It is a record sixth time that the Argentina star has been named FIFA’s best player.

Exiled striker Diego Costa has repeated his wish to return to Atletico Madrid and believes his stand-off with Chelsea will come to an end when he travels to Spain.

Sulley Muntari will serve a one-match ban after he protested against racial abuse from fans during a Serie A game on Sunday, Italian authorities have confirmed.

World footballers' union FIFPro has called on the Italian authorities to cancel Sulley Muntari's yellow card for complaining to a referee about alleged racial abuse from fans during a Serie A game on Sunday.

If the strength of an industry can be judged by how its most vulnerable are treated, then the League of Ireland has deep problems.

Football has a great capacity to bring out good things in people, and also some of the worst. In the last week we’ve seen both.

Jose Mourinho should be sent to prison over his treatment of Bastian Schweinsteiger, according to a member of world players' union FifPro.

An international study has revealed there is a relative high prevalence and incidence of common mental disorder (CMD) symptoms among elite Gaelic players.

Limerick-born Queen’s University professor Jack Anderson has been appointed to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Fifa’s communications director Walter De Gregorio has been fired days after making a joke on Swiss television about the world governing body.

Republic of Ireland Women’s team striker Stephanie Roche is still on course to win the FIFA Goal of the Year award after the list of nominees was reduced to three today.

Luis Suarez must wait until next week to discover if his appeal against his four-month ban for biting an opponent has been successful after he gave a statement to the Court of Arbitration for Sport today.

Luis Suarez will have his appeal against a four-month ban for biting heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport next week.

World players’ union FIFPro has called for an investigation into FIFA’s concussion protocol after Uruguay’s Alvaro Pereira was allowed to play on despite taking a blow to the head against England at the World Cup on Thursday.

England have received assurances that the dry pitch in Manaus is suitable for their first World Cup match against Italy on Saturday.

Over a quarter of current professional footballers suffer from depression or anxiety, a new study has found.

More than a quarter of professional footballers suffer from depression or anxiety problems, according to a new study carried out by the international players’ union FIFPro.

Football’s January transfer window is a weird business, and never more so than in a World Cup year.

Hugo Lloris is in contention to start Tottenham’s game against Sheriff Tiraspol after he took part in training this morning.

Tottenham have defended their controversial decision to keep Hugo Lloris on the pitch at Goodison Park on Sunday after he was knocked unconscious in a collision with Everton’s Romelu Lukaku.

Yaya Toure has been praised by Europe’s leading anti-discrimination group for raising the prospect of black players boycotting the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Gordon Taylor retains the “full support” of the Professional Football Association in the wake of allegations that the union chief executive has amassed substantial gambling debts.

Players who are approached to fix matches or who suspect games are being manipulated will be able to push a ’panic button’ on their mobile phones to report their suspicions.

Europe’s police authority Europol have been promising to shock the football world for some time with their match-fixing investigations.

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has denied accusations that the Serie A club are “blackmailing” midfielder Wesley Sneijder.

Roberto Mancini cannot possibly have imagined he would see this sentence in print; but Mario Balotelli, the man regarded as probably the maddest, baddest and most dangerous man to know in the Premier League, played for Italy against Croatia last night and left many onlookers wondering if he could do with being, well... a bit more nasty.

UEFA will not change their rules on yellow cards for the Champions League for at least three years despite six players being suspended for the Chelsea v Bayern Munich final after being cautioned in the semi-finals.

Chelsea’s hopes of a reprieve for the trio of players suspended for the Champions League final have been dashed.

Chelsea captain John Terry will be able to lift the Champions League trophy and collect his medal should the Blues beat Bayern Munich, UEFA today confirmed.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has told controversial striker Mario Balotelli he must prove his apology for his latest indiscretion is sincere.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has told controversial striker Mario Balotelli he must change his ways to remain at the club.

Alex Ferguson has paid tribute to Lionel Messi after the Barcelona star was awarded the FIFA Ballon d’Or for the third successive year.

FORMER Shamrock Rovers assistant manager Trevor Croly takes a 19-man squad of out of work League of Ireland players to Oslo this morning to play two hour-long games on Friday, in the second annual winter tournament organised by FIFPro, the international players’ union.

SIMON MADDEN, who captained Dundalk last season, has offered a glimpse of the uncertainty facing virtually every League of Ireland footballer as their union, the PFAI, yesterday released an initial list of 120 players actively seeking new clubs.

Sepp Blatter’s hold on his position as FIFA president appears to be secure despite calls for him to resign in the wake of his controversial comments about racism between players.

Nigel de Jong’s controversial axing from the Dutch national squad could be a legacy from the World Cup final, according to PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor.

ONE of the men who blocked the use of technology in football last night insisted video replays would risk endangering the “brilliant” game – despite the furore over Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal.

THERE’S no sign of a thaw in the big freeze in relations between the FAI and FIFA after John Delaney branded Sepp Blatter an “embarrassment” and revealed that an offer of a Fair Play gong – due to be presented at last night’s World Player of the Year bash in Zurich – had been turned down.

Lionel Messi was tonight rewarded for a stunning year in which he helped Barcelona to an unprecedented six trophies by being named FIFA’s world player of the year.

Five Premier League players have been named in the FIFA/FIFPro World XI tonight.

Michael Carrick could return to first-team duties for Manchester United against former club West Ham at Old Trafford tomorrow.