Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time winner, failed to make the cut for only the second time since he was first nominated at the 2007 FIFA awards. He missed out at the 2010 awards when Messi won ahead of Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
The win helped Real Madrid go seven points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga 2021-22. This was also Karim Benzema’s eighth goal in his last seven matches with club and country.
Paris Saint-Germain's Lionel Messi was awarded the prestigious Ballon d'Or for a record-extending seventh time in a glittering ceremony in Paris. Barcelona's Alexia Putellas became the third winner of the women's award.
The Ballon d’Or 2021 award ceremony will be held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. Lionel Messi tops the list with six titles while Cristiano Ronaldo lifted the crown on five occasions.
Jadon Sancho gave Manchester United the lead in the 50th minute against Chelsea in their EPL 2021-22 clash on Sunday. Jorginho equalised with a penalty on 69 minutes for the Blues.
Following Cristiano Ronaldo's 750th career goal, we recall 10 of the Portugal and Juventus star's greatest efforts during his stellar career.
With 55 goals in 47 games across all competitions, Lewandowski led Bayern to the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League titles
Andrea Pirlo said Cristiano Ronaldo was treated like any other player at Juventus.
The Ballon d'Or has been cancelled for 2020, but FIFA considers it important to honour "achievements in this extraordinary year"
Lionel Messi's future remains unclear, and Manchester City are said to be making plans to move for the Barcelona captain.
World-record holder and eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt feels five-time Ballon d'Or winner and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is faster.
Robert Lewandowski thinks he would be a worthy winner of the 2020 Ballon d'Or if the prize had not been scrapped for the year
The Ballon d'Or is not being awarded in 2020, something Nuno Gomes thinks is unfair on Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski
Kylian Mbappe has no doubt his PSG team-mate Neymar is among the very best in the world as they eye a maiden Champions League triumph
Lionel Messi will not win a seventh Ballon d'Or for his 2020 efforts after France Football announced it will not be awarded this year
Belgium boss Roberto Martinez spoke about Eden Hazard and his tough start to life at Real Madrid
Defenders face an uphill struggle to win individual awards even before a ball has been kicked, according to Fabio Cannavaro
Sergio Ramos jokes Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo should have their own prize, to allow everyone else a chance of Ballon d'Or glory
He would take his colour, brushes and canvas outside to paint and talk with his love. He would stand close to the window and paint, keeping an eye on his muse.
They say the violin mimics the human sound. In his case, it was that of love, of longing. He didn’t know any other way of loving.
Younger people do not have much progressive beliefs; a 2017 survey found that one-third of young people opposed inter-caste marriage.
The pandemic has made it clear that virtual learning is here to stay. In the West, the big question is whether it will dilute the quality of the college experience and education. In India, which grapples with digital divide, the question remains whether this will reach most people at all.
Even after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, many 'informed' individuals in India continue to deny the virus with unscientific claims and unfounded data. The latest? Omicron will end the pandemic.
Across Asia there are deeply entrenched obstacles to a mode of higher education that is liberal in multiple senses – disciplinary and epistemological but also social and political.
The two incidents in the recent past, one in Mon district of Nagaland and the other at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, undermined the core principles democracy and federalism.