PARIS: Leicester City heroes Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, stars in their team’s fairytale run to the Premier League title, have been named on a 30-player longlist for the 2016 Ballon d’Or.
Vardy — who has enjoyed a meteoric rise from amateur football to rub shoulders with the game’s biggest names — is the sole Englishman nominated for the prestigious prize awarded by France Football magazine, which is organizing the trophy on its own after the end of a partnership with FIFA.
The Foxes pair are among eight Premier League stars on the list.
Three-time world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo and last year’s victor Lionel Messi, who has won it five times altogether, are among the favorites to take the prize once again.
Ronaldo, who took home the award in 2008, 2013 and 2014, set himself up for a potential fourth Ballon d’Or when captaining Portugal to Euro 2016 glory and helping Real Madrid to an 11th Champions League triumph.
Other members of Madrid’s Champions League-winning campaign have been recognized as well in Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Pepe.
Pepe and Ronaldo are also joined on the list by Sporting Lisbon’s Rui Patricio, who kept goal in Portugal’s run to Euro glory.
Atletico Madrid and France striker Antoine Griezmann is another leading contender. However, his compatriot Karim Benzema is not on the list, the Real Madrid striker’s year having been overshadowed by the sextape blackmail affair which led to him being frozen out of the national team ahead of the Euros.
The winner will be determined by a vote of journalists — national team captains and managers will no longer have a say after the ending of the five-year deal between France Football and FIFA.
The first Ballon d’Or was won by Stanley Matthews, at the time with Blackpool, who beat Alfredo Di Stefano for the inaugural title in 1956.
Full list
Sergio Aguero (ARG/Manchester City), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (GAB/Borussia Dortmund), Gareth Bale (WAL/Real Madrid), Gianluigi Buffon (ITA/Juventus), Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (BEL/Manchester City), Paulo Dybala (ARG/Juventus), Diego Godin (URU/Atletico Madrid), Antoine Griezmann (FRA/Atletico Madrid), Gonzalo Higuain (ARG/Juventus), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE/Manchester United), Andres Iniesta (ESP/Barcelona), Koke (ESP/Atletico Madrid), Toni Kroos (GER/Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (POL/Bayern Munich), Hugo Lloris (FRA/Tottenham Hotspur), Riyad Mahrez (ALG/Leicester City), Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona), Luka Modric (CRO/Real Madrid), Thomas Mueller (GER/Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (GER/Bayern Munich), Neymar (BRA/Barcelona), Dimitri Payet (FRA/West Ham United), Paul Pogba (FRA/Manchester United), Pepe (POR/Real Madrid), Rui Patricio (POR/Sporting Lisbon), Sergio Ramos (ESP/Real Madrid), Luis Suarez (URU/Barcelona), Jamie Vardy (ENG/Leicester City), Arturo Vidal (CHI/Bayern Munich)
Leicester heroes Vardy, Mahrez on Ballon d’Or longlist
Leicester heroes Vardy, Mahrez on Ballon d’Or longlist
Merciless Bayern hit 10 against amateurs Auckland City at Club World Cup
Kingsley Coman, Michael Olize and Thomas Mueller all netted twice, while Sacha Boey was also on target for the German champions in the game in Group C, which also features Boca Juniors and Benfica.
Harry Kane started but didn’t find the target before being replaced just after the hour mark by Musiala, who netted his three goals in the space of 18 minutes toward the end.
It was a stroll in the park in the midday sun in Cincinnati for Vincent Kompany’s side, with France winger Coman scoring twice in the opening 21 minutes either side of goals by compatriots Boey and Olize.
Coman’s sixth-minute breakthrough goal was the first of the tournament following the 0-0 draw between Inter Miami and Al Ahly in Saturday’s opening game.
Mueller got the fifth and Olize’s second of the afternoon made it 6-0 in first-half stoppage time for the Bundesliga heavyweights.
Auckland City managed to stem the tide for much of the second half before Musiala came on and took center stage, his three goals including one from the penalty spot.
Mueller made it 10-0 in the 89th minute for a Bayern side who won the Club World Cup twice in its former seven-team guise, in 2013 and 2020.
