Soccer

FIFA has revealed the nominees for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2024, highlighting stars like Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappé. For the first time, fans can vote for the Men’s and Women’s World XI of the year. The announcement includes nominees across various categories, recognizing the year’s top achievements in football: the Best Men’s and Women’s Players, Coaches, and Goalkeepers. A significant update to this year’s awards is that fans’ votes will carry the same weight as national team coaches and media votes. Additionally, fans can now vote for their picks in the Men’s and Women’s World XI for the first time.     Men’s Player of the Year Nominees Lionel Messi, the previous winner, headlines the nominees alongside Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid) Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City) Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid) Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen) Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid) Kylian Mbappé (France, PSG-Real Madrid) Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona) Lionel Messi (Argentina, Inter Miami) Rodri (Spain, Manchester City) Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid) Vinícius Jr. (Brazil, Real Madrid)   Women’s Player of the Year Nominees Aitana Bonmatí of Barcelona, the Ballon d’Or winner, is a strong favorite. Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen and Ona Batlle also feature prominently. Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona) Barbra Banda (Zambia, Shanghai Shengli-Orlando Pride) Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona) Keira Walsh (England, Barcelona) Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City) Lauren Hemp (England, Manchester City) Lindsey Horan (USA, Olympique Lyon) Lucy Bronze (England, Barcelona-Chelsea) Mallory Swanson (USA, Chicago Red Stars) Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Barcelona-Arsenal) Naomi Girma (USA, San Diego Wave) Ona Batlle (Spain, Barcelona) Salma Paralluelo (Spain, Barcelona) Sophia Smith (USA, Portland Thorns) Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi, PSG-Olympique Lyon) Trinity Rodman (USA, Washington Spirit) Coaches of the Year Men’s Football A competitive race sees Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid) and Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) among the frontrunners, with Xabi Alonso (Bayer Leverkusen) as a dark horse. Carlo Ancelotti (Italy, Real Madrid) Lionel Scaloni (Argentina, Argentina National Team) Luis de la Fuente (Spain, Spain National Team) Pep Guardiola (Spain, Manchester City) Xabi Alonso (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen) Women’s Football Emma Hayes (Chelsea) and Jonatan Giráldez (Barcelona) are top contenders. Arthur Elias (Brazil, Brazil National Team) Elena Sadiku (Sweden, Celtic) Emma Hayes (England, Chelsea-USA) Futoshi Ikeda (Japan, Japan National Team) Gareth Taylor (England, Manchester City) Jonatan Giráldez (Spain, Barcelona-Washington Spirit) Sandrine Soubeyrand (France, Paris FC) Sonia Bompastor (France, Olympique Lyon-Chelsea)     Goalkeepers of the Year Men’s Football Andriy Lunin (Ukraine, Real Madrid) David Raya (Spain, Arsenal) Ederson (Brazil, Manchester City) Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa) Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, PSG) Mike Maignan (France, AC Milan) Unai Simón (Spain, Athletic Club) Women’s Football Alyssa Naeher (USA, Chicago Red Stars) Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany, Chelsea-NJ/NY Gotham) Ayaka Yamashita (Japan, INAC Kobe Leonessa-Manchester City) Cata Coll (Spain, Barcelona) Mary Earps (England, Manchester United-PSG) Voting closes on December 10. The event will also feature the Puskás Award and the newly introduced Marta Award, recognizing the best goal in women’s football. Cover photo: X (@FCBarcelona)

Matchday 5 of the UEFA Europa League saw Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, and Eintracht Frankfurt leading the standings with 13 points. Tottenham slipped to ninth place, Manchester United climbed the table, while Roma and Porto face playoff challenges. The UEFA Europa League, the other face of European football, wrapped up its Matchday 5 action. With the latest results, Lazio retained the top spot for the second consecutive week, holding the lead on goal difference. Athletic Bilbao and Eintracht Frankfurt closely follow, completing the Top 3 of the overall standings. All three teams boast 13 points, but Lazio holds a +9 goal difference, Athletic sits at +7, and the German side at +5.     Direct Qualification Spots Rounding out the top eight, which qualify directly for the Round of 16, are Galatasaray and Anderlecht in fourth and fifth, respectively, both with 11 points. Ajax, Lyon, and Rangers, all with 10 points, occupy the sixth through eighth positions in that order.   You may be interested in: https://titansports.mx/after-five-matchdays-the-champions-league-standings-begin-to-take-shape/ Shifts in the Playoff Positions In the 16 playoff spots, teams are battling for a chance to advance to the Round of 16. Leading this group is Tottenham, a team that just three matchdays ago topped the overall standings. However, due to a loss and a draw in their last two games, they have fallen to ninth place.     Climbing steadily are the “Red Devils.” Manchester United remains undefeated in the tournament, with two consecutive wins and three earlier draws placing them in 12th position.     Toward the lower playoff spots, two teams stand out for their struggles. Roma, with only one win and three draws, sits in 21st place with six points. Similarly, Porto, with one win and two draws, has accumulated just five points, leaving them in 23rd place in the competition. Cover photo: (@EuropaLeague)

