PARIS: Some might question whether Lionel Messi really deserved to win his latest Ballon d’Or prize ahead of other worthy candidates, but the Argentinian has been rewarded for continuing to be so good for so long.
The most turbulent year of Messi’s glittering career, in which he was forced to tearfully bid farewell to Barcelona, ends with him — at the age of 34 — claiming a record-extending seventh Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world.
In Germany they thought it had to be Robert Lewandowski’s year after he missed out 12 months ago when the 2020 edition was scrapped due to the pandemic.
Karim Benzema might have had plenty of support in Spain for his remarkable performances with Real Madrid, and Jorginho could stake a claim following a year in which he won the Champions League with Chelsea as well as Euro 2020 with Italy.
Yet it is the enduring brilliance of Messi — who won the last award in 2019 — which stays in the minds of the jurors when it comes to voting.
Having joined Paris Saint-Germain in August, he is the first male player to win the award while with a French club since Jean-Pierre Papin of Marseille in 1991, although it was his achievements with Barcelona and with Argentina that counted toward him effectively retaining his crown.
Messi tried unsuccessfully to force his departure from Barcelona in August 2020 but he showed no signs of rancour as he stayed put at the Camp Nou and ended last season with 38 goals in 48 games for his boyhood club.
These are the kind of remarkable figures that he has made so mundane over the course of his career — indeed he had actually scored more goals than that in 10 of his previous 11 seasons.
Messi was the top scorer in La Liga for the fifth consecutive year with 30 goals and won the Copa del Rey, scoring twice in the final as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 4-0.
This will always be remembered as the year his long association with the Catalan giants came to an end, after 672 goals in 778 appearances, a record goal tally for one club.
However, 2021 was also the year he finally won a major international title, captaining Argentina to victory in the Copa America with a 1-0 win against Brazil in the final at the Maracana.
He scored four goals in the tournament as Argentina won the South American championship for the first time since 1993.
“I think I won this trophy thanks to what we did at the Copa America so I dedicate this to my teammates,” he said after being handed his latest Ballon d’Or at the Chatelet Theatre in central Paris.
However the shame was that hardly any fans were in the stadium to witness Argentina’s Copa America success due to coronavirus restrictions, only adding to the sense that, despite all he has achieved, Messi still has unfinished business.
Not least at PSG, where he has so far played just 11 games since arriving in August, and scored just four goals.
Messi did provide three assists for the Parisians in a Ligue 1 match on Sunday but it remains to be seen how motivated the Argentinian is by the French league. He has other priorities.
“My dream is to win another Champions League,” he said at his unveiling in August, with the last of his four European Cups coming in 2015.
Then there is the really big one: the World Cup in Qatar will be underway this time next year and Messi will be 35 by then.
That will surely be his last chance to win the greatest trophy of all, and you imagine he would swap his seven Ballons d’Or to get his hands on it.
Messi’s enduring brilliance rewarded with another Ballon d’Or
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Messi’s enduring brilliance rewarded with another Ballon d’Or
- The award a is record-extending seventh Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world
India’s Pant boosts World Cup hopes with IPL batting blitz
- Delhi posted 224-4 courtesy of a 113-run stand between Pant and fellow left-hander Axar Patel, who hit 66
- Hosts kept Gujarat down to 220-8 to win by four runs after David Miller’s 23-ball 55 and an unbeaten 21 off 11 deliveries by Rashid Khan
Delhi posted 224-4 courtesy of a 113-run stand between Pant and fellow left-hander Axar Patel, who hit 66, after they slipped to 44-3 inside six overs at their home Arun Jaitley Stadium.
The hosts kept Gujarat down to 220-8 to win by four runs after David Miller’s 23-ball 55 and an unbeaten 21 off 11 deliveries by Rashid Khan.
Mukesh Kumar kept his nerve in the final over for Delhi’s fourth win in nine matches as they kept their playoff hopes alive in the T20 tournament.
Pant, 26, struck his third half-century of this season after 14 months away from top level cricket following a frightening car accident when his Mercedes rammed into a barrier, flipped and caught fire in December 2022.
Pant, a wicketkeeper-batsman, suffered multiple injuries and was rushed to hospital before being airlifted to Mumbai for further treatment and surgery.
“Everyday that I’m in the middle, I feel better,” man of the match Pant said after his 43-ball blitz studded with five fours and eight sixes.
“Every hour on the field matters, I love being on the field. I try to give it my 100 percent. I think the first six in the match gives me the confidence in a game.”