They have recorded bigger victories in the past in the German Cup, but the 10-goal winning margin equals their best ever win in the Bundesliga, when they beat Borussia Dortmund 11-1 in 1971.
Bayern, who gave new signing Jonathan Tah a debut in central defense following his recent arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, play Boca in their next match in Miami on Friday.
Auckland City take on Benfica earlier the same day in Orlando.
Saudi Arabia complete final preparations ahead of Gold Cup opener against Haiti
- Saudi Arabia have been drawn in Group D of the regional tournament, where they will face the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, and Monday’s opponents Haiti
SAN DIEGO: Saudi Arabia’s national team have wrapped up their preparations ahead of their opening match against Haiti in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Monday.
Herve Renard’s side held their final training session on Sunday at the Performance Center in San Diego, ahead of Monday’s Group D clash at Snapdragon Stadium.
The session began with warm-up drills before moving into possession-based training and a half-pitch practice match. Players concluded with stretching exercises.
Midfielder Muhannad Al-Saad was absent from group training due to muscle discomfort in his thigh, team officials confirmed.
Saudi Arabia have been drawn in Group D of the regional tournament, where they will face the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, and Monday’s opponents Haiti.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly battle to scoreless draw in Club World Cup opener
MIAMI GARDENS, Florida: Lionel Messi was denied on a long shot in extra time and Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly settled for a scoreless draw in the opening game of the Club World Cup on Saturday night.
Argentina’s eight-time Ballon d’Or winner kicked a long, curling shot from the right side that was tipped by diving goalkeeper Mohamed Elshenawy and brushed off the crossbar in the 96th minute front of a crowd of more than 60,000 at Hard Rock Stadium. Messi also shaved the post with a free kick in the 60th minute in the second half.
Miami had its own good fortune, surviving a first half onslaught by 12-time African champion Al Ahly, with goalkeeper Oscar Ustari saving a penalty from Trezeguet just before the break.
Key moment
Miami had to rely on veteran Argentine goalkeeper Ustari to keep the game level in the first half, with the 38-year-old pulling off a number of saves as Al Ahly dominated the chances. He produced a crucial double save just before halftime — blocking Trezeguet’s 43rd-minute penalty and then getting up quickly to deny the forward again on the rebound.
Takeaways
A draw leaves both teams with a battle to advance from Group A with tougher tests likely to come against Brazilian giant Palmeiras and Porto from Portugal. The top two advance to the round of 16.
Miami can be encouraged by its performance in the second half after being dominated in the first half. Inter Miami had the better chances after the break, with Messi’s free kick and curling long shot both hitting the woodwork.
What they said
“It was a good party for football. It’s a new competition and the chance to play teams we don’t play normally in our league, so it can be very good for us. You can prove what we can do.” – Javier Mascherano, Inter Miami coach.
“I’m disappointed with the result. We could have taken all three points. We respect Inter Miami and their big-name players, but we could’ve finished the game in the first half by scoring three or four goals.” — Wessam Abou Ali, Ah Ahly forward.
Seven Saudi-based foreign players to feature in 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup
- Five of the selected players featured in the latest season of the Saudi Pro League, while the remaining two played in the First Division
RIYADH: Seven Saudi-based foreign professional footballers have been called up to represent their national teams in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will take place in the US and Canada from June 14 to July 6.
Five of the selected players featured in the latest season of the Saudi Pro League, while the remaining two played in the First Division, highlighting the growing global impact of football in the Kingdom.
Among the standout names is Julian Quinones, the prolific striker for Al-Qadsiah, who earned a spot on Mexico’s national team roster. Quinones had an impressive season, finishing as the fourth highest scorer in the top flight with 20 goals.
Panama included Orlando Mosquera, the dependable goalkeeper from Al-Fayha, who helped his team secure a 13th-place finish in the league.
The Jamaican squad features two Saudi-based players: Demarai Gray, the winger for Al-Ettifaq, and Damion Lowe, the defender from Al-Okhdood.
Curacao’s team includes relegated Al-Wehda midfielder Juninho Bacuna, and Jurien Gaari, the defender from Al-Hazem, who secured promotion to the SPL.
