Mbappé Congratulates Kane After Finishing Second in 2026 Ballon d’Or
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has congratulated Harry Kane after finishing second behind the England striker in the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal taking third place. Mbappé described Kane as a deserving winner, telling Athlon Sports: “He deserves it; he’s a great player. People came to see great players, and he’s one […]
Ballon d’Or 2026: Nigeria Misses Shortlists for First Time in Three Years
Nigeria will have no representation at the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards, with no Nigerian nominated in the men’s, women’s or other award categories for the first time in three years. The 70th edition of the ceremony is scheduled for Monday at the London Palladium, beginning at 8pm local time (9pm in Nigeria). It marks the […]
Nine Football Legends Who Never Reached the Ballon d’Or Top Three
Several of football’s biggest stars have missed out on a top-three finish in the Ballon d’Or rankings despite winning major trophies and delivering outstanding performances at club and international levels. The award was dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo between 2008 and 2017, leaving limited opportunities for other elite players to reach the podium. […]
Courtois Rejects Barcelona Favourite Tag Ahead of El Clásico
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has dismissed suggestions that Barcelona are favourites for Sunday’s El Clásico, insisting that the outcome remains unpredictable regardless of either team’s current form. Speaking ahead of the October 25 meeting at Spotify Camp Nou, the Belgian international expressed confidence in Real Madrid’s ability to secure a victory in the first […]
Poland Target Winning Start Against Nigeria’s Flamingos at U-17 World Cup
Poland U-17 women’s head coach Paulina Kawalec is targeting a winning start when his side faces Nigeria’s Flamingos in their opening match at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Saturday. The Group B encounter will take place at Pitch 4 of the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco, with kick-off scheduled for […]
Papin Picks Harry Kane Over Mbappe for 2026 Ballon d’Or
Former France striker Jean-Pierre Papin has named Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane as his preferred candidate for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, placing him ahead of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal. Papin acknowledged that Mbappe and Yamal had also enjoyed impressive seasons but said he had a slight preference for Kane to […]
Rafael Leão Takes Ronaldo’s No. 7 Shirt for Portugal
UEFA has confirmed that Rafael Leão will wear Portugal’s No. 7 shirt in the team’s next two UEFA Nations League matches following Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from the national team camp. Leão, who normally wears No. 17 for Portugal, has been listed as No. 7 for Thursday’s match against Denmark in Copenhagen and Sunday’s home fixture […]
Ndidi: Super Eagles Have Learned From Past Qualifying Mistakes
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has emphasized the importance of a strong start as Nigeria prepares to launch its 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. The three-time African champions host the Barea of Madagascar in their opening Group L fixture at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. Nigeria enters the qualifiers carrying the […]
Wayne Rooney Dismisses Weight-Loss Injection Rumors Ahead of Disney+ Series Launch
Former England captain Wayne Rooney has addressed rumors regarding his recent physical transformation, firmly denying that he used weight-loss injections. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 40-year-old attributed his slimmer appearance entirely to hard work and increased exercise. “It’s a shame, because I’m working really hard to lose weight,” Rooney said, laughing off the speculation […]
Only 20 African Nations Eligible to Vote for 2026 Ballon d’Or
Only 20 African countries hold voting rights for this year’s Ballon d’Or award, governed by criteria that restrict the international journalist jury to the top 100 nations in the FIFA world rankings. Under the 2026 regulations, the selection panel was finalized using the official FIFA rankings published on September 8. Each eligible journalist is tasked […]
