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

I’m still nobbled on the cobbles ‘cos I hobble when I wobble...

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon knows he cannot let slip this chance to finally fulfil his dream of Champions League glory.

Lisbon Lion Tommy Gemmell scored in the 2-1 victory over Inter Milan in 1967 when Celtic became the first British club to win the European Cup. He died last week, aged 73.

A four-goal comeback in the Champions League sounds like fantasy football, and maybe it is — but Carlo Ancelotti has been on the receiving end.

Bayern Munich against Arsenal has become a Champions League hardy perennial. Tomorrow night’s match takes on added significance following Philipp Lahm’s announcement that he will retire at the end of the season.

Dan McEvoy from the Hebron Road, opposite Nowlan Park, went to his first All-Ireland final in 1945. He was 17-years-old.

Italy has a history of teenage defensive diamonds, and Milan’s goalkeeper, 16-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma, four months on from his debut, might be the best find yet

As many expected,

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Tomorrow, Dubliner Patrick O’Connell is to be honoured by football giants FC Barcelona by being inducted into their hall of fame. He managed the Catalan side in the 1930s and is credited with saving the club from bankruptcy. Here, Robert McNamara recounts the highlights of his amazing career.

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

Xavi Hernandez is determined to end his Barca career in Berlin tomorrow by collecting his 25th trophy in 17 remarkable years; but measuring his contribution to Barcelona history in silverware alone, even bearing in mind those remarkable statistics, doesn’t even come near to over-estimating his influence on the most successful team of the 21st century.

There is symmetry to Patrice Evra’s career. 

“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.”

Steven Gerrard’s forthcoming move to LA Galaxy means he will fail to join an illustrious band of professional footballers who have spent their entire senior careers at one club.

Legends from soccer, GAA and rugby have come out in support of a campaign to raise funds for a memorial for a footballer who was the first Irish man to play for Manchester United.

It’s 20 years since Ray Houghton’s goal saw Ireland shock Italy at the World Cup

Italian football is the continuation of politics by other means rather than war.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes Steven Gerrard may decide to bring an end to his international career after leading England at next year’s World Cup.

Paris St Germain head coach Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that David Beckham’s age is no barrier to success – and pointed out that Paolo Maldini was two years older when he won the Champions League.

Paris St Germain will benefit hugely from the David Beckham “brand”, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has claimed.

The turn of the year is a time to look forward, but for some people it’s also a time of regret.

Roberto Di Matteo has no concerns about John Terry’s mental or physical wellbeing ahead of Chelsea’s clash with QPR.

Euro 2012 will be Giovanni Trapattoni’s third time to lead a team at the finals of a major international competition. Paul Kelly looks at the campaigns in which his under-achieving Italy recorded two wins, three draws and two defeats.

Given the extent of globalisation in football these days, distinct national traits are increasingly hard to define.

There was a sheepish air about 25-year-old Darren O’Dea as he emerged from the RTÉ studios on Sunday night as the FAI’s freshly-minted Young International Player of the Year.

It was a game and a result that might have been the catalyst for a golden era.

REALLY, it was a surprise that Giovanni Trapattoni was even in Kiev for yesterday’s Euro 2012 draw.

WATERFORD scoring ace John Mullane, whose late goal denied Limerick at the death in Sunday’s riveting Munster SHC semi-final, yesterday revealed one of the secrets of his enduring success — he beats himself up.

Fabio Capello has claimed Jack Wilshere is the most exciting young midfielder he has ever seen.

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed any replacement for sacked assistant Ray Wilkins will come from within the club.

CHELSEA are on the lookout for a new assistant manager following the sudden and unexplained departure of Carlo Ancelotti’s right-hand man Ray Wilkins.

Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro has announced he will retire from the national team after the World Cup.

David Beckham believes the AC Milan fitness team could keep him playing until the age of 40.

THE arrival of Roberto Mancini at Manchester City may have unanticipated benefits for the man who sits in the other main Premier League hot seat – Carlo Ancelotti is now no longer the Italian new boy talking pidgin English who has to deliver silverware to an impatient owner. Or else.

CARLO ANCELOTTI insists Chelsea possess the best defence in the world and that will be key to winning the Premier League title.

Carlo Ancelotti insists Andriy Shevchenko has a future at Stamford Bridge despite playing just one game in the last 15 months for the Blues.

AC MILAN general manager Adriano Galliani has likened the appointment of Leonardo as coach to the arrival of Fabio Capello in the 90s and backed the new man to achieve a similar level of success.

ALEX FERGUSON has picked out Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – rivals in next week’s Champions League final – as the two most gifted players in the game.

HARRY REDKNAPP has launched a scathing attack on the drinking culture he inherited at Tottenham Hotspur and has warned he will not tolerate any more public transgressions from his wayward players.

AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini has turned down the chance to make a one-off comeback for Italy in their friendly with Northern Ireland on June 6.

Kaka’s team-mates are delighted with his decision to remain at AC Milan instead of accepting a world record transfer to Manchester City.

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he will have no say over whether Kaka leaves for Manchester City.

David Beckham is set to play against Rangers at Ibrox, after the club confirmed a glamour friendly against AC Milan in February.