Finally, Honduras will be represented by Romell Quioto, the striker for Al-Arabi, who finished the season 12th in the second tier’s standings.
South Africa win first major cricket trophy in 27 years
- Match will go down as one of the greatest days in the country’s sports
LONDON: Chokers no more. The South Africans consigned the word to history when they ripped the World Test Championship mace from Australia’s callused grip inside four days of a riveting final at Lord’s.
South Africa wore a new label Saturday — champion — by claiming its first major cricket trophy in 27 years when it wrapped up a five-wicket win.
The last 69 runs required on day four were confidently knocked off by the Proteas in just over two hours — only three boundaries — with Australia typically fighting all the way to the inevitable end.
South Africa moved from a portentous 213-2 overnight to a winning 285-5, the second highest successful run chase in the 141-year test history at the home of cricket.
Victory laid to rest ghosts of heartbreaking losses on big ICC stages that have haunted South Africa for decades. The venues and dates are infamous in South Africa cricket, among them Birmingham 1999, Dhaka 2011, Auckland 2015, Kolkata 2023 and Bridgetown 2024.
But London 2025 will go down as one of the greatest days in South Africa sports, when its cricket underdogs grabbed the advantage and didn’t let go against a red-hot Australia.
“While we were batting, we could hear the Aussies using that dreaded word, choke,” Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said. “It’s been years since we’ve overcome a final. We’ve been etched in history, we’re part of something that has never been done. It’s special in a lot of ways. Also, it’s a chance for South Africa to be united. We’ve got a cause where we can put aside our differences and enjoy. We just have to embrace it.”
The stunning result also bodes well for South Africa’s preparations for its home ODI World Cup in 2027. It’s a different format, but the Proteas’ mindsets won’t be burdened by not having won a global trophy since the Champions Trophy’s precursor in 1998.
Australia didn’t give up the WTC mace easily, relentlessly attacking the stumps and trying to prey on any South Africa butterflies. The desperate Australians used up their three reviews in vain within the first 90 minutes and fought to the end. But the serial champions lost an ICC final for only a fourth time in 14 chances.
“They were fantastic in that fourth innings,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said. “There wasn’t a lot in the wicket but they didn’t give us a chance.”
The Proteas were staunch, losing only three wickets on Saturday. One of them was Aiden Markram, the colossus Australia could not topple until it was too late.
He resumed the day on 102 and was out for 136 when only six runs from victory. He spent six hours, 23 minutes in the middle. Australia didn’t celebrate his wicket. Instead, players slapped Markram on the back and congratulated him on his match-winning knock as the Lord’s crowd stood and applauded.
“Growing up, Lord’s was the one venue I wanted to play at,” Markram said. “To do it at a final and win is something really special.”
About 15 minutes later, Kyle Verreynne hit the winning run, a drive into the covers.
Markram and an injured Bavuma set up the victory the day before with an unbeaten partnership of 143 runs. They could not finish what they started, adding only four runs together before Bavuma edged Cummins behind for 66, one more than he had overnight.
Markram was named man of the match. He also took two vital wickets, that of Steve Smith on 66 in Australia’s first innings, when Smith became the highest foreign test run-scorer at Lord’s, and Josh Hazlewood to end Australia’s second innings. Kagiso Rabada had nine-for in the match.
South Africa’s target was set at 282, considered too far. But in a batting unit far less experienced than Australia’s and considered a weak point, Markram and Bavuma chanced on ideal batting conditions on day three Friday and exploited them mercilessly. The turning point was Bavuma dropped in the slips on 2 by Smith, who broke his finger and didn’t return to the match.
South Africa was criticized by some before the final for its supposedly easier road in the 2023-25 WTC cycle — it didn’t face Australia or England in a series — but it has won eight straight tests, its second longest streak in history.
“We’ve come a long way as a team, as a country,” emotional spinner Keshav Maharaj said. “We always say we want to be good people and play good. We’re moving in the right direction as a cricketing nation.
“After 25 years of pain, to finally get over the line is super emotional. We’re so grateful to have Temba to get us over the line. Diversity is our strength, so to see the crowd, they stand for the meaning of our rainbow nation. To lift the trophy is going to unite the nation even more.”
