The prestigious Golden Ball will be handed out by France Football on 3 December, and many believe there could be a new winner for the first time in 10 years, with Luka Modric having already picked up the UEFA Player of the Year and FIFA’s The Best Men’s Player awards this year.

Ronaldo and Messi have shared the Ballon d’Or between them since 2008, each winning it five times, and while the Portuguese forward dreams of beating Messi to lift his sixth Golden Ball, he does not count the Argentine among this year’s favourites.

Ronaldo and Messi have shared the Ballon d’Or between them since 2008 each winning it five times

“The same as usual, even if I don’t know if Messi will be on the podium this time,” he told France Football when asked about his favourites.

“So, let’s say Mohamed Salah, Luka Modric, Antoine Griezmann, Raphael Varane, Kylian Mbappe – the French in general because they are world champions.”

However, despite not choosing Messi as a favourite for this year’s Golden Ball, Ronaldo did praise the Argentine for reigning alongside him at the top of the game over the past 10 years, and questioned whether the current crop can be at the top as long.

“But I will wait and see if all these players are still at the top in 10 years, like Messi and I have done, and like we continue to do,” he added.

“Still there, on the podium, since more than 10 years.”

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Ronaldo’s fifth Serie A goal for Juventus was added to his 84 Premier League goals he scored for Manchester United and 311 in La Liga for Real Madrid.

Ronaldo scored the goal tapping in from close range after Genoa failed to clear their lines when Joao Cancelo‘s shot took an awkward deflection inside the box.

The Portuguese star found himself free from close range and he side-footed into the net

Ronaldo’s milestone puts him 10 goals above the second top scorer in Europe’s main leagues, Lionel Messi – who scored his 390th La Liga goal for Barcelona in their 4-2 win against Sevilla.

However, Juventus’ perfect start to the season came to an end in Turin on Saturday as Genoa earned a 1-1 draw and the visitors dropped the first points this season.

The hosts dominated most of the game having 21 shots but only three were on target – all from Ronaldo, who had 11 efforts in total in the first half of the game. The draw left the defending champions four points above second-placed Napoli who won 3-0 against Udinese later on Saturday.

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Ronaldo’s strike, which was applauded on the night by his opposing – and it turned out future – fans, topped the poll with nearly 200,000 of the total 346,915 votes. He succeeds his new Juve colleague Mario Mandžukić, who won last year for goal against Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final, while Lionel Messi took the award in both 2014/15 and 2015/16.

The annual UEFA Goal of the Season competition honors the most spectacular goals scored during the past season in UEFA Champions League, Europa League and international fixtures

The runner-up was Dimitri Payet‘s goal in Marseille’s 5-2 UEFA Europa League defeat of RB Leipzig, while third place went to Eva Navarro‘s goal for Spain in their Women’s U17 EURO final victory against Germany in Lithuania in May.

This year’s 11 nominees were selected by UEFA’s Technical Observers, with one for each of the main UEFA competitions were been active over the past 12 months. Only goals registered in UEFA club or international fixtures were eligible for consideration.

The top three

1st: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus 0-3 REAL MADRID) 197,496 votes
UEFA Champions League quarter-finals first leg, 03/04/18

UEFA Technical Observers say: An extraordinary display of technique and athleticism.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s overhead kick for Real Madrid against his current club Juventus has been voted UEFA.com Goal of the Season

2nd: Dimitri Payet (MARSEILLE 5-2 RB Leipzig) 35,558 votes
UEFA Europa League quarter-finals second leg, 12/04/18

UEFA Technical Observers say: An outstanding dribble and shot with the outside of the foot at an important moment in the tie.

Dimitri Payet hits superb goal against RB Leipzig

3rd: Eva Navarro (Germany 0-2 SPAIN) 23,315 votes
UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Championship final, 21/05/18

UEFA Technical Observers say: Beautiful curling shot after nimble footwork to beat defenders.

UEFA.com Goal of the Season roll of honour

2018: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) v Juventus, 03/04/18
2017: Mario Mandžukić (Juventus) v Real Madrid, 03/06/17
2016: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) v Roma, 24/11/15
2015: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) v Bayern, 06/05/15

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Chelsea star Fabregas tied the knot with Daniella Semaan in May, however the couple waited until the height of summer – and after the league season and World Cup – to hold their celebratory bash.

It took place on the Balearic island and was the perfect place for any football fan hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the game’s biggest names.

