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 Following their victory over France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, Argentina have been named the winners of the tournament.

Lionel Messi has returned to Barcelona with his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Neymar Jr.

Due to a lack of pre-season preparation, Mauricio Pochettino has decided not to risk Messi making his PSG debut.

Neymar was another player who missed Friday night's win against Brest, so the two decided to return to Catalonia.

According to Mundo Deportivo, both were observed landing at Barcelona airport minutes apart after travelling on separate jets and heading in the same direction.

Messi and Neymar are said to have dined with Luis Suarez and his family in Castelldefels.

That almost-famous MSN trio reunited, however this time in a food-filled living room rather than on the pitch.

Suarez is set to play this weekend as Atletico Madrid hosts Elche for the first time in almost a year in front of their home fans.

 West Ham United have confirmed the acquisition of goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain.

The 28-year-old is back in the English Premier League after starring for Fulham last season, where he kept nine clean sheets in 36 league outings for the demoted Cottagers.

Areola would have been behind Gianluigi Donnarumma and Keylor Navas in the PSG ranks this season, thus West Ham has moved to take him on a loan with a purchase option in 2022.

Areola commented to the official West Ham website, "I'm happy." It was the ideal opportunity for me to join this Club, to join West Ham United, and to try my hardest to support the team.

“London is a fantastic city to live and work, and the Premier League is undoubtedly one of the top leagues in the world, so I had a terrific time last season. Although it was difficult for me and the squad, I enjoyed my time in the Premier League. We were without fans last year, but this year we will have them back, and I am looking forward to seeing the atmosphere.

“West Ham had a successful season last season. Obviously, we have the Europa League, Premier League, and two cups to contend with, so it will be a difficult and long season, but I believe we will enjoy it all together.

“We have a fantastic group of players. I watched games last season and know this team's potential and talent, so I'm excited to get started.”

“Alphonse is an experienced and skilled goalkeeper who has played at the highest level and did extremely well in the Premier League last season,” said manager David Moyes.

“As we prepare for a very busy schedule, he will give tremendous competition for the goalkeepers already at the football club, and we will need to use our squad to guarantee that we compete to the best of our abilities across all competitions,” says the manager.

Bournemouth climbed to the top of the English Championship with an impressive 4-0 thrashing of Barnsley at Oakwell on Friday.

Goals from Philip Billing and Dominic Solanke gave the Cherries a two-goal cushion at the interval, with Diego Rico and Sam Surridge also finding the net in the second half.

In driving rain, Barnsley posed few problems for Jason Tindall’s men and at no point looked likely to launch a comeback.

Bournemouth only had to wait until the 12th minute to get their noses in front when Adam Smith and David Brooks combined to set up Billing, who beat Jack Walton with a low drive from 20 yards.

Herbie Kane put a free-kick over as the hosts tried to reply but Bournemouth increased their lead in stoppage time at the end of the half.

Steve Cook won possession, allowing Solanke to make a driving run into the area before firing low across Walton and into the corner of the net.

Rico added a third in the 52nd minute with a superb 30-yard effort.

Barnsley head coach Valerien Ismael made a triple substitution shortly before the hour-mark but the newcomers had little time to make an impact before Bournemouth made it 4-0 in the 68th minute.

Surridge seized on a loose ball and fired in a fierce shot which Walton got a hand to but could not keep out.

“Everyone, to a man, I felt, was excellent tonight and I felt we delivered a real good team performance and scored four good goals,” said Tindall. 

“I was also really pleased with a clean sheet. You want to score a lot of goals, but we need to tighten up defensively at times.”

Mike Tyson’s return to boxing at age 54 ended in a draw with 51-year-old Roy Jones Jr. on Saturday in an eight-round exhibition battle of former heavyweight champions.

Fifteen years after retiring with a 2005 loss to journeyman Kevin McBride, Tyson made his comeback at Staples Center in Los Angeles without spectators in a pay-per-view matchup that mixed curiosity and nostalgia.

California State Athletic Commission officials required two-minute rounds instead of the usual three-minute rounds, mandated larger than normal 12-ounce gloves, said neither fighter could seek a knockout and declared there could be no official winner in safety moves for the over-50 fighters.

“Sometimes that two minutes felt like three minutes,” Tyson said. “I’m glad I got this under my belt and I’m looking forward to doing it again.”

An “unofficial” panel of former World Boxing Council champions at ringside scored the bout a draw, an outcome that Tyson applauded despite appearing to dominate.

“I’m good with that,” Tyson said, admitting he thought he had won the fight. “Yeah, but I’m good with a draw. The crowd was happy with that.”

Jones, who looked tired and grabbed Tyson much of the fight, was unhappy at a draw.

“I ain’t never happy with a draw. I dont do draw,” Jones said, admitting that Tyson hurt him throughout the bout, particularly with body blows.

“If he hits you with his head, punches, body shots, it don’t matter, everything hurts. Body shots definitely took a toll. Body shots are what makes you exhausted.”

Tyson, who entered 50-6 with 44 knockouts, lost 100 pounds and began training again, his desire to get back in shape becoming a hunger to strap on the gloves once more.

Jones, who entered 66-9 with 47 knockouts, had not fought since a February 2018 cruiserweight victory. He hoped a solid effort against Tyson might set up a fight with 45-year-old Brazilian mixed martial arts star Anderson Silva.

Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye says he will repay the faith Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has in him by turning in a good performance for the Eagles.

Rohr has given Okoye four straight starts for the Eagles in all their games in 2020.

The Franco-German retained the 21-year-old in goal for the second leg of the Africa Cup of Nation’s qualifier against Sierra after conceeding four goals as the Eagles squandered a four-goal lead to draw 4-4 in the first leg four days earlier.

Speaking on his club’s YouTube page, Okoye said he wants to retain the Eagles No. 1 shirt even with the competition in the team.

“I have been with the Eagles for almost one and a half years now and the first year, I was just on the bench. Then I came in against Brazil and that was the first step in this direction. Of course it was not easy to get the No.1 spot and it would be hard enough to keep it because the boys are coming and I have to keep up the good work here at the clubside and also in Nigeria.

“I have to give big thanks to Gernot Rohr because he gave me the trust in the beginning and now I have to pay him back with good works and good performance,” he said.

Neymar scored his 50th league goal for Paris Saint-Germain but warned the Ligue 1 leaders needed to improve quickly as they prepared for a crunch European clash with Manchester United by drawing 2-2 with Bordeaux on Saturday.

The world’s most expensive player scored a penalty to cancel out an early Timothee Pembele own goal and become the quickest to reach a half century of league goals in a PSG shirt, outdoing Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Moise Kean then put PSG in front only for Yacine Adli to fire in a superb second-half equaliser for mid-table Bordeaux, who deserved their draw.

It is a setback for the reigning French champions, a week after they lost 3-2 at Monaco, and nearest challengers Lille can move level on points at the top of the table with victory at Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

“If we don’t improve it’s going to be difficult for us in the league and in the Champions League,” Neymar told Canal Plus ahead of the trip to Old Trafford on Wednesday.

PSG were again missing key players, as has often been the case this season, with goalkeeper Keylor Navas and captain Marquinhos among those absent at an empty Parc des Princes.

Yet, regardless of that, the performance will do little to ease concerns that have been growing since they succeeded in beating RB Leipzig in midweek despite a disjointed display.

“We know how important Wednesday’s match is. It’s decisive. We didn’t play well (against Leipzig) but we won. On Wednesday we will try to play our best game. We need to play more as a team and be better organised, otherwise it will be difficult,” Neymar added.

A failure to beat United at Old Trafford could leave last season’s Champions League runners-up staring at a group-stage exit from the competition for the first time in the Qatar era.

Bordeaux took a 10th-minute lead when 18-year-old defender Pembele, making his first senior start, turned a corner into his own net as he jumped with Josh Maja at the near post.

PSG honoured the late Diego Maradona with a minute’s silence before kick-off and a banner at one end of the empty Parc des Princes which read, in Spanish, ‘Goodbye number 10! Rest in Peace!’.

Jurgen Klopp launched into a furious tirade about Liverpool’s fixture schedule after Pascal Gross’s controversial late penalty rescued a dramatic 1-1 draw for Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.

Klopp’s side took the lead through Diogo Jota’s second half strike after Brighton’s Neal Maupay had missed a penalty in the first half.

But Liverpool were stunned in stoppage time when Andrew Robertson’s challenge on Danny Welbeck was ruled a penalty after Stuart Attwell used VAR to overturn his initial decision.

Gross converted from the spot, leaving Klopp sarcastically applauding the officials at the end of a disappointing week for Liverpool after their shock Champions League defeat at home to Atalanta.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson claimed Welbeck told him it wasn’t a penalty, but Klopp would not take the bait when asked if he disagreed with the decision.

