20 published articles
UAE giants to face Saudi ProLeague reigning champions in AFC Champions League Elite West-Round 1 tonight .
Twenty one years after a debut lasting barely a minute, Lionel Messi said goodbye to Argentina. In Buenos Aires, he scored his 126th goal in a 3-0 win over Benin, his 208th and final cap. Fans cheered a World Cup winner, two time Copa América champion and record scorer. He leaves as Argentina's greatest, with eight Ballon d'Ors.
Manchester City have been found guilty of 114 of 115 Premier League financial charges covering 2009-2018. An independent commission ruled City used "sham" sponsorship deals to disguise owner funding, misreported finances, breached spending limits and obstructed investigators. City deny wrongdoing and lodged an appeal on 1 October. Sanctions, from fines to points deductions or expulsion, remain undecided pending the appeal.
October 6, the Monumental, and a nation holds its breath. Lionel Messi wears the sky-blue and white one final time: 207 caps, 125 goals, Olympic gold, a Finalissima, two Copa Américas, and the World Cup itself. The boy from Rosario carried a people's dreams until they were real. Now they carry him, gently. Do not look away. Gracias, Leo.
Spain Silence Wembley Wembley witnessed a five-goal classic as Spain stunned England 3–2 in a breathtaking Nations League encounter. Lamine Yamal struck first, but Gordon and Kane turned the tide before the break. Kane’s missed penalty proved costly, as Baena restored parity before Oyarzabal delivered the dagger. England fought valiantly, but Spain owned the night, turning chaos into glory.
Portugal face Wales in the UEFA Nations League at Lisbon’s Estádio José Alvalade, where Cristiano Ronaldo returns to the stadium that launched his professional career. At 41, he begins another international chapter under Jorge Jesus, targeting two ambitions; helping Portugal retain the Nations League and reaching 1,000 career goals. The captain’s pursuit continues beneath familiar lights.
Thursday brings a thrilling return to international football, with Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Norway and several African giants taking centre stage. Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal against Wales, while Haaland headlines Norway’s clash with Denmark. Germany face the Netherlands, while Côte d’Ivoire meet Ghana in Africa. Across Europe and Africa, national pride, fierce rivalries and qualification ambitions promise a captivating night of football.
Mohamed Salah delivered a sensational display for Trabzonspor, scoring a hat-trick against Galatasaray in a commanding victory. The Egyptian forward opened the scoring early, added another before half-time and completed his treble late on. Salah also provided an assist, capping a brilliant individual performance that underlined his attacking quality and influence.
Roma and Inter played out a thrilling 2–2 draw at the Stadio Olimpico, with Manu Koné striking twice to give the hosts a commanding lead. Inter responded through Lautaro Martínez, who also completed a brace to rescue a valuable point for the visitors. Both sides showed attacking quality in an entertaining Serie A encounter that delivered plenty of drama.
Bologna and Torino shared the spoils in a tense 1–1 Serie A draw. Federico Bernardeschi opened the scoring for Bologna early, but Sandro Kulenović restored parity in the second half with a crucial equaliser. Both sides pushed for a winner, but neither could find the decisive breakthrough.
Aston Villa secured a thrilling 3–2 victory over Tottenham after racing into a three-goal lead through Johan Manzambi, Nicolas Jackson and Emiliano Buendía. Spurs mounted a dramatic late comeback, with Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke finding the net, but Villa held firm to claim their first Premier League win.
Michael Olise stole the show with a stunning hat-trick as Bayern Munich demolished Union Berlin 7–0. Harry Kane also delivered, scoring twice and reaching 100 Bundesliga goals faster than any player in history. With both Ballon d’Or nominees producing decisive performances, Bayern’s attacking stars strengthened their claims on a memorable night.
Brentford welcomes Chelsea to the Gtech Community Stadium tonight in a crucial West London derby. With their last four meetings at the venue ending in draws, both sides seek to break the deadlock. Chelsea will rely on Cole Palmer’s creativity, while Brentford turn to Mikkel Damsgaard as they chase three points.
Cristiano Ronaldo will continue his Portugal journey after new coach Jorge Jesus confirmed his place in the national team. The legendary captain, Portugal’s record appearance holder and all-time leading scorer with 146 goals in 233 appearances, is set to feature in the September and November international fixtures.
The countdown to the 2026 Ballon d’Or has entered its most critical stage, with voting scheduled to close on September 28. As football’s biggest individual honour moves closer to its October 26 ceremony in London, the 30 nominees remain under the spotlight, with their performances, trophies and impact for club and country forming the basis of the final voting process. With the deadline fast approaching, every achievement from the past season could prove significant as voters make their final selections. The Ballon d’Or is decided by an international panel of journalists, who assess the nominees based on individual performances, team success, consistency, influence in decisive matches and overall sporting quality. While statistics remain an important part of the discussion, the award is rarely determined by numbers alone. Leadership, creativity, reliability and the ability to perform on the biggest stages can all shape the final outcome. This year’s race is expected to generate intense debate, with several leading contenders having built strong cases through outstanding domestic campaigns and memorable performances in European competition. Others have strengthened their claims through international football, helping their countries achieve success or producing decisive displays in major tournaments and qualifying campaigns. The closing date for voting means that the final weeks of the eligibility period could still influence the conversation. A standout performance, a decisive goal in a major fixture or a trophy won at the end of the season may alter the balance between the leading candidates. Although much of the voting discussion has already taken place, the final impressions left by the nominees could prove just as important. The ceremony in London will bring the process to its conclusion, but the debate over the likely winner is expected to continue until the announcement is made. Supporters, former players and analysts will compare the achievements of the leading candidates, weighing individual brilliance against collective success and consistency across the campaign. Beyond the main men’s award, the Ballon d’Or ceremony will also recognise excellence across several categories, including the women’s Ballon d’Or, the Kopa Trophy for the best young player, the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper and the Gerd Müller Trophy for the leading goalscorer. These awards highlight the breadth of talent across the sport and provide further focus on the players who have made the greatest impact during the season. For the nominees, the remaining period represents the final opportunity to strengthen their cases. Every match, contribution and achievement will be examined as voters complete their ballots. Once the September 28 deadline passes, the discussion will shift from what could happen to what the voting has decided. The 2026 Ballon d’Or race therefore remains open, with no candidate able to take victory for granted. As the ceremony approaches, the combination of individual quality, silverware and decisive moments will determine who emerges as the successor to the previous winner and takes home one of football’s most prestigious individual prizes.
Juventus announced themselves in style, cruising to a commanding 5–0 victory over NEC Nijmegen in their Europa League opener. Nicolás González, Kerim Alajbegović, Nick Woltemade, Mehmet Çelik and Randal Kolo Muani found the net as the Bianconeri combined ruthless finishing with a clean sheet to launch their European campaign impressively.
Manchester City demolished Norwich 5–0, with teenager Floyd Samba starring as the holders cruised into the EFL Cup fourth round.
Real Madrid clinched three precious points on Elche’s pitch, returning to the summit alongside rivals Barcelona in the chase for the LaLiga crown. Güler opened the scoring with a stunning strike before Mbappé added the flavour. Elche fought back fiercely, but Carlos Espí delivered the late winner to seal Madrid’s victory.
The EFL Cup delivered an action-packed night as Liverpool, Arsenal and Fulham all secured victories to book their places in the fourth round.
Al-Ain delivered a dominant performance at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, dismantling Al Nassr 4-0 in their AFC Champions League Elite opener. Houssine Rahimi’s brace set the tone before Soufiane Rahimi and Giorgos Giakoumakis completed the rout, leaving the Saudi Arabian giants with a night to forget.