América defeated Toluca 2-0 in the first leg of the Apertura 2024 quarterfinals, with a brace from Rodrigo Aguirre. Despite the advantage, Toluca can still advance if they equalize the aggregate score.  The Apertura 2024 tournament’s playoff began with a thrilling match between two of the top five clubs in Mexican football: América and Toluca. The home team dominated and secured a 2-0 victory, moving them one step closer to the semifinals of Liga MX.  Here’s how América defeated Toluca In the first half, América controlled the game, making Tiago Volpi, Toluca’s goalkeeper, the standout figure after several crucial saves. Despite creating several chances, the home team was unable to score until the 28th minute, when a goal was ruled out for offside, leaving the score 0-0 at halftime.  In the second half, América continued to dominate, with Rodrigo Aguirre converting their chances. First, he scored a header in the 66th minute, and then in the 82nd minute, he netted his second goal of the match, securing the victory for the “Águilas.”  Also interested: What about the top seed? Cruz Azul was thrashed by Xolos in the first leg of the Liga MX quarterfinals With this result, América heads into the second leg with an advantage, but Toluca still has the chance to come back, needing only to equalize the aggregate score to advance, thanks to their position in the standings. This is not out of the question, as in the regular season, Toluca defeated the “Águilas” 4-0 at Estadio Nemesio Díez.

After five Champions League matchdays, Liverpool leads with a perfect record, followed by Inter, Barcelona, and Dortmund. In contrast, major teams like Manchester City, Juventus, Real Madrid, and PSG are facing significant drops in the standings. Another round of UEFA Champions League action has come to an end, bringing notable shifts in the overall competition standings. After five matchdays, Liverpool’s flawless run stands out, along with Inter’s consistency and the repositioning of Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen among the top spots. Meanwhile, teams like Manchester City, Juventus, and Real Madrid suffered setbacks.     The Top of the Table The top eight teams, which secure direct qualification to the Round of 16, include the aforementioned super-leader Liverpool. Behind them is the tournament’s other undefeated team, Inter, with 13 points. Barcelona and Dortmund are in third and fourth places with 12 points each. In fifth place, the surprise of the season, Atalanta, holds 11 points. Completing these spots, Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal, and Monaco occupy sixth, seventh, and eighth places respectively, each with 10 points.     Teams Reclaiming Momentum In the middle of the standings, within the 16 playoff-qualifying positions, are clubs that have begun to pick up points and now pose a threat to the leaders. Bayern Munich sits in 13th place with 9 points, just behind Aston Villa, Sporting Lisbon, Stade Brestois, and LOSC Lille, all of whom have 10 points.     Other teams regaining their footing include Atlético Madrid and AC Milan, who are in 15th and 16th places respectively. You may be interested in: https://titansports.mx/liverpool-easily-beat-real-madrid-to-remain-leaders-in-the-champions-league/ Struggling Giants This new Champions League format has, so far, resulted in the decline of four major clubs. Manchester City has recorded a loss and a draw in their last two games, along with another draw in their opening match, leaving them in 17th place with 8 points. Further back, Juventus occupies 19th place, also with 8 points, but with a worse goal difference than City and PSV, having managed two draws and a loss in their last three matches.     Lower down are the real surprises. In the last spot for playoff contention, 24th place, is Real Madrid, with only 4 points after three losses and a draw in their last four games. Below them, in 25th place and out of contention for the next round, is PSG, who also have just 4 points but with a -3 goal difference. Cover photo: (@Inter)

Barcelona’s 17-year-old Lamine Yamal continues to win awards in his early days as a soccer star. Now, after winning the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, the Spaniard has been awarded the Golden Boy 2024, a prize given by the Italian media Tuttosports to the best U-21 player. This award closes Yamal’s incredible year, who in addition to the two individual awards mentioned above, was crowned at the European Championship with Spain. Lamine joins Lionel Messi in 2005, Pedri in 2021 and Gavi in 2022 as the Blaugrana players who have been decorated with this award. You may be interested in: De promesa a realidad: El ascenso de Lamine Yamal Cover photo: X (@FCBarcelona).