“You try to create again, on my cost, a headline, because that’s how it is. If I say now it was not… the ref whistled it,” Klopp said in a fractious exchange with a BT Sport interviewer.

“Don’t look like this, you try, always, all the time. Today I say it was a penalty, you are not happy with that answer, so keep your answers to yourself.”

Liverpool went back to the top of the table as a result of their draw, but the champions are just one point ahead of previous leaders Tottenham.

Tottenham would regain pole position if they avoid defeat at Chelsea on Sunday, while the Blues will go top if they win the London derby.

Robert Lewandowski claimed his 15th goal this season in all competitions as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from behind to claim a 3-1 win at Stuttgart on Saturday.

After 19-year-old striker Tanguy Coulibaly gave Stuttgart a shock early lead, Kingsley Coman equalised before Lewandowski drilled home from 20 metres to put Bayern 2-1 up at the break.

Brazil winger Douglas Costa, a second-half replacement for Coman, grabbed Bayern’s third goal late on to seal the win which leaves the holders two points clear of RB Leipzig.

Dortmund are third, four points behind Bayern, after crashing to a shock 2-1 defeat at home to Cologne, as Leipzig climbed above them thanks to a 2-1 home win over Arminia Bielefeld.

Cologne avoided a club record 19th match without a win with their first victory in Dortmund since 1991.

Nigeria dropped down to 35th position in the latest FIFA Coca-Cola world rankings following a lacklustre display in November that saw them end the year without a win.

The rankings released by the world football body on Friday showed that Nigeria dropped three places from the 32nd position in November.

The Super Eagles dropped three places from their previous position, following a poor performance against Sierra Leone in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures.
They also dropped from number three to four in Africa.

Gernot Rohr’s men squandered a four-goal lead to tie the Leone Stars 4-4 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State, in the first of their double-header qualifiers on November 13.

Four days later, the three-time African champions were held 0-0 in Freetown by their less-fancied opponents.

Nigeria still top Group L with eight points after four games, but the results delayed their qualification for the continental showpiece in Cameroon.

Meanwhile, Sierra Leone are among the biggest movers on the continent as they climbed four places to 116th in the world.

Senegal moved up one spot to 20th in the world and are number one in Africa.

Tunisia remained second on the continent and 26th globally while reigning African champions Algeria dropped one spot to 31st and third in Africa.

According to the latest ranking, Equatorial Guinea and Burundi are the biggest movers in Africa climbing 10 spots after avoiding defeats in their AFCON qualifying games.

Tributes have continued to pour in from Nigerian stars to Argentina legend Diego Maradona who passed away at the age of 60 on Wednesday after he suffered “acute heart failure.

Huge crowds of fans on Thursday gathered at Argentina’s presidential palace, as they paid their final respects to the football legend while the city of Naples is also mourning the demise of their football hero.

Former Super Eagles captain, Austin Okocha, who played against the Argentine at the 1994 World Cup in USA led the tributes to the former Barcelona star.

“What a sad day, we have lost one of the greatest to ever have played the game of football, but God knows better than man, RIP king, you will be missed,” the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder wrote on Instagram.

Stoke City midfielder, Mikel Obi, also paid tribute to Maradona on Instagram.

“Rest in peace Diego Maradona #legend.”

“Thank you sir #Maradona. My condolences to the family,” Former Eagles winger, Osaze Odemwingie wrote on Instagram.

Others include, former Atalanta striker, Ayo Makinwa, Kelechi Iheanacho, Austin Eguavoen, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Nwankwo Kanu, Mutiu Adepoju, Ike Uche, Mercy Akide

The former Argentina attacking midfielder and manager died at his home in Tigre, near Buenos Aires.

Three days of national mourning have begun for the Argentine hero.

Nigeria captain Ahmed Musa has played down reports linking him with a move to English Championship club Sheffield Wednesday, insisting he wants a return to top-flight football instead.

The 28-year-old, who spent two seasons at Leicester City, is currently without a club having left Saudi Arabia club Al Nassr by mutual consent last month.

“I don’t know where the story (potential move to Sheffield) is coming from because I don’t pay attention to rumours and gossip,” Musa told BBC Sport Africa.

“With due respect to the club, I left Saudi Arabia to continue my career at the top level in Europe and that’s the ambition.”

Musa scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists in 57 matches, helping Al Nassr, whom he joined from Leicester City in summer 2018, to the Saudi Pro League and Super Cup titles.

