Michael Carrick will probably hang up his boots if his Manchester United contract is not extended beyond the summer.

Bayern Munich’s honorary president Franz Beckenbauer has warned Pep Guardiola not to keep the club waiting over signing a new contract.

“At half-time,” Alessandro Ciotti recalls, “one of our fans was already on his phone looking for flights to Japan for the FIFA Club World Cup. He wanted to get in first so that the prices hadn’t gone up too high.”

Arsenal paid a fitting tribute to Thierry Henry, as did a number of his soon-to-be new colleagues, after the former Gunners striker announced his retirement from football on Tuesday morning.

Germany captain Philipp Lahm has retired from international football.

Germany captain Philipp Lahm is set to announce his retirement from international football with immediate effect, according to Germany’s Bild newspaper.

Germany’s World Cup winner Toni Kroos has joined Real Madrid from Bayern Munich for an undisclosed fee.

Brazil star Neymar could not hold back the tears as he revealed he had come within a few inches of being paralysed.

Sandro Rosell has resigned as president of Barcelona with immediate effect.

Franck Ribery claims he deserved to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo because the Real Madrid forward won nothing in 2013.

An emotional Cristiano Ronaldo had to fight back the tears last night after ending four years of Lionel Messi domination to win the Fifa Ballon d’Or and the right to be called the best player on the planet once again.

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the 2013 FIFA Ballon d’Or at an awards ceremony in Zurich, ending Lionel Messi’s four-year reign as holder of the crown.

The multi-million euro transfer of Waterford-born defender John O’Shea to struggling Sunderland hasn’t been good for his medal cabinet, but very good for his bank balance.

Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez has confirmed he will leave the club at the end of the season.

The Premier League is on course to beat the World Cup to the punch by introducing goal-line technology next season.

FIFA today confirmed goal-line technology will be in place for the 2014 World Cup as it invited tenders to provide the system.

FIFA has committed to carrying out blood tests for banned drugs at next year’s World Cup and biological profiling for all players at the tournament which can indicate doping.

Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova has reiterated that striker David Villa will not be leaving the Catalan club.

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Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez has insisted his team are still in the Barclays Premier League title race.

Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez has denied Alex Ferguson’s claim that the Premier League title race has been reduced to two clubs.

Chelsea captain John Terry has been ruled out of the FIFA Club World Cup because of his knee injury.

Fernando Torres has insisted he wants to stay at Chelsea and win more trophies.

Wayne Rooney has been passed fit for Manchester United’s home Barclays Premier League game with QPR following a bout of tonsillitis.

Barcelona may have lost their Primera Division title but they had a host of winners in the Professional Football League’s 2011/12 season awards which were announced today, with Lionel Messi named best player and Pep Guardiola best coach.

Uefa referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina leapt to the defence of the additional assistant referee experiment after Fifa president Sepp Blatter declared Ukraine’s European Championship defeat to England made goalline technology “a necessity”.

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque will give injured Barcelona striker David Villa “until the last moment” to prove his fitness for this summer’s European Championships.

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque will give injured Barcelona striker David Villa “until the last moment” to prove his fitness for this summer’s European Championships.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola today announced he would be standing down at the end of the season to “recharge his batteries” with his assistant Tito Vilanova confirmed as his replacement.

Barcelona have called a press conference for this lunchtime at which Pep Guardiola is expected to announce he will leave the club at the end of the season.

Spanish media hailed Barcelona’s Lionel Messi on Wednesday as “a living legend” and “eternal” after the Argentinian became the club’s highest goalscorer of all time.

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Barcelona striker David Villa will undergo surgery to repair his broken shinbone on Monday, the club have confirmed.

Barcelona and Spain striker David Villa has broken his left shinbone in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against Al Sadd.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has dismissed Spanish media reports linking David Villa with a move away from the Nou Camp in the January transfer window.

REAL MADRID assistant coach Aitor Karanka has played down the importance of tonight’s first Clasico of the season and insisted the Primera Division leaders will not alter their approach to end Barcelona’s recent superiority in the fixture.

INTER MILAN president Massimo Moratti admitted he lost patience with Rafael Benitez after the Spaniard demanded money to spend in the January transfer window.

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has admitted Rafael Benitez’s departure as coach had become inevitable.

RAFAEL BENITEZ’S agent last night confirmed ongoing talks are aimed at ending his contract at Inter Milan.

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has admitted the future of boss Rafael Benitez is complicated amid widespread reports the Spaniard has been sacked by the club.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho insists his future lies at the Bernabeu amid speculation linking him with a return to Inter Milan.

Former Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho believes AC Milan can emerge as Champions League contenders this season following the arrivals of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho at the San Siro.