Month: October 2024

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has signed a new four-year contract with the club, ending mounting speculation over his future.

After making his Barca debut aged 17, Messi has been the scourge of defenders in Spain and across Europe, racking up 523 goals for the Blaugrana and collecting 30 trophies.

Here we take a look at some of the most memorable goals of a sensational career that will now continue at Camp Nou until 2021.

Albacete (H): May 1, 2005

Even at 17, Messi had the confidence of a veteran. Having already had one goal wrongly ruled out for offside an audacious chip from the edge of the box Messi s confidence was far from knocked and just a minute later he latched onto Ronaldinho s scooped pass before lobbing the ball over Albacete…

Vancouver Whitecaps clinched their playoff place at the weekend, and Vanni Sartini does not want his players to play differently against Seattle Sounders.

The Whitecaps may be winless in their last three matches, but their 1-1 draw with Portland Timbers on Saturday was enough to secure their place in the postseason for the third time in the last four seasons.

They are currently seventh in the Western Conference, but Sartini is hopeful they can return to winning ways to push higher up the table.

We have the luck to be already qualified, so even though it s not like a do or die, we can t be scared, Sartini said.

Now it s all about the prize that is in front of us. And the prize will hopefully make us perform in a way that is with no restraint, with no fea…

Qatar will host a second major tournament in the space of eight months after the country, hosts of this year s World Cup, was awarded the 2023 Asian Cup.

Next year s tournament was due to be held in China but, owing to the Chinese government s strict Zero-COVID policy, it was confirmed earlier in 2022 that the competition would be held elsewhere.

Qatar, which is gearing up to host the World Cup in November and December, has now been selected to hold the tournament, which will take place between June 16 and July 16, 2023 and involve 24 teams.

It will mean the reigning Asian Cup champions have the chance to defend their title on home soil, with Qatar triumphing in the United Arab Emirates in 2019.

will be played in Qatar!

— #AsianCup2023 (@afcas…

Brazil will be the number one side in the world when the Qatar 2022 World Cup starts next month, after strengthening their lead in the FIFA rankings.

The Selecao head into this year s tournament looking to break a two-decade hold by European nations on the sport s top prize, having been the last country from outside the continent to triumph at the South Korea and Japan 2002 finals.

Tite s side have slightly stretched their points advantage above second-placed Belgium, whom they displaced atop the list in March.

Brazil and Belgium head up an unchanged top five, with Argentina remaining at number three, World Cup holders France at four and England – who have endured a dismal 2022 – in fifth place.

The Three Lions will top the strongest group at Qatar 20…

Thomas Muller believes Germany have a stronger squad heading to the World Cup than they did four years ago, when they beat Argentina in the final.

Joachim Low s side lifted the trophy in Brazil with a 1-0 victory thanks to Mario Gotze s extra-time goal.

After 10 wins from 10 in qualifying, Germany are well backed to defend their title and Muller is confident Low s squad has the quality to go all the way in Russia.

Individually, without a doubt [we are better], he told reporters. But football has developed considerably.

Other countries have also come on leaps and bounds and their players have become much more technically refined.

Comparing different generations doesn t often get you anywhere. You simply have to keep up with the development of …

Having watched the 2008 League Cup final from the stands, Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason is eager to make his mark against Chelsea.

Ryan Mason has the chance to help Tottenham to League Cup glory against Chelsea on Sunday, having watched from the stands when the sides last met in the showpiece in 2008.

Tottenham triumphed 2-1 on that occasion, with Jonathan Woodgate scoring four minutes into extra-time to snare victory.

I was at the stadium, recalled Spurs midfielder Mason.  It was a tense game, they took the lead and then Woody popped up at the end with a bit of a fortunate goal, but they hung on and I just remember it as a great occasion.

It was a great occasion for the club and hopefully we can reproduce that on Sunday and win the trophy.