He achieved success in Russia with CSKA Moscow where he won three league titles and added three domestic cup titles, before switching to Leicester City for a club-record fee in July 2016.

Several reports have also linked the Eagles captain with a move to Galatasaray and Fenerbahce but he refused to confirm or deny media reports.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has banned scouts and hangers-on from the camp of the Super Eagles.

In a statement by the media office of the sports ministry which was made available to our correspondent on Thursday, the sports ministry directed the Nigeria Football Federation to carry out the directive.

“NFF must get rid of hangers on and individuals who do not have clear mandates and are around the National team.  These are agents, scouts etc.  They should operate outside the perimeter,” the statement quoted Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare.

The sports minister also tasked the NFF to “set up a scientific template to benchmark the performance of the Super Eagles.” This he said will “curb poor performance and mediocrity in the performance of the players.”

“It was also decided that henceforth, invitation of foreign based players to the national team must be based on current form and performance.  Foreign based players performance must be properly monitored before being invited to the team,” the statement also added.

Dare has been critical of the Eagles technical crew since they squandered a four-goal lead to draw 4-4 against Sierra Leone in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin November 13.

They had reported that the minister tasked the NFF to demand better performance from Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr at a meeting with the federation officials on Tuesday

Marseille broke an unwanted record for the most consecutive Champions League defeats on Wednesday, going down 2-0 at home to Porto to make it an unlucky 13 straight losses in the competition.

The French club, who won the inaugural edition of the Champions League in 1993, have now passed the previous record of 12 defeats in a row set by Belgian side Anderlecht between 2003 and 2005.

The Nigerian Zaidu Sanusi gave Porto the lead six minutes before half-time in a match played behind closed doors at the Velodrome.

Porto then had on-loan Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic sent off midway through the second half but they went 2-0 up soon after.

Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi gave away a penalty and was sent off for a second yellow card. Sergio Oliveira converted the spot-kick and the Portuguese club are close to joining Manchester City in qualifying from Group C with two games remaining.

In contrast, Andre Villas-Boas’s pointless side are eliminated from the competition after four defeats out of four this season, but could still catch Olympiakos to take third place and salvage a place in the Europa League knockout rounds.

They host the Greek side next week before finishing their campaign away to City.

Marseille’s current run started when they lost their last three matches in the 2011/12 competition, although they did make it to the quarter-finals in that campaign.

Then they lost all six group games in the 2013/14 season before returning to Europe’s elite club competition this season after a seven-year absence.

Three Nigeria Women Football League Premiership clubs Sunshine Queens, Heartland Queens and Dream Stars FC face disqualification from the 2020/21 season , The Linknaija reports.

These clubs failed to take part in registration and licensing of clubs for the new season which closed on Monday our correspondent learnt.

In a letter signed by the Chief Operating Officer of the NWFL, Faith Ben-Anuge, addressed to clubs, eight clubs had concluded all of the registration processes, while five others were yet to complete the process.

The other three clubs however failed to show up at the NWFL office in Abuja.

President of the NWFL, Aisha Falode, said the league body insisted on the licensing for clubs to ensure the league has a quality standard after experiences of previous seasons.

“We had said before COVID-19 truncated our plans for the new season that we were going to be strict and rigid with the standards of clubs playing in our leagues, most especially in the Premiership and that these standards must be met. We needed to be strict because news came to us from some players who complained of being owed as much as seven to eight months of salaries.

“We also had to bail out Heartland and other clubs so as to honour their matches last season, this we didn’t want to continue to do. This was why we mandated clubs to bring with them for their licensing statement of payment of salaries, certificates of registration which confirmed their registration status and other required papers,” 

She also lauded Robo FC for being the first club to complete the registration process.

Falode added that the league body would meet to rework the fixtures to accommodate only clubs that met the registration criteria.

Also speaking with our correspondent on Tuesday, Ben-Anuge, said Dream Stars FC got in touch with the NWFL after the letter on Monday.

“The clubs that were categorised as ongoing have one issue or the other to deal with, which didn’t make their papers to be complete. Some had to do with their registration with the CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission), others had to do with transfer of players, where the other club said they had not yet paid the transfer fees.

“For those who are defaulting in salaries, we asked them to at least pay four months and get a letter of guarantee from their sponsors.

“For the defaulters, they did not even send anything to us until they saw our letter. Dream Stars reached out yesterday and said they’ll come with their papers today. But I told them registration had closed and if we are to accept them, they’ll have to pay a fine. Heartland also sent a letter that they had dissolved their board,”