Fabregas and Semaan enjoyed a touching family moment for photographers before the party

They included several team-mates of Fabregas at his current club Chelsea; Ross Barkley, Ethan Ampadu, Marcos Alonso and N’Golo Kante among them. 

Kante especially stood out for his sartorial choice, which took the apparent smart-casual dress code to another level – but on the casual side. 

The France midfielder wore an untucked white shirt, shorts and white trainers – although having just won the World Cup, many would argue he can dress as he chooses.

Former Chelsea captain John Terry also attended with his wife Toni, taking a break with friends away from rumours which continue to circulate regarding his retirement from playing after leaving Aston Villa. 

Fabregas and Semaan were married in May but have waited until now to have their party

There were other big names from Fabregas’s days at Barcelona, where he played for the youth team as well as for the senior side between spells at Arsenal and Chelsea.

Lionel Messi was the most notable name, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner appearing with his arm around wife Antonella Roccuzzo. 

Sergio Busquets and Carles Puyol were also among the Barca legends past and present who walked the red carpet.

There were also reminders of Fabregas’s youthful days as a Gunner, with former goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and the club’s all-time top scorer Thierry Henry in attendance at the party.

Henry, like Terry, was taking a break from Villa-related rumours amid talks he is on the verge of replacing Steve Bruce as manager following a takeover at the Championship club.

Fabregas and Semaan were of course the stars of the show, both wearing striking, jewelled, white outfits as they kissed for the cameras.

Fabregas and Semaan enjoyed a touching family moment for photographers before the party

The couple were joined by four of their five children, Leonardo, Lia, Capri and Joseph, for pictures – the eldest, Maria, was the only one not in the snaps.

Lebanese-born Semaan, 43, is 12 years older than her new husband, but that has not stopped romance blossoming and Fabregas proposed in December 2017. 

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The Balkans lead Group D after having won the first two games, but they can lose first place if Nigeria beat Argentina by a landslide. Jorge Sampaoli‘s side, on the other hand, would be finish second if they beat Nigeria and Iceland don’t beat Croatia.

Croatia smashed Argentina by 3-0 to reach Round of last 16

“The best team in Group D is Croatia,” Frenchman Paul Pogba said at the French team’s headquarters outside Moscow.

“They are a great team that were able to beat Argentina.”

Argentina looks to be so weak in this year’s edition

His teammate Corentin Tolisso agreed in the analysis that Croatia are the most dangerous opponent possible.

“Croatia are the best in that group, and we will do everything possible to not finish second,” said the Bayern Munich midfielder.

Tolisso acknowledged that, in case of having to play against Argentina, it will be necessary to pay particular attention to Messi.

France qualified for Round of 16 by beating Peru 1-0

“The Argentines have strong individualities, especially with Messi, who can do anything in a game,” he added.

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Both Pogba and Tolisso highlighted that France are the only one of the big nations that managed to qualify for the second round after the first two matches of the World Cup, and drew attention to the problems that other teams go through as an example of the difficulty that entails.

“The big teams don’t come to party, we come to win, we have quality players, a good squad, winning is possible, but it will not be easy,” Pogba noted.

“There are no small teams or bad players in a World Cup, but the road is still long, we have to fight and be very strong.”

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The game is dominated by talk of the return of former Barcelona and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola at the Nou Camp but other European top sides will be in action also.

The Blaugrana lead Group C with six points having scored nine times in their opening two fixtures against Celtic and Borussia Monchengladbach respectively  while City are below on four points with seven goals.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will take on his former team Barcelona in the Champions League

Guardiola‘s side is winless in its last three matches across all competitions and are currently on a poor run of form.

Barcelona will welcome back star player Lionel Messi in the team having played against Deportivo in La Liga on 15th October, 2016.

In the other Group C game, Celtic who put up a spirited performance against Manchester City host Borussia Monchengladbach looking for maximum points to boost their qualification chances.

Meanwhile London Giants Arsenal will host Ludogorets at the Emirates Stadium looking to take command of Group A with Paris Saint-Germain taking on Basel.

The Gunners are favourites in the game and a win will boost their passage to the knock-out phase.

In the other games, last season’s finalist Atletico Madrid travel to Russia to take on FC Rostov.

Bayern Munich who host PSV Eindhoven at the Allianz Allena began the season with eight straight wins in all competitions but are now without a win in three games and suffered their first defeat of the season at Atletico Madrid in their last European match.

Napoli who have won their first two games will be hosting Besiktas at Stadio San Paolo and Dynamo Kyiv of Ukraine takes on Benfica of Portugal in Group B.

