
David Beckham career highlights
Highlights in the career of David Beckham, who said Thursday he will retire from football at the end of the season: 1975 — Born May 2 in Leytonstone, ...

Did dictators fix WCup title for Italy, Argentina?
Football's biggest prize may have twice been won with the help of dictators fixing matches for the host team. Argentina's triumph in 1978 and Italy's ...

Thatcher had troubled relations with UK sports
Margaret Thatcher barely concealed her distaste for sports while serving as prime minister of Britain. Instead, she tried to use the athletic arena ...

Italy wants Argentina friendly dedicated to pope
Lionel Messi's Argentina playing Mario Balotelli's Italy in a friendly dedicated to newly elected Pope Francis. That's something Italy coach Cesare ...

Michael Owen to retire at end of season
Former England striker Michael Owen will retire at the end of the Premier League season, concluding the 16-year career of a once-prolific forward that ...

Conclave chatter dominates Vatican soccer league
Vatican-sponsored soccer league matches went ahead as scheduled this weekend on a hill overlooking St. Peter's Basilica. For the 16 teams of ...

Much-investigated ref denies fixing soccer matches
It was in the final minutes of a June 2011 soccer game between Nigeria and Argentina when the little green flags on computer screens in London started ...

Defeat for Scolari on return as Brazil coach
Luiz Felipe Scolari and Ronaldinho endured disappointing returns to international football as Brazil lost 2-1 to England, while Spain, Germany and ...

Messi-Ibra showdown as Sweden hosts Argentina
The much-anticipated showdown between Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Argentina's friendly against Sweden on Wednesday may not last more than ...
Scolari begins repair job with stuttering Brazil
Luiz Felipe Scolari begins his mission to restore Brazil's flagging fortunes ahead of next year's World Cup with a glamor match against England on ...

Column: Ronaldo, not Messi, should be Ballon d'Or
The Ballon d'Or went to the wrong guy. Lionel Messi most definitely is the world's best footballer. He will, for many fans of football become the best ...

Messi wins record 4th world's best player award
Lionel Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or award on Monday as an expected reward for his astonishing 91-goal year for Barcelona and Argentina in 2012.

Messi aims for historic 4th world player award
Lionel Messi can break another footballing record on Monday by being named the world's best player for an unprecedented fourth time. The Barcelona and ...