Cristiano Ronaldo admitted on Wednesday his long-time rivalry with Lionel Messi has made him “a better player” and that he enjoys a “healthy” rivalry with the Argentine great.

However, Portuguese star Ronaldo, whose influence at Real Madrid mirrored that of Messi at Barcelona before he left for Juventus, admitted that the pair have never socialised together.

“I really admire the career he has had and from his side, he has already talked of the disappointment when I left Spain because it was a rivalry that he appreciated,” Ronaldo told TVI in Portugal.

“It’s a good rivalry but it’s not unique — Michael Jordan had rivalries in basketball, there was Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in Formula 1. The thing they all had in common is that they were healthy rivalries.”

Ronaldo and Messi have won the coveted Ballon d’Or five times each, a factor that helps each player flourish.

“I have no doubt that Messi has made me a better player and vice-versa. When I am winning trophies it must sting him and it’s the same for me when he wins,” he said.

“I have an excellent professional relationship because we have been sharing the same moments for 15 years.

He added: “We’ve never had dinner together but I don’t see why we can’t in the future. I don’t see a problem with that.”

Source: AFP

FIFA on Monday announced its shortlist for this year’s Puskas Award.

Crystal Palace’s Andros Townsend and Brazilian Matheus Cunha, who plays as a winger for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig will vie with Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Townsend’s stunning volley against Manchester City at the Etihad last term is one of the 10 contenders announced by world football’s governing body.

Townsend’s effort was the Premier League goal of the season in 2018-19, as awarded by Match of the Day.

The Cameroonian Ajara Nchout Njoya who plays for Norwegian club Vålerenga will also battle Zlatan and Messi courtesy of her strike on international duty against New Zealand on 20 June 2019.

She also scored a superb goal against Avaldsnes in a 2-2 draw in the Norwegian League.

Njoya dribbled past three defenders before firing her effort to the top corner of the net. The goal was adjudged the best goal in the Norwegian top-flight.

Barcelona superstar Messi registered his name on the list with his stunning chip against Real Betis in La Liga back in March.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s acrobatic volley for LA Galaxy against Toronto last September is also included, as is a remarkable mid-air backheel by Sampdoria’s Fabio Quagliarella, similarly notched last September.

Liverpool’s Mo Salah won the award last year for his virtuoso goal against Everton in the Premier League.

The list released by FIFA for this year’s Puskas Award contained the following names:

Matheus Cunha: Bayer Leverkusen vs. RB Leipzig (6 April 2019)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Toronto FC vs LA Galaxy (September 15, 2018)

Lionel Messi: Real Betis vs FC Barcelona (17 March 2019)

Ajara Nchout Njoya: Cameroon vs New Zealand (20 June 2019)

Fabio Quagliarella: Sampdoria vs Napoli (2 September 2018)

Juan Fernando Quintero: River Plate vs Racing Club (10 February 2019)

Amy Rodriguez: Utah Royals vs Sky Blue FC (16 June 2019)

Andros Townsend: Manchester City vs Crystal Palace (22 December 2018)

Source: Pmnewsnigeria

Former Nigeria national team coach Samson Siasia has been banned from the game for life following a match-fixing probe by world governing body FIFA.

FIFA said in a statement on Friday (August 16) that the adjudicatory chamber of their independent Ethics Committee found that Siasia was “guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.”

The 51-year-old Siasia played 51 times as a striker for the Nigerian national team and later coached various national youth sides before a spell as senior coach in 2016.

The case is the latest to emerge from FIFA’s long-running investigation into the activities of Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal, who FIFA has called a “known match fixer” and who has admitted such activity in several interviews.

FIFA said that he was banned for life “from all football-related activities that is administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level.”

Siasia has also been fined $51,000.

Source: Reuters

Argentina’s 1986 World Cup-winning defender Jose Luis Brown has died following a long battle with Alzheimer’s, his former club Estudiantes de La Plata said.

“Maximum day of sadness for the Albirroja (La Plata) family, our gladiator Jose Luis Brown has left. But his memory and love of the club will never depart,” the club tweeted.

Known to his friends as Tata, Brown made 36 appearances for Argentina and scored the first goal in their 3-2 World Cup final victory over West Germany in 1986.

“Without Jose Luis Brown, we would never have won the World Cup in 1986. Tou never complained about a thing, Tata” Argentina legend Diego Maradona said on Instagram.

After a playing career that included stints in Spain and France, Brown was coach, along with Sergio Batista, of the national Under-23 squad which won the 2008 Olympics and fielded Lionel Messi, Juan Roan Riquelme and Sergio Agüero.

Source: AFP

Cameroonian descent Ibrahim Amadou has officially joined from Sevilla for 2019-20 on a season-long loan in a deal which includes an option to buy clause.The defensive midfielder, 26, who joined the Spanish La Liga club in the summer of 2018 on a four-year contract, made 32 league appearances for the side last season.

Amadou joins fellow loanees, winger Patrick Roberts and goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann speak to canaries official website: “I’m happy to play for Norwich because I know they just got promoted to the Premier League with a lot of points in the Championship.”It’s a new challenge for me and I would like to discover more about the Premier League.”When I was young, it was a dream to play in the Premier League but the more I grew up, the more it became an objective.”I had this opportunity right now and I’ve decided to take it. I will try to do my best in the Premier League.”I had interest from clubs in other countries, but my priority was to play in the Premier League.”I’ve spoken to the [Head] Coach. He seems like a good coach who will give me the opportunity to play.”I will have to show what I can do and make a good impression.”

Amadou who will wear the No 24 shirt could make his debut for Norwich when they open their 2019-20 Premier League campaign against Liverpool on Friday.

Source: Fcnaija.com

French striker Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid defeated Fenerbahce 5-3 in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday which temporarily lifted the summer gloom which has engulfed the Spanish giants and coach Zinedine Zidane.

However, problems remain for Real as they have now conceded 16 goals in just five friendly matches.

They faced their Turkish opponents having been defeated by Tottenham 1-0 on Tuesday in the first match of a four-team event which also features German champions Bayern Munich.

“We are going to find the solutions, we are going to work. I stand by my players and I know that we are going to make progress and that we will have a very good season,” said Zidane whose team had been left bruised by a humiliating 7-3 defeat by city rivals Atletico in a friendly in the United States last week.

“Nobody likes conceding three goals but we have scored five. For us, this is a positive victory.”

Zidane’s preparations for the new season have also been overshadowed by the saga of Gareth Bale’s future at the club.

The Welsh star was left out of the Spanish side’s squad for the two matches in Munich after his planned transfer to Chinese side Jiangsu Suning, who had offered the Welshman a three-year-deal worth £1 million ($1.1 million) a week, broke down.

Benzema said the humilation at the hands of Atletico was a thing of the past and that the crucial date will be the weekend of August 17 when the new La Liga season starts.

“The criticisms after the match against Atletico were normal. It was only a friendly but you cannot concede seven goals,” said the French striker.

“However, it’s no longer on my mind.”

AFP