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      Former Fifa president Sepp Blatter, 84, rushed to hospital and is in serious but stable condition

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      FORMER FIFA president Sepp Blatter is in hospital in a ‘serious but stable’ condition.
      Reports in Switzerland claim the 84-year-old was rushed to hospital on Thursday.

      Sepp Blatter is in hospital in a serious conditionCredit: AFP or licensors

      According to Blick, Blatter is not believed to be in a life-threatening condition.
      His daughter Corrina confirmed he is getting better every day as she asked for privacy.
      She told Blick: “My father is in the hospital and is getting better every day. He needs time and rest.
      “On behalf of my family, I ask for privacy.”

      He was also hospitalised in November 2015 and July 2016 with health issues.
      Blatter became the eighth president of FIFA after he secured the role in 1998.
      But he resigned from his post as president in 2015 amid a corruption scandal.
      He was found to have made a “disloyal” £1.6million payment to Michel Platini.

      Sepp Blatter was invited to the World Cup in 2018 by Vladimir PutinCredit: AFP or licensors

      The Swiss chief is now serving a six-year ban from football over ethics violations.
      But he has always denied any wrongdoing.
      Blatter started legal proceedings against FIFA in 2019 over his watch collection that he left in his office.
      And the disgraced former president also accused the governing body of ‘moral damage’.
      He launched an attack on Fifa chiefs during an explosive interview with the BBC.
      He said: “These are my watches, give me my watches.
      “It’s important for me. I worked in the watch industry and I made my collection.
      “Forty-one years they were [at Fifa], I could have taken them home, a long time ago.
      “Why are they fighting for these watches?
      “There is no respect, there is no respect by the president [Gianni Infantino].”

      Michel Platini arrested in France over ‘corrupt bid’ for 2022 World Cup in Qatar More

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      Robert Lewandowski shows off his incredible 2020 trophy haul while lying in bed after Bayern Munich’s historic year

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      ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI is deservedly in the mood to relax – as he showed off his incredible 2020 trophy haul lying in bed.
      The Bayern Munich star, 32, enjoyed a stellar 12 months and took to social media this New Year’s Eve to demonstrate just how successful it was.

      The Bayern Munich star was in top form all year, scoring 45 goals in 41 official appearancesCredit: AFP or licensors

      Posing topless and propped up under his duvet, the Polish striker joked: “Woke up like this – version upgraded,” with silverware surrounding him after posting a similar photo with the Champions League trophy.
      Next to him on the pillow is the famous big ears, sealed in August with a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain.
      The large gold trophy beside his left shoulder is the DFB-Pokal – the German Cup – which Lewandowski helped seal with two goals in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.
      Bayern’s other team trophies won in 2020 were the Bundesliga, the plate at the bottom of the picture, the German Supercup and the Uefa Super Cup, on the large silver trophies on the left and right respectively.

      His stunning tally of 55 goals in 47 matches in the 2019-20 season – including 34 in 31 Bundesliga matches and 15 in ten in the Champions League – saw Lewandowski pick up his fair share of individual accolades, too.
      Domestically, he was crowned Bundesliga Player of the Year (trophy next to Uefa Super Cup with brown base and golden ball) and Bundesliga top scorer (cannon trophy) as well as winning a host of German awards.
      The golden ball in the glass box is the trophy the ex-Borussia Dortmund man was presented with earlier in December for winning Tuttosport’s Golden Player Award.
      The similar trophy on the left is Lewandowski’s Globe Soccer Award picked up in Dubai after Christmas.

      Lewandowski was unsurprisingly named Uefa’s Forward of the Year, scoring the most goals in last season’s Champions League on Bayern’s way to lifting the trophy.
      That trophy is the small silver Champions League ball above his Bundesliga Player of the Year gong.
      Then come the biggest individual awards.
      Sticking with Uefa, the celebrating headless player trophy was given to their Men’s Player of the Year 2019-20.
      And last but by no means least is arguably The Best of the lot.
      Lewandowski has his right hand on Fifa’s The Best Men’s Player 2020 award as he saw off the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to officially be the No1 male footballer on the planet for this year.

      The only trophy missing for Lewandowski was the Ballon d’Or.
      He was favourite to win the prestigious honour from France Football before the organisers scrapped this year’s award due to Covid-19.
      Including various media gongs, golden boots, personal accolades and team trophies, Lewandowski’s remarkable haul stands at more than 25 different awards in 2020.
      To round it off, a return of 45 goals in 40 official matches across all competitions in the calendar year places him top of the pile in world football (top three tiers) – four ahead of Ronaldo and ten more than third-placed Romelu Lukaku.
      Not a bad 12 months for the striker who almost joined Blackburn Rovers in 2010 before the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud prevented a deal going through.

      Lewandowski was the top scorer in Bayern’s successful run in the Champions League last seasonCredit: Reuters

      Fifa president Gianni Infantino points to The Best male footballer on the planet in 2020Credit: Getty – Pool

      One of the final awards of the year for Lewandowski was the Globe Soccer Best Player of the Year gongCredit: AFP

      The only major award he did not get his hands on was the real Ballon d’Or as the vote was scrapped for 2020Credit: Instagram

      Robert Lewandowski 2020 Awards & Records

      Bundesliga winner 2019-20
      DFB-Pokal winner 2019-20
      DFL-Supercup winner 2019-20
      Champions League winner 2019-20
      Uefa Super Cup winner 2020
      The Best Fifa Men’s Player 2020
      Uefa Men’s Player of the Year 2019-20
      Champions League Forward of the Season 2019-20
      World Soccer Player of the Year 2020
      Globe Soccer Best Player of the Year 2020
      Tuttosport Golden Player 2020
      FourFourTwo Player of the Year 2020
      Footballer of the Year in Germany 2020
      VDV Bundesliga Player of the Season 2019-20
      Bundesliga Player of the Season 2019-20
      Bundesliga top scorer 2019-20
      DFB-Pokal top scorer 2019-20
      Champions League top scorer 2019-20
      Champions League top assist provider 2019-20
      Champions League Squad of the Season 2019-20
      ESM Team of the Year 2019–20
      IFFHS Men’s World Team 2020
      Bundesliga Team of the Season 2019-20
      VDV Team of the Season 2019-20
      Kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season 2019-20
      Bayern Munich Player of the Season 2019-20
      Bundesliga Player of the Month October 2020
      Goal 50 2019–20
      FIFA FIFPro World11 2020

      Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski delighted with FIFA award after outstanding year More

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      PSG vs Istanbul Basaksehir official set to quit football after becoming embroiled in race row

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      RACE ROW Romanian ref Sebastian Coltescu looks set to dodge a 10-game ban – by quitting football.
      Disgraced Coltescu and the rest of his colleagues were replaced by officials from Holland and Poland when the abandoned match between PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir restarted for the remaining 76 minutes in the Parc des Princes.

      Pierre Webo was fuming at the actions of Sebastian ColtescuCredit: Icon Sport – Getty

      The players from both sides, who had refused to play on after Coltescu’s touchline comments to Istanbul coach Pierre Webo, warmed up wearing “No to Racism” T-shirts.
      They then gathered round the centre-circle before the match recommenced with a free-kick for the Turkish champions.
      Uefa, who announced ‘an ethics and disciplinary inspector’ had been appointed to head the urgent investigation, were relieved to get the match completed without any other incidents.
      But it seems that any sanction European chiefs might want to impose of Coltescu will be rendered moot as he had already announced Tuesday’s game was due to be his last before retiring.

      Uefa rules confirm Coltescu would be liable to be hit with the same 10-match ban as a player for racism.
      But the fourth official had already been removed from the FIFA referee’s list for future appointments as he had signalled his intention to quit after a final Champions League match
      Coltescu told Romanian reporters he had done nothing wrong, insisting: “I just try to be good.
      “I’m not going to read any news these next few days. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not racist. At least, that’s what I hope.”

