APRNEWS - World Cup finalists, Kylian Mbappe and Luka Modric have been nominated to challenge Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s stranglehold on the World Footballer of the Year title as announced by FIFA yesterday. They are among 10 candidates shortlisted for the title currently held by Ronaldo.

APRNEWS - Mesut Ozil's decision to quit playing for Germany unleashed a racism storm in Berlin on Monday, but earned the applause of Ankara with a Turkish minister hailing "a goal against the virus of fascism".

APRNEWS- English club side Liverpool FC have offered Senegalese forward the legendary number 10 jersey for the 2018-19 season and going forward.

Mane, who joined his teammates in the United States following his holiday after international duty with Senegal at the World Cup, has worn jersey number 19 since joining Liverpool in 2016.

APRNEWS - Brazilian superstar Neymar on Thursday sought to quash speculation about his future, insisting he planned to remain with French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

“I’m staying, I’m staying in Paris, I have a contract,” Neymar told reporters at an auction to raise money for his charitable foundation in Sao Paulo.

APRNEWS - Manchester United’s World Cup winner, Paul Pogba, can be “above the stars” and on a level with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, says former Old Trafford team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic, 36, joined LA Galaxy in March 2018 after 20 months at United.

APRNEWS - Liverpool on Thursday signed Brazil goalkeeper Alisson from Roma in a world record deal valued at 72.5 million euros by the Italian club.

APRNEWS - Hundreds of thousands of ecstatic French fans celebrated the return of their World Cup-winning team yesterday, jumping and chanting “We Are The Champions” as their bus paraded down the Champs Elysees before a special presidential reception.

APRNEWS - When Croatia scored the goal that took them into the World Cup final on Wednesday, an AFP photographer unwittingly became part of the celebrations as he was buried under a pile of joyous players.

APRNEWS - Former Argentine great Diego Maradona has offered to coach his country for free, eight years after his last attempt ended in World Cup failure.

APRNEWS - Neymar and Roberto Firmino scored the goals as Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 in Samara on Monday to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, where they will play Belgium or Japan.