Football in 2019: Liverpool rules | US women's team wins World Cup | Lionel Messi takes Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi celebrated his sixth Ballon D'Or award with a brilliant hat-trick as Barcelona moved back top of La Liga with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Real Mallorca on Saturday.

Messi nets sublime hat-trick as Barcelona rout Mallorca

Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde said the football world must get used to the idea that Lionel Messi will retire in the near future, adding that he will cherish being able to tell people he was able to coach the Argentine.

Messi retirement date not far away, warns Valverde

By Mallika Singh Juventus giant Cristiano Ronaldo skipped the Ballon d’Or ceremony to receive Serie A award, where he was also named in the Italian top flight’s best XI following his debut season at the club.

Cristiano Ronaldo skips Ballon d’Or to receive Serie A ‘Player of the Year award’ in Italy

Lionel Messi receives his sixth Ballon d'Or, Megan Rapinoe bags women's award

Lionel Messi said he hoped to carry on undimmed by age after claiming a record sixth men's Ballon d'Or award at the age of 32 in Paris on Monday, while USA World Cup superstar Megan Rapinoe took the women's prize.

Messi wins sixth Ballon d'Or as Rapinoe takes women's prize

The biggest names in world football will descend on Paris on Monday for the 2019 Ballon d'Or ceremony, with Lionel Messi and USA women's World Cup superstar Megan Rapinoe tipped to leave with the honours.

Messi and Rapinoe expected to take Ballon d'Or honours

Dutch centre back Virgil van Dijk is one of seven Liverpool players on the 30-man shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or, with the Champions League winners dominating the nominations for France Football magazine's prestigious award.

Liverpool dominates Ballon d'Or shortlist with seven names

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo said he deserves to end his soccer career with more Ballon d'Or awards than Barcelona counterpart Lionel Messi and hopes to establish himself as the greatest player of all time.

I deserve more Ballon d'Or awards than Messi, says Ronaldo

Former UEFA chief Michel Platini was released from custody by the French Police early on Wednesday. No charges were brought against the former number 10 of Les Bleus after almost 15 hours of questioning, reported news agency Associated Press.

Ex-UEFA chief Michel Platini released, says he is at 'peace'

Ex-UEFA chief Michel Platini was arrested Tuesday in connection with a probe into the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, a source close to the investigation said.

Ex-UEFA chief Michel Platini arrested in 2022 Qatar World Cup probe

Paris Saint Germain's Kylian Mbappe said that Lionel Messi deserves to win the Ballon d'Or this year despite Barcelona's exit from the UEFA Champions League semi-final.

Lionel Messi 'favourite to win Ballon d'Or', says Kylian Mbappe

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri on Monday praised star striker Cristiano Ronaldo and said the Portuguese star is mentally stronger than everyone else. "In terms of mentality, he is stronger than anyone else.

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri praises Cristiano Ronaldo's mental strength

Croatia captain Luka Modric was named Balkan Athlete of the Year on Thursday, becoming only the second football player to scoop the prize after Bulgaria's former European Footballer of the Year Hristo Stoichkov in 1994.

Luka Modric beats Novak Djokovic to win Balkan athlete of year

Luka Modric started the year 2018 with his tremendous performance for Real Madrid and his crucial contributions in the midfield inspired the team to win Champions League after defeating Liverpool in the final.

From football World Cup to Ballon d'Or, year 2018 belongs to Luka Modric

Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric has criticised Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for choosing not to attend this month's ceremony where he was given the award, saying their decision was unfair to fellow players and voters.

Luka Modric criticises Ballon d'Or gala snub by Messi, Ronaldo 63rd Ballon d'Or

Cristiano Ronaldo has urged long-time rival Lionel Messi to be more like him and push his limits by challenging himself in another league than Spain. "I'd like him to come to Italy one day.

'Try something new, come to Italy,' Cristiano Ronaldo urges Lionel Messi

Portuguese star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo finished runner-up to Luka Modric in the race for the Ballon d’Or. The news may have been a widely anticipated result but it has expectedly not gone down well with the Portuguese’s fans and his family members.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister blames ‘mafia & money’ for his Ballon d’Or snub

Lionel Messi's fifth-place finish in this year's Ballon d'Or vote was absurd, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said of the Spanish champions' Argentina forward on Tuesday.

Lionel Messi's fifth place in Ballon d'Or absurd: Barcelona coach

Luka Modric: Once a Croatian war child, now king of world football

We expect China to roll back retaliatory farm tariffs 'quickly': White House The United States expects China will remove retaliatory tariffs on US farm products "quickly" as part of the trade truce reached over the weekend, White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said Monday.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural Ballon d'Or award for the best player in women's football. "Ballon d'Or is historical. I've been watching it since I was a little kid and to get it today, it's the biggest moment of my life obviously," she said after winning.

Women's Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg asked to twerk on stage

Real Madrid's Croatia midfielder Luka Modric was named winner of the 2018 Ballon d'Or on Monday, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo's and Lionel Messi's decade-long hold on the prestigious award.

Luka Modric wins 2018 Ballon d'Or, breaks Messi-Ronaldo dominance

Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural Ballon d'Or award for the best player in women's football. The Olympique Lyonnais star, whose prolific form in front of goal helped the French club secure a third successive Champions League victory, edged out Danish forward Pernille Harder to claim the pretigious prize.

Ada Hegerberg wins Ballon d'Or award for best player in women's football

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