Chris Wright, Toe Poke writerOct 30, 2023, 05:45 PM ET Open Extended Reactions While the Ballon d’Or itself has been presented in varying circumstances over the years, the core principle at its heart has remained unchanged. Ever since Sir Stanley Matthews became the inaugural winner in 1956, right up to Lionel Messi receiving the 2023
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Sam Marsden Moises Llorens Oct 30, 2023, 05:31 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Inter Miami CF star Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or for a record eighth time, fending off competition from Manchester City striker Erling Haaland after leading Argentina to the World Cup last year. Messi, 36, becomes the first MLS-based player to
Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondentOct 30, 2023, 08:28 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí has won the Ballon d’Or Féminin after a record-breaking year with club and country. Bonmatí, 25, helped Barça win Liga F and the Champions League last season, before leading Spain to World Cup glory in the summer.
Oct 30, 2023, 05:09 PM ET Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior vowed to keep speaking out against racism in world soccer after receiving the Socrates Award on Monday at the Ballon d’Or ceremony for his contribution off the field. Vinícius, who has been racially abused repeatedly in LaLiga games over the last two seasons, was
Open Extended Reactions The 2023-24 Premier League season has reached the 10-game stage and the title race is already throwing up surprises. Unfancied Tottenham Hotspur are unbeaten and two points clear at the top under new manager Ange Postecoglou, while big-spending Chelsea are languishing in the bottom half of the table and — in terms
ESPN news services Oct 30, 2023, 07:43 AM ET FIFA banned ousted former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales from the sport for three years on Monday for misconduct at the Women’s World Cup final where he forcibly kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips at the trophy ceremony. FIFA did not publish details of the
Rob Dawson, CorrespondentOct 30, 2023, 09:12 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Manchester United staff already have concerns about finishing in the top four this season, a source has told ESPN, after Manchester City inflicted a fifth Premier League defeat of the season. City’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday left United eighth in the
Oct 30, 2023, 03:47 AM ET Liverpool were fighting for their “brother” Luis Díaz in the team’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday, manager Jurgen Klopp said, as authorities in Colombia search for Diaz’s kidnapped father. Kidnappers tried to seize both of Díaz’s parents near their home in
Oct 30, 2023, 05:58 AM ET Open Extended Reactions France’s government branded the weekend violence around the Marseille stadium as “disgusting” and said nine people had been arrested after visitors Lyon‘s bus was attacked and their manager Fabio Grosso injured. Sunday’s Ligue 1 match between the two rival teams, who have a history of fan
Mia Fishel and Jaedyn Shaw both scored their first international goals and the United States defeated Colombia 3-0 on Sunday. Lindsey Horan added a goal for the United States in the second of two exhibition matches against Colombia. The teams played to a scoreless draw on Thursday in Utah. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga,