World Cup final stars Messi and Mbappe headline FIFA 23´s Team of the Year

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe may have faced off against one another in the World Cup final in Qatar, but they line up in the same XI in FIFA 23 s Team of the Year.

While Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the tournament s showpiece match, it was Messi s Argentina who lifted the World Cup for a third time with a penalty shoot-out victory following a 3-3 draw after extra-time.

The Paris Saint-Germain team-mates have both made FIFA 23 s Team of the Year, though, with the selections made from over 10 million votes from fans.

Despite Argentina s World Cup win, Messi is the only player from Lionel Scaloni s team to be included, with Ballon d Or winner Karim Benzema completing the front three after scoring 44 goals in 46 matches in the 2021-22 season to help Real Madrid to …

We stand with you – Chelsea condemn online racial abuse directed at Lauren James

Chelsea have condemned racial abuse directed towards forward Lauren James following Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash with Arsenal.

England international James was at the centre of controversy during the game after appearing to stamp on Arsenal midfielder Lia Walti.

James was shown a yellow card after the incident in the 70th minute at the Emirates Stadium and was substituted by manager Emma Hayes soon after.

Chelsea Football Club condemns the online abuse directed towards Lauren James following Sunday’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Arsenal.

The club stands strongly against any form of abuse and discriminatory behaviour. Discrimination has no place at Chelsea…

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW)

Chelsea, the W…

Manchester United want to sell Donny Van de Beek

Manchester United want to sell Donny Van de Beek in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has named the Netherlands international midfielder among the players the former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners are willing to cash in on at the end of the season.

Van de Beek has been on the books of United since 2020 and was on loan at Everton for a short period of time in 2022. The 25-year-old has struggled to make a huge impact at Old Trafford and is nowhere near the first team.

Manchester United are third in the Premier League table at the moment with 49 points from 25 matches. Erik ten Hag’s side are as many as nine points behind second-placed and defending champions Manchester City, who have played 26 games.

Chelsea appoint Potter: Incoming Blues boss promises ´a team and culture´ to be proud of

Graham Potter pledged to develop a team Chelsea s fans can be proud of after succeeding Thomas Tuchel as the Blues head coach on Thursday.

Chairman Todd Boehly made the decision to part company with Tuchel amid an underwhelming start to the new campaign on Wednesday, and has turned to Potter in his search for a replacement.

After leading Brighton and Hove Albion to 13 points from their first six games of the Premier League campaign, Potter has signed a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge

Speaking to the club s website upon his appointment, Potter expressed his excitement at the making the step up while also thanking his former employers. 

I am incredibly proud and excited to represent Chelsea FC, this fantastic football club, he said.

I am v…

Hearts break spell but Celtic join Milan, Porto among unbeaten elite

An emphatic 4-0 win for Hearts on Sunday saw Celtic s unbeaten domestic run finally come to an end after 55 Scottish Premiership games without tasting defeat.

Outside of European competition, the Bhoys, who are chasing their seventh successive title this season, had not lost since going down 2-1 away to St Johnstone in May 2016.

Brendan Rodgers side remain two points clear at the top of the table and can be confident of retaining their crown ahead of challengers Aberdeen and Rangers.

And while their streak is finally over, they can now rub shoulders with a select group of teams from across Europe to have orchestrated similar feats.

Here s a look at some of the other clubs to have held such mastery over their respective national league competitions .

The big Friday Premier League quiz

Tired of your mates recycling the same old football trivia questions from years gone by?

Bring them bang up-to-date and get them guessing with our Opta-powered Premier League quiz.

All the answers are at the bottom of the page, so you can claim the high ground when it comes to statistical knowledge!

 

1. Chelsea will go into their meeting with Manchester United as favourites. How many of their past 16 Premier League home games against the Red Devils have they lost?

: One of s finest days as Blue, scoring this and a late penalty to seal a 2-1 win over Man Utd in 2008!  

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)

2. Raheem Sterling starred for England during the international break. In his last 12 league games at the Etihad Stadium, where Manc…

Bitesize Prediction: Norwich vs Huddersfield – 23/12/23

Market: Norwich win

Odds: 4/6 @

Desperate to make up some ground in the top-six chase on Saturday afternoon, Norwich will welcome Huddersfield to Carrow Road this weekend.

Starting with the hosts, while Norwich might have continued to show some extended inconsistencies since opening up the 2023/24 campaign, David Wagner’s men do appear to have turned a recent corner. Snatching a 2-2 stalemate away at bitter local rivals and title contenders Ipswich last weekend, the ex-Huddersfield boss will be looking to get one over on his former employers here. Opening December with a 2-1 victory away at Bristol City, the Canneries should be smelling the chance to make another crucial statement on Saturday afternoon. Still with their sights set on punching a play-off ticket…

Bolton Wanderers face liquidation after sale collapse

Bolton Wanderers face liquidation this week unless a deal to buy the club can be resurrected by 17:00 BST on Tuesday, according to joint administrator Paul Appleton.

The League One club had been given the deadline to complete a sale or offer compelling reasons for an extension by the English Football League (EFL).

However, Appleton revealed a deal to buy the club collapsed on Saturday and says the process of closing down the company will commence on Wednesday if the involved parties do not find a compromise.

Bolton – who were relegated from the Premier League in 2011-2012 – are second from bottom in League One only ahead of Bury, with both sides having received 12-point penalties for entering administration

They were thumped 5-0 by Ipswich Town on Sat…

Rooney to DC United: Beckham, Ibrahimovic, Kaka and the other stars to try MLS

Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)

Arsenal s record goalscorer, Henry picked up the Champions League crown that had eluded him with Barcelona in 2009. A year later the France forward was bound for New York and he was named in the MLS All-Star XI in each of his four full seasons with the Red Bulls. Despite his team finishing 2013 with the best regular-season record, MLS Cup glory remained elusive before Henry moved into retirement.

Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)

Parallels will most readily be drawn between Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but Galaxy fans would sooner see him replicate Keane s exploits. The Republic of Ireland favourite landed in Los Angeles in 2011 to star alongside Beckham initially. He was the club s top scorer and named their MVP for four consecutiv…

Manchester City 2 Cardiff City 0: De Bruyne leads champions back to the top

Manchester City eased back to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Cardiff City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. 

First-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane were enough to see off Neil Warnock s side, who offered only meek resistance in a match that took place just three days before they face fellow strugglers Burnley. 

City, who handed a first Premier League start to Phil Foden, were scarcely required to break sweat as they moved a point above Liverpool at the summit with six games left to play. 

Pep Guardiola s side have made a habit of starting strongly this season, and De Bruyne only needed six minutes to fire high into the net from a tight angle to the left of Neil Etheridge s goal, although both goalkeeper and defence will be…