In the opening match of a new round of UEFA Champions League action, Atlético de Madrid traveled to Sparta Praha for a crucial game in their bid to qualify for the knockout stage. The team took the lead with a stunning free-kick goal by Julián Álvarez, capitalizing on a mistake by the opposing goalkeeper. Marcos Llorente doubled the advantage before halftime, and Álvarez scored his second early in the second half. Antoine Griezmann added a fourth, and Ángel Correa netted a brace in the final minutes.  With this commanding victory, Atlético de Madrid is now closing in on the top eight spots in the table, which would guarantee them direct qualification to the Champions League round of 16.  You may also be interested in: With a goal from “Santi” Giménez, Feyenoord salvaged a draw against Manchester City Foto de portada: X(@Atleti)

Javier Mascherano has been appointed as the new head coach of Inter Miami, following an agreement to replace Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who stepped down for personal reasons. Mascherano, former coach of Argentina’s U-20 national team and the Olympic squad in Paris, signed a three-year contract and will officially take over once his work documentation is completed. This appointment marks a reunion with Lionel Messi, his former teammate at both Barcelona and the Argentina national team. Mascherano is also set to manage other ex-Barcelona stars such as Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suárez, who are expected to remain with Miami for the 2025 season. You may also be interested in: Messi’s dream ends as Inter Miami is eliminated from playoffs Foto de portada: X(@InterMiamiCF)

Barcelona got back on track in the Champions League after a difficult stretch in LaLiga, defeating Brest 3-0 and securing their fourth consecutive win in the European tournament. Robert Lewandowski celebrated his 100th goal in the competition during the first half. In the second half, Dani Olmo sealed the victory with a goal in the 66th minute, and in the final moments, Lewandowski added another goal to complete the 3-0 scoreline.  With this result, the “blaugranas” now have 12 points from 5 matches, putting them in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stage.  You may also be interested in: Celta rescued a draw against Barcelona Foto de portada: X(@FCBarcelona)

Mexican forward Santiago Giménez, who had been sidelined for two months due to injury, returned to play for Feyenoord and made his mark in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League. The Mexican scored one of the three goals that helped his team recover from a 3-0 deficit. Giménez replaced Julian Carranza in the 72nd minute and needed just 10 minutes to score. With this result, Manchester City sits in 15th place with 8 points, while Feyenoord is in 20th with 7 points. “Santi’s” next match will be on November 30 against Fortuna Sittard in the Eredivisie.  You may also be interested in: Cruz Azul rescued a draw against Tigres and set a new points record in short tournaments Foto de portada: X(@Feyenoord)

PSG stands out as the star match, both of them in need of points. Sporting, Inter and Barcelona will be looking to stay on top, while Manchester City will face Feyenoord to break their bad streak. UEFA Champions League evenings are back with the start of Matchday 5. Teams like Sporting Lisbon, Barcelona, and Inter will look to stay at the top of the overall standings, while the highlight of this Tuesday is undoubtedly the rematch of the 2019/20 season final: Bayern Munich vs. PSG.     The action begins with a doubleheader at 11:45 a.m. (Central Mexico time), featuring Slovan Bratislava vs. AC Milan and Sparta Prague vs. Atlético Madrid. A battle at the top of the table Later, at 2 p.m. (Central Mexico time), the action heats up with seven simultaneous matches. One of the most anticipated games is Sporting’s clash against Arsenal, as the Portuguese team is currently in second place.     Other teams under pressure to win to stay near the top of the Champions League include Inter, who will face RB Leipzig, and Barcelona, who will take on Stade Brestois. The French team currently sits in fourth place, two spots ahead of the Blaugranas. You may be interested in: https://titansports.mx/more-of-a-leader-than-ever-liverpool-secures-an-8-point-lead-in-the-standings/ Do-or-die matches The day’s marquee matchup has an extra edge, as both Bayern and PSG desperately need the three points. The Germans currently sit in 17th place with six points, while the French side has disappointed with only four points, leaving them in 25th place and outside the playoff spots.     Another crucial match will be Feyenoord vs. Manchester City. The Dutch team has six points but is in 21st place due to a -3 goal difference. Meanwhile, Manchester City, despite being 10th in the Champions League standings, is coming off a streak of five consecutive losses and needs this victory more than ever. Cover photo: X (@FCBayern)