of strong defensive displays, the hosts will hope that other attackers will rise to the occasion when India take on Kuwait in the final of the South Asian Championship in Bengaluru on Tuesday. Chhetri, at 38, continues to lead India from the front. The captain has scored five out of

The move means Brozovic will go from having played in the Champions League final in his last match with Inter Milan — as team captain — to a league that is just starting to emerge on the international stage. Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic is the latest elite player taking advantage of the Saudi Arabian league’s riches by joining Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. The move means Brozovic will go from having played in the Champions League final in his last match with Inter Milan

Although there continue to exist huge wage disparities between the men's and women's football, there now appears to be a greater willingness on behalf of the sport's governing bodies to address the issue. The upward trajectory of the sport will also bring with it greater economic benefits: increased popularity leads to more broadcasting interest, ticket sales and other commercial deals such as sponsorship. For that reason, it's been projected that salaries are expected to continue to grow in women's football. Having said that,

PSG star and France captain Kylian Mbappe has called for an end to the country’s violent demonstrations following the death shooting of a youngster by police. Unrest has erupted across the country, notably in Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, and Lille, as well as in Paris, where Nahel M, a 17-year-old of Algerian and Moroccan heritage, was shot on Tuesday in the Nanterre neighbourhood. Mbappe turned to social media on Friday to beg for calm on behalf of the French national squad. “Like all

Palmeiras midfielder Bruno Tabata has been suspended for four months by CONMEBOL after allegations of racism in a 3-0 Copa Libertadores win over Paraguay's Cerro Porteno but has said he was the victim of abuse and his club will appeal the decision. Tabata and other Palmeiras substitutes drew attention to racist abuse from Cerro Porteno fans during the match, which was played in May. However, CONMEBOL's Disciplinary Tribunal on Friday sanctioned the Brazilian for "unsportsmanlike conduct". Palmeiras will appeal against the punishment, applied

The TFA 30-Days Football Trial in Dubai offers aspiring footballers a unique opportunity to invest in their future as footballers. With an investment of 6600 AED, participants will embark on a comprehensive 30-day trial with TFA EPC Future Team, a premier football club in Dubai. The program includes rigorous training sessions, gym sessions, and matches, providing participants with the chance to hone their skills, build strength and endurance, and showcase their abilities. Accommodations, daily meals, and transportation are provided as part of the

Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets are joining Inter Miami to compete, not for a holiday, the newly appointed coach of the Major League Soccer (MLS) side Gerardo Martino said. The 60-year-old coached Messi and Busquets at Barcelona in 2013-14 before managing Argentina from 2014-16. Record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi, 36, opted not to renew his contract with Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain and will be reunited with former Barca team mate Busquets, who spent 18 years at Camp Nou. Martino said

N'Golo Kante may have moved to Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad but he will still have a link to club football in Europe after he agreed a deal to buy Belgian third division side Royal Excelsior Virton. The club said on Thursday that the former Chelsea and Leicester City midfielder is set to take over ownership from Flavio Becca from July 1. The club, which is situated near the Luxembourg border, did not disclose any financial details for the deal. "Flavio is obviously extremely

French soccer club Paris St Germain coach Christophe Galtier has been arrested for questioning along with his son as part of an investigation into alleged discrimination, AFP news agency reported on Friday citing a French prosecutor. PSG did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Source Reuter

Italy signed on Tuesday a letter of intent aimed at eradicating anti-Semitism from soccer stadiums across the country. Instances of racism and anti-Semitism are commonplace in Italian stadiums, with fans regularly booing or shouting abuse at Black players, using the word "Jew" as an insult and displaying Nazi or fascist symbols. The initiative represents a "great contribution" to soccer, said Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi during the declaration signing ceremony in Rome, which also involved Italy's sports minister and the President of the

Leaving everything you own to a multi-millionaire soccer player would not be everyone's idea of a good cause, but one Brazilian fan could not think of a more deserving recipient of his worldly goods than Neymar Jr. The anonymous fan said that beyond a love for the national team and for Brazil's football legacy, he identified with Neymar, which led him to officially name the Brazil striker in his will. "I like Neymar, I identify with him a lot. I also suffer with