By: Casey Rhine
Ohhhh El Clásico, where to begin. One of soccer's most heated, yet most deeply cherished rivalries.Few of you readers get to experience El Clasico, in Barcelona, while it's happening. This was my mission on December 23rd and should be your mission on May 6th if you are not lucky enough to go to the game in the Camp Nou.
DOHA — Brazil and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was named FIFA men's player of the year in Doha on Tuesday, with Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati winning the women's award for the second year in a row.
Vinicius scored 24 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions to help Real Madrid clinch the LaLiga and Champions League double, and he also netted in their Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund.
The Brazilian won the award ahead of Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri and his teammate at Real, England's Jude Bellingham.
Mexican side Pachuca won the FIFA Challenger Cup match on penalties in Qatar on Saturday by edging Egyptian side Al Ahly 6-5 after a dour goalless draw following extra time and will face Real Madrid in next week's Intercontinental Cup final.
Pachuca won the shootout after missing their first two penalties to become only the second Concacaf team to reach the final of the competition against European champions Real, which takes place at the Lusail Stadium on Wednesday.
Real Madrid's French forward Kylian Mbappé has been diagnosed with an injury to his left thigh, the LaLiga club said on Thursday, making him a doubt for next week's FIFA Intercontinental Cup final.
Mbappé was replaced during the first half of Real's 3-2 win at Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, having given his side the lead with a 10th minute goal.
Kylian Mbappé injury update
Premier League champions Manchester City were drawn on Thursday with Juventus, Wydad AC and Al Ain in Group G for next year's FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Lionel Messi and Major League Soccer's Inter Miami are in Group A and will face Al Ahly in the opening match of the expanded 32-team tournament before games against Porto and Palmeiras.
2025 Club World Cup groups
Following are the 32 teams that have qualified for the expanded 2025 Club World Cup to be held in the United States from June 15 to July 13.
Apart from the winners of each confederation's premier club competitions, teams also qualified based on their ranking that was calculated based on their performances over a four-year period.
UEFA (12 TEAMS)
Chelsea: 2020-21 Champions League winners
Real Madrid: 2021-22 and 2023-24 Champions League winners
A spectacular Ronaldinho free kick vs Real Madrid Legends was the big highlight of Thursday’s 2-2 draw that Barcelona went on to win 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
The friendly game, played in Qatar, saw some iconic names grace the field like Rivaldo, David Villa, Luís Figo, Clarence Seedorf and more.
In the 16th minute Barcelona’s former No. 10 rolled back the years with a top-bins free kick. Ronaldinho has a history of gorgeous free kicks, and it appears he hasn’t lost his touch.
Ronaldinho free kick vs Real Madrid Legends
Lionel Messi wants to return to Barcelona. The city, that is.
In an interview with FC Barcelona, the club’s all-time goalscorer and greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi, joined the blaugrana’s for a quick chat, taking a listen and judging the three finalist songs of the club’s 125th anniversary.
Messi has officially listened to the three finalists of FC Barcelona's 125th Anniversary song! pic.twitter.com/nvCGJhms6N
MADRID, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr scored a hat-trick to help the LaLiga champions snap a two-game winless run in all competitions with a commanding 4-0 victory over Osasuna on Saturday.
The Brazilian forward opened the scoring in the 34th minute after taking a Jude Bellingham pass in his stride to beat the offside trap and firing an unstoppable strike past goalkeeper Sergio Herrera.
¡Vinicius con el 1-0!
PARIS — France have left Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé out of their squad to face Israel and Italy in this month's two Nations League games, coach Didier Deschamps said on Thursday as his captain's absence now stretches to four matches.
Deschamps did not say whether Mbappe, who played for Real in their Champions League home defeat by AC Milan on Tuesday, was injured, arguing his choice was a "one-off decision" and that the player "wanted to come" and join the team.
Kylian Mbappé France roster exclusion