Because of what was happening out in Tallaght over the weekend, this piece was always likely to be about basketball, and then a certain event in California last Sunday confirmed it could be about nothing else.

Nostalgia is bigger than it used to be. A great fear of what’s coming down the tracks has turned the world towards the good old days.

The highs and lows of Diego Maradona’s life in Naples provided fertile ground for a major new documentary, writes Ed Power

Former Uefa president Michel Platini always opposed the introduction of technology in football because he felt that, once it gained a foothold, it would quickly expand and change the character of the sport altogether.

The Cannes Film Festival (May 14 to 25) unveiled its roster earlier in the week

Jack Carty stands alone among Irish goalkickers this season with not even Johnny Sexton able to keep him

You might say that Naples is a city of three volcanoes. Vesuvius looms behind the city and the bay, Campi Flegrei is the super volcano nine miles wide that lurks beneath - and then there is the football club, writes David Shonfield.

I get a lift to five-a-side football on a Monday night with two Italian guys called Francesco and Mariano.

Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona insists he has left his off-the-pitch issues behind as he was formally introduced as the new coach of Mexican second-tier club Dorados de Sinaloa.

Your lunchtime headlines:

Here are all the latest headlines this lunchtime...

Argentina 0 Croatia 3: Not the end. But the beginning of it.

Two cramped rooms in a Moscow suburb could make or break countries’ dreams of World Cup glory.

To watch LeBron James play basketball is to witness the qualities that distinguish the truly great player in every sport.

Diego Maradona was pretty good at scoring with his hand, so when he heard of Irish footballers doing the same, he had to find out more.

Sven Ulreich saved Chadrac Akolo's 95th-minute penalty as Bayern Munich ground out a hard-fought 1-0 win at Stuttgart.

More people are becoming homeless because of family breakdowns, than those being forced out by landlords.

Your lunchtime news bulletin.

In Paris tonight, during a television programme hosted by David Ginola, the famous Ballon d’Or trophy will be presented for the 62nd time.

EVERY morning, Paul Howard and his dog set off from Dublin at 7am to drive to Avoca, where he spends the day writing.

The saying down Munster way used to claim that Superman wore Paul O’Connell pyjamas.

Harry Kane felt inspired by meeting Diego Maradona on Sunday and wants to replicate the former Argentina striker by becoming the best player in the world.

Harry Kane felt inspired by meeting Diego Maradona yesterday and wants to replicate the former Argentina striker by becoming the best player in the world.

Jurgen Klopp said he would have made a better fist of defending Tottenham's first goal in Sunday's 4-1 Premier League defeat at Wembley than his Liverpool side managed.

Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1: In London’s West End tonight, Fifa will name their World Player of the Year at a glitzy ceremony at the capital’s Palladium.

Man City 2 - Napoli 1: Early goals from Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus saw Manchester City maintain their winning start in the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Napoli.

It is the dream of every sports broadcaster to have their voices usher in one immortal moment. Jimmy Magee had a lifetime’s worth, writes Tommy Martin.

Latest: Tributes from all walks of Irish life have flooded in following the death of the RTE commentator, journalist and Memory Man, Jimmy Magee.

Diego Maradona's retelling of Argentina's 1986 World Cup victory is a quixotic joy, writes Noel Baker

Tens of thousands of Argentines demonstrated in cities across the country holding photos of an activist who has been missing for a month.

Police were called to investigate an altercation involving Diego Maradona and a woman at a hotel in Madrid, authorities said.

The modern Champions League format has little space for romance or novelty — as seen by this week’s fixture list as Arsenal and Bayern Munich, and Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, met again for the upteenth time in recent years.

Colombian authorities are searching for answers after a charter plane carrying a football team whose Cinderella story took them to the finals of one of South America's most prestigious regional tournaments slammed into Colombia's Andes mountains, killing all but six of the 77 people on board.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

If Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal to victory in the final of Euro 2016, will his career have been more successful than rival Lionel Messi, asks Robert McNamara

When Rafa Benitez quit Naples for Madrid last summer, everyone naturally focused on how he would fare in his dream job. As for his replacement at Napoli, Maurizio Sarri, the most usual reaction was “who?”

Argentina 45 Tonga 16: Argentina captain Agustin Creevy revealed Diego Maradona’s dressing room dance has driven them to push for Rugby World Cup glory.

Hurling at Croke Park has been listed among 10 of the world’s ultimate sporting destinations by travel bible Lonely Planet.

Following the shock decision to cancel the Andy Lee-Billy Joe Saunders fight at Thomond Park, a former mayor of Limerick speculated yesterday that ‘the Hand of God’ could have played a part, as it did for footballer Diego Maradona in 1986.

The search for Barry Davis Ryan in Baltimore continues, the former Finance Minister has resisted saying whether a property bubble existed, a Greek referendum on the recent proposals from the country’s creditors will go ahead despite talks and 10 things you need to know about AC/DC ahead of tonight’s gig in Dublin. Here’s this evening’s irishexaminer.com catch-up.

It was a remarkable thing to say about a summer that had just seen Diego Maradona reach his peak, but Jack Charlton wasn’t in Mexico to be entertained.

Irish football chiefs are taking legal advice over claims that Republic of Ireland players were paid $10,000 (€8,900) each not to tackle Argentina star Lionel Messi during a 2010 friendly.

Like Jim Hawkins at the end of Treasure Island, I sometimes dream of my youthful voyage far from home. I dream of trains and pizzas and penalties and the Egypt match. And I start upright in my bed with that familiar, unlovely chat ringing in my ears. Olé Olé Ofeckinlay.

Spain 4 Italy 0: The scoreline that scarred a nation, and above all, one set of players.