ALL UCL FIXTURES 

Barcelona vs. Manchester City
Napoli vs. Bestikas
Arsenal vs. Ludogorets
FC Rostov vs. Atletico Madrid
Dynamo Kyiv vs. Benfica
Paris Saint-Germain vs. FC Basel
Celtic vs. Borussia Monchengladbach
Bayern Munich vs. PSV Eindhoven

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Real Madrid and Barcelona continue their dominance of La liga  with 5 and 6 players from both teams respectively.

The list includes; 2014 winner Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale  the only British player on the list for the third successive year, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos,James Rodriguez for Madrid while Barcelona has  Lionel Messi,Neymar, Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta,Javier Mascherano and Ivan Rakitic.

The premier League is dominated by Manchester City players with a trio of Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne and Yaya Toure.

Chelsea is represented by winger Eden Hazard and Arsenal by Alexis Sanchez who helped his country Chile to Copa America success in 2015.

The Bundesliga has players  all from Bayern Munich which shows how they are a force in Germany Football. The list has Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben and Arturo Vidal, while Paul Pogba of Juventus from Seria A and Paris St Germain’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic from the French Ligue 1 complete the list.

Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho are both on a 10-man shortlist for the coach of the year award, alongside Barcelona’s Champions League-winning coach Luis Enrique and Bayern Munich’s Pep Guardiola.

Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli is the only national team coach on the list, which also includes Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri, Sevilla’s Unai Emery, Laurent Blanc of PSG, Atletico Madridchief Diego Simeone and Carlo Ancelotti, who left Real Madrid in the summer.

England women’s coach Mark Sampson is on the coach of the year for women’s football shortlist, alongside Englishmen Colin Bell (Frankfurt) and John Herdman (Canada), but there are no British footballers on the women’s player of the year list.

FIFA #BALLONDOR 23 candidates, one trophy. Who do you think will be crowned on 11 January? https://t.co/VNSyEfqCqo pic.twitter.com/W0qlYk2FIk

— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) October 20, 2015

BALLON D’OR SHORTLIST: Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris St Germain), Andres Iniesta (Spain/Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Javier Mascherano (Argentina/Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Thomas Muller (Germany/Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich), Neymar (Brazil/Barcelona), Paul Pogba (France/Juventus), Ivan Rakitic (Croatia/Barcelona), Arjen Robben (Holland/Bayern Munich), James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid), Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Uruguay/Barcelona), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast/Manchester City), Arturo Vidal (Chile/Bayern Munich).

FIFA #BALLONDOR 10 coaches, but only one FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football https://t.co/VNSyEfqCqo pic.twitter.com/blidRGrqtz — FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) October 20, 2015

COACH OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST: Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus), Carlo Ancelotti (Formerly of Real Madrid), Laurent Blanc (Paris St Germain), Unai Emery (Sevilla), Pep Guardiola (Bayern Munich), Luis Enrique (Barcelona), Jose Mourinho (Chelsea), Jorge Sampaoli (Chile), Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal).

The world player and coach of the year will be voted on a ceremony in Zurich on January 11, 2016.

Read more on fifa.com

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Despite United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward flying to Barcelona on Monday 17 august, 2015 to try and finalise terms on the deal, Pedro changed his mind and opted for Chelsea.

Chelsea football club released a statement on their latest acquisition; “Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Pedro from Barcelona.

“The Spaniard arrives as a highly coveted winger who can also play as a central striker. He is proven at the very highest level and already possesses an impressive medal haul.”

Welcome to Chelsea, @_Pedro17_! #CFC pic.twitter.com/UGc6yYBQsx

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 20, 2015

A Barcelona statement read: “The club wishes to publicly express its gratitude to Pedro Rodriguez for his professionalism and dedication while with the club, as well as to wish him all the best in the future.”

Manchester United appeared to be in pole position to land the player who was identified as Angel Di Maria’s replacement but Chelsea hijacked the deal and signed him up. The 28-year old Spaniard signed a new contract with Barcelona in June but failed to dislodge any of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in the first team which prompted him to move. Pedro used Twitter to thank his former club for helping him complete a transfer to the reigning Premier League champions

Very happy, I’m already Blue! Thank U all and specially @FCBarcelona for make possible to reach this point @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/fgERbDXLcJ — Pedro Rodríguez (@_Pedro17_) August 20, 2015

The stats show that Pedro will add a spark and improve Chelsea’s forward line when compared to Oscar and Willian.