Pant has not only fired with the bat in the IPL but his sharp work behind the stumps prompted Delhi’s director of cricket Sourav Ganguly and coach Ricky Ponting to back the India star for making the national team for the World Cup in June.
Up and coming Australian batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk gave Delhi a strong start with his 14-ball 23 but medium-pace bowler Sandeep Warrier took three wickets including two in one over.
Patel, a bowling all-rounder promoted to number three in the batting, brought up his fifty with a boundary off Rashid before another Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad had him caught at long-on.
Pant reached his fifty in style with a six off Mohit Sharma and then hammered the medium-pace bowler in a 31-run 20th over when he finished with a six, four and three hits over the fence to raise the roof.
South African Tristan Stubbs watched the blitz from the other end after he smashed Sai Kishore in the 19th over, which went for 22 runs, for his unbeaten seven-ball 26.
In reply, Gujarat lost skipper Shubman Gill for six off Anrich Nortje before impact substitute Sai Sudarshan smashed 65 off 39 balls.
Gujarat lost regular wickets but the left-handed Miller smashed Nortje for three sixes and a four to give Delhi a scare before his departure in the 18th over.
Rashid kept up the fight till the end as Gujarat needed 19 off the final over and five on the last ball.
“I think we played some really good cricket, disappointing to lose in the end, but great character shown by everyone,” said Gill. “Great fight till the end and we never thought we were out of the game at any point.”
Nadal will only play French Open if he can ‘compete well’
- The 14-time Roland Garros champion conceded that if the action in Paris were to kick off today, he would not be able to participate
- “I will keep fighting and doing the things I believe I have to do so I can try to play in Paris,” Nadal said
MADRID: Rafael Nadal said on Wednesday he will only play at the upcoming French Open if he feels “capable enough to compete well.”
The 14-time Roland Garros champion conceded that if the action in Paris were to kick off today, he would not be able to participate but vowed to keep fighting for the chance to play at his most successful tournament one last time.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next three weeks. I will keep fighting and doing the things I believe I have to do so I can try to play in Paris, and if I can play, I play, if I can’t, I can’t,” the former world number one told reporters at the Madrid Open on Wednesday.
“I will not play in Paris if I am the way I am now. If Paris were today, I wouldn’t take to the court. That’s the reality. I will only play in Paris if I feel capable enough to compete well.”
Nadal returned to tennis in Brisbane in January after spending almost an entire year on the sidelines nursing a psoas injury. But his comeback was short-lived as he sustained a muscle problem in Australia and has competed in just five matches so far this season.
The Spaniard kicked off his clay campaign in Barcelona last week, where he lost in the second round and is set to face 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch in his Madrid opener on Thursday.
“I don’t think I’m ready to play at my 100 percent but I’m prepared to go out and play tomorrow. It’s important for me to play one last time here in Madrid, for me it means a lot,” said the 37-year-old Nadal.
As he attempts to resume his ‘Last Dance’ in Madrid and say goodbye to one of his favorite tournaments on court, rather than on the sidelines, the 22-time major champion admits his farewell tour hasn’t been as enjoyable as he would have hoped.
“A few weeks ago, I didn’t know if I will be able to play again on the professional tour, so today I am playing,” he added.
“It’s not perfect, of course not perfect, but at least I am playing and I can enjoy again, especially in the few tournaments that are so emotional for me. I’m able to enjoy the fact that I can say probably good-bye on court.”
Nadal says he’s hitting the ball well when he is able to be on court but “it’s about more body limitations. I went through a lot of things last year and a half, two years.”
“So body feelings are not enough good to feel myself playing with freedom enough in terms of body issues. That’s not allowing me to compete the way that I would like to compete.”
Haaland ruled out of Man City’s crucial trip to Brighton
- Haaland missed City’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley
- City boss Pep Guardiola insisted Haaland’s injury was not serious
LONDON: Manchester City’s Premier League title bid has suffered a blow after Norway striker Erling Haaland was ruled out of Thursday’s crucial clash at Brighton.
Haaland missed City’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley on Saturday due to a muscle injury sustained in the Champions League quarter-final exit against Real Madrid last week.
City’s leading scorer, who has 20 Premier League goals this season, is yet to recover and will not make the trip to the Amex Stadium as the champions look to close the gap on leaders Arsenal.
City boss Pep Guardiola insisted Haaland’s injury was not serious, and he could come back into contention in time for Sunday’s game against Nottingham Forest.
While Haaland is sidelined, Guardiola was boosted by England internationals Phil Foden and John Stones getting the green light to face Brighton after their own fitness concerns.
“Erling is not ready for tomorrow, the other two, they are ready,” Guardiola told reporters on Wednesday.
“I know it is not a big issue, but he is not allowed for this game.”
As a gripping title race approaches the final furlong, third placed City are four points behind leaders Arsenal, who thrashed Chelsea 5-0 on Tuesday.
Guardiola’s men have two games in hand on Arsenal and have played one match less than second placed Liverpool, who face Merseyside rivals Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia to face Uzbekistan in AFC U23 Asian Cup quarterfinals
- The tournament ends on May 3 and is also a qualifying route to the 2024 Olympic Games
DOHA: Reigning champions Saudi Arabia will play Uzbekistan on Friday in the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup quarterfinals after the group stages concluded on Tuesday.
Uzbekistan beat Vietnam 3-0 at Khalifa International Stadium to secure the top spot in Group D. Both teams had already secured their progress to the next round. Meanwhile, Kuwait beat Malaysia 3-1 at Al-Janoub Stadium to take third place in the group.
Qatar take on Japan on Thursday, with the victors meeting either Iraq or Vietnam, who play on Friday, in the semifinals. Saudi or Uzbekistan will face the winner of Wednesday’s match between South Korea and Indonesia.
The tournament, which will end on May 3, is a route to this year’s Olympic Games which will take place in Paris this summer. The sixteen teams are split into four groups of four, with the top two from each progressing to the quarterfinals.
The winners of both semifinals secure automatic qualification, while the two losing semifinalists contest third place with the victors booking their spot in Paris. The fourth-place finishers have one final chance to qualify for the Games through a play-off against an African qualifier.
Matthews’ second century powers West Indies Women to convincing 88-run victory over Pakistan
- The victory in the third ODI helps West Indies sweep the ICC Women’s Championship fixer by 3-0
- The two teams are now scheduled to play five Twenty20 cricket matches in Karachi from Friday
ISLAMABAD: West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews scored her second century of the series to help her team convincingly beat Pakistan Women by 88 runs in the third One-Day International (ODI) in Karachi and sweep the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s Championship 2022-25 fixture by 3-0.
Matthews, who scored 140 not out in the series opener five days ago, made an excellent 141 to steer her side to 278 for six in 50 overs. Pakistan Women, in their run-chase, faltered to 190 all-out in 47.5 overs.
Matthews faced 149 balls and struck 19 fours in her career-best innings in 83 matches. She put on 93 runs in 110 balls for the second wicket with Shemaine Campbelle and 111 runs for the third wicket in 124 balls with Stafanie Taylor. She was the fifth batter to be dismissed at the score of 250 in the 46th over.
“West Indies win the third and final ODI of the series by 88 runs,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced in a social media post.
Campbelle contributed a 58-ball 38 with two fours, while Taylor followed up on her 73 in the previous match with a 62-ball 47 including four fours. Later in the order, Aaliyah Alleyne struck three fours in a 12-ball 20 not out to put West Indies Women in a position of strength.
For Pakistan Women, Nashra Sandhu was the most successful bowler with three wickets for 54 runs, while Fatima Sana snapped up two wickets for 67 runs.
In their run-chase, Pakistan Women were formally out of contention after losing half their side for 95 runs in 27.2 overs. Aaliya Riaz (36) and Fatima Sana (23) delayed the inevitable by adding 41 runs in 63 balls for the sixth wicket, before the home side were sent packing for 190 with 13 deliveries of their quota remaining.
Muneeba Ali top-scored with 38, while Bismah Maroof contributed 19 as the two batters added 45 runs for the third wicket.
For the West Indies Women, Aaliyah Alleyne grabbed two wickets for 10 runs, Hayley Matthews picked up two wickets for 26 runs, and Stafanie Taylor bagged two wickets for 29 runs.
After seven rounds of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25, Pakistan have remained in fifth position on 16 points with eight wins and 13 losses. In contrast, the West Indies have moved ahead of Bangladesh and joined Sri Lanka in seventh position on 14 points (six wins, seven losses) after five rounds.
The top five teams in the 10-team ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25, along with hosts India, will directly qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. The bottom four teams of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and the top two teams from the ICC ODI rankings will progress to a Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament.
The two sides will now go toe to toe in the five-T20I series, which will be played at the National Bank Stadium on 26 April, 28 April, 30 April, 2 May, and 3 May. The matches will commence at 7.30 pm.