      Demba Ba was fuming with what he had the fourth official sayCredit: AFP or licensors

      PSG stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar wore the ‘Say No To Racism’ shirts for the re-arranged gameCredit: AFP or licensors

      Uefa’s probe will be a matter of urgency.
      But Euro chiefs have also been informed of reports in the Romanian media that Coltescu has previously attempted to take his own life after sustained criticism of his performances in domestic football and recognises it has a duty of care towards him.
      Meanwhile, Uefa may have to investigate racism TOWARDS Coltescu from one of the Istanbul party after video surfaced of an unidentified member of the Basaksehir staff shouting: “In my country, Romanians are gypsies.” More

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      Agent Eric Hall represented shiftier side of football, greed was not only good, it was his business before his death

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      SHOWBIZ grasped football by the throat when Eric Hall became an agent. And the wallet, of course.
      He represented the shiftier side of our game. Proud of his roots in the East End, he was the little man’s Lew Grade who, in between puffing on a gigantic cigar, told whoppers and managed to add a few noughts to transfer fees.

      Legendary football agent Eric Hall died last month aged 73Credit: Rex Features

      For him, greed was not only good, it was his business. He had no real interest in the game. As he used to boast . . . “I ain’t interested in the clubs, I want all I can get for my players.”
      For himself, too.
      Hall died last month, aged 73. Tributes poured in from the usual suspects, ‘Razor’ Ruddock, Dennis Wise, Terry Venables. They all loved a “laff” with the little monster. To be honest, I did occasionally myself.
      In showbiz his punk attitudes — he was a mate of the Sex Pistols — went down well. He could usually guarantee big publicity. Football was an open goal for his type, though.

      His discovery was that it was rich at the top level and highly competitive, too. His was the copybook for the super-agents who have followed.
      Somehow it is appropriate that at almost the same time he died, Fifa are finally putting forward proposals to control agents.
      With hindsight, Eric was dealing in high stakes while today’s middlemen have been setting their own ever since Fifa ignominiously surrendered in trying to cut them down to size five years ago.
      The figures are breathtaking. Fifa estimate that just under half a billion pounds was spent on agents’ fees, a rise on the previous year of 19.3 per cent.

      The percentage of answers have been round up or down from their decimal points

      And notoriously, Mino Raiola is reported as having taken away £25million when he represented Juventus, the selling club, Manchester United, the buyers, and Paul Pogba, the player, in 2016.
      Raiola laughed all the way to the bank when he used about £9m of the Pogba haul to buy Al Capone’s house in Florida. But he may not be laughing for long as triple representation (acting for player, buyer and seller) will no longer be allowed if new rules are passed.
      Fifa have been smarting for years. They have had to sit and watch as agents have ripped away their control of the game.
      Now they are prepared to tackle their tormentors and resume as the regulating authority of the game.

      Modern super agent Mino Raiola reeled in millions through client Paul PogbaCredit: Getty – Contributor

      Raiola represented Pogba, United and Juventus but new rules could prevent a repeatCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Fifa is far, far from perfect. It has crippled itself through corruption in the executive committee that voted for Russia and Qatar as World Cup venues.
      Still, they are all we have and if their latest proposals are the basis of new regulations then the boardrooms of every big club will stand and applaud.
      Fifa aim to cap the amount agents can earn and also make them pass ‘character tests’ and be subject to a code of conduct which will include the fact that they will ‘always adhere to the truth’.
      Well, that might be the hardest rule of all to enforce!

      Watch Mino Raiola hang up on Simon Jordan in furious row over Ibrahimovic’s FIFA 21 image rights live on talkSPORT More

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      Huge offside overhaul backed by Fifa which would mean player onside if any part of body overlaps with last defender

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      FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has thrown his weight behind Arsene Wenger’s planned reform of the offside laws.
      SunSport revealed earlier this year how former Arsenal manager Wenger, now head of Fifa’s global development department, wants a radical change to stop ‘marginal offsides’.

