Lionel Messi edged Robert Lewandowski for the men’s 2021 Ballon d’Or, the Argentine’s record-extending seventh trophy as the best men’s player in the world. But Cristiano Ronaldo, who didn’t even attend the award show in Paris, still managed to make it all about him.

Messi, who this year helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa América and Barcelona win the Copa del Rey (lol), was also named the world’s best men’s player in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019. 

HERE IS THE WINNER!

Often called "The World's Game," soccer is a ubiquitous sport that is often loved for its distinct regional flavor. Brazilians love to dribble, Englishmen relish a crunching tackle and the Italians always prize their gamesmanship.

Fans from all of these countries can appreciate — in varying degrees — a fingertip save, a great dribbling move or a top-corner goal. The responses to those plays sometimes differ, but few events in a match can elicit the type of feelings that consistently follow an absurd own goal.

Disappointment followed the first Aberdeen corner of the match, as the low outswinger at the end of the first half failed to make it past the first line of Dundee United defenders. Aberdeen's Funso Ojo chased after the loose ball and attempted to play it back to the corner kick taker, but under pressure, his miscued pass went over the end line for a goal kick.

From the first day it was officially announced Los Angeles would be getting an NWSL expansion team, Angel City FC has done things differently. From the star-studded cast of owners and investors to the commitment to community, Angel City has already made more headlines before playing a single match than some NWSL clubs that have been around for years. 

NBC has won a bidding war and retained the U.S. Premier League TV rights after major competition from broadcasters like ESPN and CBS. The American broadcaster announced a six-year extension with the EPL on Thursday.

Has Canada qualified for a World Cup before? The Canucks look well on their way to Qatar 2022 after an iconic victory against Mexico in World Cup qualifying. If Canada qualifies for next year’s tournament, it won’t be the first time the Northerners have made the big stage.

Well played Canada, well played. 

Instead of scheduling a mid-November fixture at its usual home field in Toronto, the Canucks will be playing a crucial World Cup Qualifying match against Mexico on the frigid plains of Alberta. 

On Friday night, I was out of my element. 

Usually when the USMNT is playing a big match, I’m in front of a TV with a laptop and maybe a third screen for other matches, watching every possible second of pregame and checking lineups and the latest from social media. For USA-Mexico on Friday, I was out of town for a wedding, completely unfettered from requirements of covering the match for my job. I wound up at a sports bar in Austin (the Black Sheep Lodge) that promised to show the big game, but I wasn’t quite sure what that meant. 

José Mourinho was confident when he brought his Roma side to the Aspmyra Stadion for a UEFA Conference League match on Oct. 21. The Portuguese manager named a noticeably second-rate squad for the trip to the Arctic Circle to face reigning Eliteserien (Norwegian top-flight) champion FK Bodø/Glimt.