STORIES

Before making his mark amongst the elite, the centre-back grew up steeped in a tradition that began in 1905. Discover his more human side and the source of his composure.

He shone at the World Cup and is now on Manchester City’s radar as a potential replacement for Rodri. Here’s a look at the player tipped to take the Spaniard’s place.

The Ballon d'Or ceremony is fast approaching, and with it, the questions we all ask ourselves. Among them: what does it take to win the ultimate trophy? Here are all the answers.

After weeks of rumours and offers, the Brazilian winger has made a final decision on his professional future and confirmed which team he will play for in the 2026–27 season.

The Bayern and Germany star is admired for his versatility, along with an in-game intelligence that facilitates it. But that wasn’t always so. It took the shrewd eye of a genius to see something more…

Following a glorious spell at Liverpool, the ‘Pharaoh’ has arrived in Turkish football with a clear mission. Find out what his goals are at Trabzonspor.

Franco Baresi’s funeral on Tuesday saw Ballon d’Or royalty and a cast of thousands pay their final respects to a true great…

We take a look at what the stars who shone at the ‘Ballon d'Or’ gala are up to now, and at their standout moments at the awards ceremony.

Discover the story of the young Moroccan player who dazzled at the World Cup and is now a candidate to replace Rodri at Manchester City.

An iconic figure at AC Milan, the legendary Italian defender has passed away at the age of 66 following a private battle with illness. We look back at his life and illustrious career.

Discover the family pact that shaped Rodri Hernández’s life. From a student living in a university hall of residence to the social-media-free midfielder who won the World Cup and the ‘Ballon d'Or’.

One of only a handful of South Korean footballers to be nominated for a Ballon d’Or award, Kang-in Lee is used to meeting challenges head-on. This though could be his biggest to date…

The Ballon d'Or ceremony is fast approaching, and with it, the questions we're all asking. Among them: has a player ever been crowned without winning a team title? We dug through the archives and the data to find the answer.

Is winning football's most coveted individual award on the eve of a World Cup a blessing or an omen of failure? To answer this puzzle, we dive into the historical archives of the Ballon d'Or and track all the data since its creation in 1956. Discover how football's greatest award has intertwined with the fate of World Cups over seven decades.

Ballon d'Or’s all-time top scorer put in an outstanding performance at the 2026 World Cup. We take a look at his best statistics and all-time records.

Three players nominated for the ‘Ballon d'Or’ award will have to become Argentina’s new leading figures following the World Cup and the possible retirement of the veteran players.

In the fourth and final instalment of our series on the performances of the Kopa Trophy nominees at the 2026 World Cup, the spotlight is on João Neves, the Portuguese midfielder who was nominated for the award in 2024 and 2025.

The latest instalment in our four-part series, which analyses the performances of former Kopa Trophy nominees at the 2026 World Cup, focuses on Florian Wirtz. The German, who was nominated for the award in 2021 and 2022, arrived at the tournament as one of the German national team’s great hopes.

The latest in our four-part series assesses the World Cup output of Kopa Trophy nominee Ayyoub Bouaddi, whose stock has risen substantially following an impactful tournament.

In the first of a four-part series we assess the World Cup output of Kopa Trophy nominees, beginning with Turkey’s brightest talent, a runner-up in 2024.