Stats show Pedro will add required spark to @ChelseaFC attack http://t.co/RRRarRYEd6 #Pedro pic.twitter.com/DJtxXSJrDc

— The Sport Review (@TheSportReview) August 20, 2015

Former team-mate Thierry Henry described Pedro as the perfect professional and believes he will adapt to the demands of the Premier League. “The perfect team-mate, the perfect professional – he is that guy,” Henry told Sky Sports. “He can adapt to the English system, he won’t have to learn, he will understand staying wide, putting pressure and all that type of thing from the front and the first time I saw him he was already on point. “He knows the system so he looked like he was playing for us forever when he first played.”   

.@_Pedro17_ has joined the #CFC squad at Cobham for his first training session this afternoon http://t.co/kj1qyVnXlchttps://t.co/r7ctaDwTaW — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 20, 2015

Like Rahman, Pedro could make his debut in English football this weekend as Mourinho’s side play West Brom on 23 August.

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Europa League champions Sevilla took a shock lead through Ever Banega in the third minute but Barcelona responded in style with Lionel Messi netting two stunning free-kicks in the seventh and 16th minute giving Barcelona the lead.

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring an equalizing free Kick

The Catalan side got another goal through a Rafinha tap-in in the 44^th minute to make it 3-1 into the break.

Seven minutes into the second half saw Luis Suarez adding the fourth goal for Barcelona making it 4-1, giving the Catalans a comfortable lead.

Sevilla kept on pushing for goals and five minutes later, they pulled one back through Jose Antonio Reyes.

The game came back into life when Kevin Gameiro scored a 72nd-minute penalty reducing the deficit further before substitute Yevhen Konoplyanka leveled taking the game into extra time.

Reported Manchester United target Pedro then came off the bench in extra-time and struck the decisive goal in the 115th minute to give Barcelona a much deserved win.

pedro celebrates after scoring the winning against Sevilla in the European Super Cup

“I got the goal but it was down to the work of the team and I am happy with the win,” said Pedro. “When you know you may leave it is difficult. I was angry about not starting the game but as always I tried to be professional and go out and help.”

Sevilla coach Unai Emery was not satisfied with the result rueing missed chances, he said; “We went out looking to be creative and to cause danger,” Emery added

“To get to European finals you need to earn respect and so attack the opposition which is what we did.

“I don’t think that we got the reward we deserved from the game. We had clear chances at the end and Barca were looking worried.”

Barcelona‘s fifth triumph in the competition means that  they have now won four trophies this year, moving them level with AC Milan on the all-time Uefa Super Cup winners list.

Read more on uefa.com

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They were one of four teams who took part in the very first tournament in 1916 in Argentina but the best they had ever done was finishing as runner-up, a feat they have achieved on four occasions (1955, 1956, 1979 and 1987).

Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez slotted in the winning spot-kick after Argentina’s Gonzalo Higuain fired over and Ever Banega was denied by Claudio Bravo.

Chile’s Alexis Sanchez celebrates after scoring the winning penalty

Higuain had earlier missed a good chance towards the end of 90 minutes and could not make matters better when he failed to convert his penalty.

Sanchez came closest in extra time for Chile, who scored all four of their penalties in the shootout.

Chile captain Bravo lifted the nation’s first ever trophy in front of president Michelle Bachelet and nearly 50,000 Chileans who packed the Estadio Nacional, waving Chile’s red, blue and white flags.

Jorge Sampaoli the Chile coach was pleased stating how Alexis Sánchez penalty gave him unbelievable joy,” he said in the press conference after the match. “Alexis’ penalty gave me an unbelievable joy”

He continued, “These players did a great job. They went out in search of this Copa. I didn’t see one play in the whole competition to suggest that Chile was not better than their rivals.”

Argentina came into the final as slight favorites with a superb record of 6 wins, 3 draws and only one loss against Chile but could not avoid defeat in the final.

The Le Albiceleste had also demolished Paraguay 6-1 in the semi-finals and with four-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi aiming for a major trophy, they were expected to win the Copa America tournament but still fell short.

Lionel Messi walks passed the Copa America Trophy after Chile beat Argetina in the final.

The result extended Argetina’s 22year title drought since winning the 1993 Copa America in Ecuador and Messi continues to face criticism of below performances on the national team.

Argentina’s disappointment comes less than a year since the 1-0 loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil.

Read more on ca2015.com

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