The World Cup will expand to 48 teams from its current 32, starting with the 2026 edition of football's showpiece tournament.
As we prepare to cruise into the New Year, Rediff.com gives you a glance back, through photos, into all the sporting moments that made the last 12 months memorable.
Prolific striker Luis Suarez has agreed a new contract with Barcelona until 2021, the Spanish champions announced on Thursday. The Uruguay international will sign the new deal, which will keep him at the club until he is 34 years old and contains a release clause of 200 million euros ($207 million), on Friday. Suarez has scored 97 goals in 116 games for Barcelona since signing from Liverpool in 2014 for a reported 81 million euros ($84 million), and has collected eight major trophies.
Cristiano Ronaldo capped a remarkable year by claiming a fourth Ballon d'Or award on Monday after leading Portugal to an emotional European Championship title and Real Madrid to a record-extending Champions League crown in 2016.
Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain again showed his killer instinct with two expertly-taken goals in a late 3-1 win at Torino after their less illustrious neighbours had scored first and dominated the Serie A game on Sunday.
Middlesbrough moved away from the relegation zone with a 1-0 win over fellow strugglers Hull City thanks to a second-half header from midfielder Gaston Ramirez in the Premier League on Monday.
Lionel Messi returned to training on Monday after recovering from a stomach bug that caused him to miss Barcelona's goalless draw against Malaga on Saturday.
An outstanding performance from Gabriel Jesus helped Brazil to a 2-0 win over Peru on Tuesday and moved the five times World Cup winners four points clear at the top of the South American qualifying group for Russia 2018.
A Lionel Messi masterclass, netting a brilliant free kick before laying on two more goals, put Argentina's World Cup qualifying campaign back on track with a resounding 3-0 win over Colombia in San Juan on Tuesday.
First half goals from Philippe Coutinho and Neymar were followed by a third from Paulinho after 58 minutes to sink the Argentines and extend their winless run to four games.
Barcelona have announced they will appeal the yellow card given to Lionel Messi during the team's 2-1 win over Sevilla on Sunday.
Novak Djokovic recovered from a slow start as he continued the bid to retain his world number one ranking with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over 14th-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the Paris Masters third round.
France football legend Thierry Henry, who's on his maiden visit to India, has put Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo among the top contenders to win this year's Ballon d'Or trophy.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will resume their perennial battle to be crowned the world's best footballer after they headed the shortlist of 30 players for the 2016 Ballon d'Or announced on Monday.
Lionel Messi is back in the Argentina squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Colombia after missing the last three due to injury in which his team have dropped seven points. Messi was named on Friday in coach Edgardo Bauza's 26-man squad and will captain Argentina away to arch-rivals Brazil in Belo Horizonte on Nov. 10 and at home against Colombia in San Juan five days later. Argentina have slipped down the South American group standings to fifth after a shock 1-0 home defeat by Paraguay and 2-2 draws with Peru and Venezuela, all without Messi.
Luis Suarez has received a second European Golden Shoe of his career after becoming the leading scorer in Europe's top domestic leagues last season.
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Lionel Messi, having reversed his decision to quit international soccer with a view to playing at another World Cup, could miss out on Russia 2018 if Argentina continue their downward spiral. Argentina played poorly in their last three qualifiers without the injured Messi and languish in fifth place in the South American group with Paraguay and Chile hot on their tails. Only four countries are guaranteed a place at the finals.
Brazil hammered Bolivia 5-0 in World Cup qualifiers on Thursday, giving coach Tite his third successive win in the most convincing performance from the five-time world champions for some time. Bolivia had not won a World Cup qualifier away from home since 1993 but Brazil were still excellent, particularly in the first half, when they scored four of their five goals.
Maverick forward Mario Balotelli will be in line for an Italy recall if he can keep up his current scoring spree, coach Giampiero Ventura said on Monday.
Important to have a good, fit squad: Mumbai City's Forlan
Barcelona should manage Lionel Messi's playing time better, Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza has said following the forward's latest injury. Argentina captain Messi has started in five of Barca's six games this season, but was forced off in Wednesday's 1-1 home draw against Atletico Madrid with a groin injury that will keep him out of action for three weeks. The 29-year-old will miss Argentina's World Cup qualifiers in Peru on Oct. 6 and at home to Paraguay five days later, the Argentina Football Association (AFA) said in a statement.
The rest of Barcelona's squad will have to do "a little bit more" to make up for the absence of five-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi for the next three weeks, according to captain Andres Iniesta.
Sergio Aguero, in fine scoring form for Manchester City this season, looks set to lead Argentina's attack in next month's World Cup qualifiers after being recalled to their squad on Friday.
Edinson Cavani silenced his critics when he scored four goals in Paris St Germain's 6-0 victory at Caen in Ligue 1 on Friday.
Luis Suarez said he had missed linking up with his insatiable strike partners Neymar and Lionel Messi after Barcelona's 'MSN' attack scored six goals in their 7-0 record rout of Celtic on Tuesday. Messi scored a record sixth European Cup hat-trick while Neymar became the first player in Champions League history to provide four assists and score in a game, curling in the third from a free-kick.
Ministers will travel to different countries across the world, mostly where no ministerial visits have taken place in the last 20 to 25 years, to establish 'sampark' (contact) and 'samvad' (communication).
Real Madrid will welcome back the added firepower of talisman Cristiano Ronaldo and striker Karim Benzema when they entertain promoted Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday.
Switzerland struck twice in quick succession to stun Euro 2016 champions Portugal 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday and hand them a first competitive defeat in two years under coach Fernando Santos.
Injured Lionel Messi will miss Argentina's 2018 World Cup qualifier away to Venezuela on Tuesday with a groin problem.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been banned for three matches after being found guilty of violent conduct, the Football Association said on Friday.
Lionel Messi's triumphant Argentina comeback has been tempered by a hint he may not be fit to play in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier in Venezuela. Messi, who had gone back on his decision to quit the team following their Copa America final defeat in June, scored the only goal in a 1-0 home win over Uruguay on Thursday that sent Argentina to the top of the South American group. However, the Argentina captain said he had a groin pain and had to think about his fitness at the start of a busy season for his national side and his club Barcelona.
Lionel Messi marked his retirement about face with a goal to give 10-man Argentina a 1-0 win over Uruguay on Thursday that lifted them to the top of the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been charged with violent conduct over an incident involving West Ham United defender Winston Reid, the FA said in a statement on Tuesday. The Argentine international now faces a three-match ban that would see him miss Premier League games against Manchester United and Bournemouth and a League Cup third-round tie against Swansea City.
Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has returned home to Argentina but remains doubtful for World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Venezuela with his club confirming the 29-year-old is struggling with a sore left hamstring.
Argentina suffered a blow to their 2018 World Cup qualifying plans when Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero withdrew on Monday from their squad to face Uruguay and Venezuela. Aguero and Paris St-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore both have calf muscle injuries and will miss Thursday's home clash with Uruguay and the visit to Venezuela next Tuesday, the Argentine FA said.
In Brazil it will be the Olympic moment everyone remembers.
Lionel Messi announced on Friday that he wants to return to play for the national team, reversing his decision to retire earlier this year. Messi said in June that he would not play for Argentina again after the team lost to Chile in the final of the Copa America.
'Is a rapidly growing working-age population a prerequisite for growth or a social tinderbox?'
Argentina's new coach Edgardo Bauza has set his mind to wooing Lionel Messi back from international retirement as he ponders his squad for next month's South American 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Bauza was named on Monday to replace Gerardo Martino, who resigned a month ago after steering Messi's side to two successive Copa America finals which ended in penalty shootout defeats to Chile.
© 2024 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances