Sports breaking news... Fifa World cup to be contested by 48 teams

World cup to be contested by 48 nations

The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) on Tuesday voted to expand the World Cup from its current format of 32 teams to 48 teams.
There were five proposals on the table, from which FIFA’s 37-member council voted unanimously to increase the tournament to 48 nations – a plan that was led by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The expansion will kick in from the 2026 World Cup, and the new format will see 16 groups of three countries, with the top two advancing to the knockout round, as number of games will also increase from 64 to 80.
Though it has not been decided, it’s likely that the bulk of the additional 16 country spots will go to the continents of Africa and Asia, while Europe could get an additional three places on top of its current 13.
But in spite of the expansion, the tournament will still last 32 days, and no team will play more than seven matches – as is the case currently.
But while FIFA has given the proposal the go ahead on Tuesday, many fans are unconvinced it’s a good move, having perceived FIFA’s motivation to be the increase in revenue that would result. For their own report suggests revenue will increase to £5.29 billion – producing a rise in profits of £521 million.

Ronaldo Wins Fifa Best Mens Player Of The Year

Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo has won the FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year award for 2016 at The Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich on Monday.
The Portugal international defeated Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann to the prize, after the three had been named as the finalists.
The Best FIFA Men’s Player award is voted for by each of 211 nations comprising the national team captain, manager, and a journalist, and fans registered on FIFA.com — each group holding 25 percent of electoral weight — for a player’s performances from Nov. 20, 2015 to Nov. 22, 2016.
Ronaldo earned 34.54 percent of total votes while Messi finished second with 26.42 percent and Greizmann was third at 7.53 percent.
“I’d like to thank my team, national team, Real Madrid, my trainer, my family that came here, my son, my brothers,” Ronaldo said while accepting the award.
“2016 was the best year of my career, the trophy shows that people aren’t blind and watch the games.
“With everything I won with my national team and club, with great individual performance, I can’t forget this incredible year. Thanks for voting for me.
“I don’t have much more to say, I think the awards speak for themselves. I’m not going to do the scream, just the motion,” he stated.
Ronaldo won both the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid and Euro 2016 with Portugal in 2016, and scored 61 goals and registered 20 assists in 60 games for club and country during voting period (48 goals in 47 games for Real Madrid; 13 in 13 games for Portugal).
Also at the Awards, Carli Lloyd was named the world’s best female player of the year, while Leicester City’s Claudio Ranieri picked up the prize for best men’s coach, and the Puskas award for best goal over went to Penang’s Mohd Faiz Subri.

Bayern Munich monitor Kompany after Mancini feud

The runaway Bundesliga leaders are keeping an eye on events at the Etihad Stadium in the hope that the Belgium defender's situation changes and he becomes available for transfer

Ibrahimovic: Rooney should join PSG

The 27-year-old forward has endured a stop-start campaign at Old Trafford this season, after struggling with both his form and fitness amid reports that he could be set for a move

Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has advised Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney to join him at the French club, should he consider a switch elsewhere in the summer.

Goal.com exclusively revealed last month that Rooney has already told several of his club-mates that he could be leaving the champions-elect sooner rather than later.

Alves:" Not having messi is a challenge and an incentive

Dani Alves believes that Leo Messi’s injury, which will keep the Argentine from playing against Mallorca this weekend, is a “challenge” and “an incentive” for the rest of the Barça squad: “the fact that we don’t have him is an incentive to prove to everyone that we have enough quality to compete without him and show that we can do it just was well when he’s here. It’s a challenge for us to defeat PSG without Messi, but, obviously, it would be better if he was there.” At this point, Messi’s fitness remains in question for the upcoming Champions League match on Wednesday. 

Meet The Legends of Chelsea Fc

MEET THE LEGENDS

Throughout the season, we are offering supporters the unique opportunity to meet club legends at Stamford Bridge on our special Legends Tours and in the Museum on a matchday.

LEGENDS TOUR WITH TORE ANDRE FLO

Over three seasons, with 50 first team goals to his name, Tore Andre Flo was hugely popular at Stamford Bridge and left with a reputation as one of the best finishers in the game.

Real Madrid takes a Giant step towards-semi-finals

Real Madrid beat Galatasaray at home and are one step closer to their third consecutive European Cup semi-final. Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema before the end of the first half hour and from Higuain in 72nd minute, earned a win that was much deserved both in terms of how they played and the chances they created. Three goals scored, by each of the three forwards who played, and none conceded to take into the second leg, in which there will be no Xabi Alonso or Ramos due to suspension. A giant step towards progressing in a Bernabeu that remains unconquered.

Mario Balotelli, Stephan El Shaarawy and Mbaye Niang sleep in the luggage racks of a train car

Since Mario Balotelli  joined Milan in January, he has combined with   Stephan El Shaarawy and M’Baye Niang to form a youthful trident that has helped the Rossoneri to third in the Serie A table. The trio have formed a quick understanding between them that apparently extends to their shared inclination to sleep on the luggage racks in train cars.

El Shaarawy twitted a picture of him and his two friends dangling above the empty train seats on the way home from their 1-0 win at Chievo Verona on Saturday. The image was accompanied by the message: "Oh well we sleep. Happy Easter to all!!"

Anyone who has ever been exhaustedly squirmed through a restless and neck crippling attempt at sleep on a train, plane or bus will understand how they could decide this was a good idea.

FC Barcelona train at the Parc des Princes

FC Barcelona took to the pitch of the Parc des Princes this afternoon to prepare for tomorrow’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain. All 21 players named to the team participated in the session, which started with a brief meeting between the team and Tito Vilanova. 

Ex-FC Barcelona player Lilian Thuram stopped by the stadium to greet his old teammates, as did Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

FINAL WHISTLE VERDICT: A GREAT JOB

Benitez was delighted with Monday's narrow victory against Manchester United, which sees us into the FA Cup semi-finals.

Demba Ba's fantastic volley was the only goal shortly into the second half, and sets up a Wembley date against Manchester City on April 14.

Benitez made seven changes to the side which lost at Southampton on Saturday, and saw a much improved performance.

On the display

'It was very important for everyone to win. If not we're out,' he said. 'We worked so hard at Old Trafford and had chances to win the game, and in the end deserved to win. This was a great game and a great victory for us.

'I am really pleased because the team won, the players did a great job and everyone enjoyed the game.'

Cristiano Ronaldo: “The match against Galatasaray will be wide open and we have to play like we do at home

“It’s a squad that also attacks a lot and that’s good, because our chances of winning increase when the opponent plays us one-on-one”, added the Portuguese striker

Cristiano Ronaldo is already counting down the hours until the starting whistle of the Champions League quarter-final playoffs against Galatasaray. The Portuguese striker, tied as the competition’s highest scorer with his upcoming rival Burak Yilmaz, analyzed the first-leg match for the Bwin website: “The game against Galatasaray will be wide open and very balanced. We have to play well, like we do at home in the Champions. We know that it’s a squad that also attacks a lot and that’s good, because our chances of winning increase when the opponent plays us one-on-one”.

Blues Favourite to Land Falcao

Chelsea are leading the race to sign Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, according to reports in the British Press.

The Daily Star have claimed that the Colombia international is likely to move to the west London club, with Fernando Torres also set to become part of the deal.

The tabloid insists that Roman Abramovich's team will pay €45m for the Colchoneros striker, and let the Spain international go back to his old club.
  

Messi Dismisses La Liga Goal Streak As Unimportant, Says Winning Is More Important

Record breaker and prolific goal scorer, Lionel Messi, has dismissed the significance of his goal streak even as he lamented Barcelona’s inability to hold onto their lead at Celta Vigo before conceding a dying minute equaliser.

The Argentine has scored in 19 consecutive La Liga games and his second half strike in the 2-2 draw with the relegation threatened side ensured he has scored against every opposition team – a feat Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo achieved last season, albeit not in a row!