      Fifa boss Gianni Infantino is ready to adopt Arsene Wenger’s offside changesCredit: PA:Press Association

      Under the Wenger plan, set to be on the table at the annual business meeting of the law-making body Ifab on December 16, an attacking player will be onside if any part of his body overlaps the last defender.
      Infantino said: “The offside rule has evolved over the last 100 years.
      “Arsene and our head of refereeing, Pierluigi Collina, are debating if they can make it better and foster offensive football.
      “The question is whether we should give more advantage to the attacking player, which is always how the rule has evolved.

      “That would mean no more ‘marginal offsides’, as we are seeing with VAR, because the player would really have to be in front of the defender.
      “I know that attackers and midfielders are very favourable to this, while goalkeepers and defenders have more worries.
      “Ifab will be dealing with this later this month.” 
      Controversial decisions – such as the one to rule out Patrick Bamford’s effort against Crystal Palace after he pointed where he wanted the ball – may no longer be scrubbed off.

      Patrick Bamford’s goal against Crystal Palace was ruled out for offside by VARCredit: supplied by Pixel8000

      The Leeds forward’s strike was ruled out last month in another VAR ‘armpit offside’ and pundit Robbie Savage branded it the worst call ‘in the history of football’.
      In October, Ifab said it was ready to green-light concussion substitute trials in January.
      And the issue has returned to the spotlight after Raul Jimenez and David Luiz’s horror clash left the Mexican needing surgery on a fractured skull.

      Arsene Wenger says competition is real and that he’s realised he was a monster More

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      Premier League handball rule set to change AGAIN next season to stop penalties like Eric Dier’s against Newcastle

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      FOOTBALL chiefs are ready to agree ANOTHER change in the handball Law.
      But it will not come into effect until next season.

      Ifab are set to change the handball rule again which would see this Eric Dier incident no longer an automatic penaltyCredit: Kevin Quigley-The Daily Mail

      The alteration, set to be approved by the International FA Board, will mean the penalty controversially conceded by Spurs’ Eric Dier against Newcastle at the start of the season will no longer be an automatic spot kick.
      Under current Laws, if the ball strikes the arm or hand above the shoulder, referees have no option but to punish the offence.
      But the change, set to be endorsed next month and confirmed in March – and to take effect from June 1 – will hand back discretion when the defender’s action is judged to be “part of the natural movement”.
      In the case of Dier, his back was towards Andy Carroll when the header struck him.

      But the referee could now rule that he was using his arms to gain elevation and not in an attempt to block the ball.
      Referees are also set to be told they should not punish a player who handles when he is protecting his face against the ball.
      Ifab will also officially endorse the handball interpretation giving referees more leeway when the ball is struck at their arms from close distance.
      This was a dispensation given to Premier League chiefs in September.

      There were further pleas from Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin for a relaxation of the rigid rulebook.
      However, no other changes will be presented to next month’s Annual Business Meeting of the Law-making body.

      Current Laws mean the ball striking the arm or hand above the shoulder is punishedCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      Victor Lindelof was caught out by the harsh ruling when he conceded a spot kick against Crystal PalaceCredit: Eddie Keogh Telegraph Media Group

      Jamie Ohara says that says referees must be responsible for the handball farce in the Premier League More

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      More than 300 players join Zlatan Ibrahimovic in fight against FIFA 21 and EA Sports over name and image rights

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      MINO RAIOLA revealed at least 300 players have joined Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the fight against EA Sports’ use of player name and image rights in FIFA 21.
      The super agent insists he will not give up the battle with EA Sports, world football governing body Fifa and the players’ union Fifpro.

      Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mino Raiola are working out how to take on Fifa, Fifpro and EA Sports over image rights used in FIFA 21Credit: Instagram @iamzlatanibrahimovic

      Ibrahimovic took to social media on Monday calling for an investigation into FIFA 21, alleging EA Sports used the AC Milan striker’s name and face without permission in their video game.
      Spurs star Gareth Bale followed up Zlatan’s tweet with his support to find out who allowed the developers to use his rights.
      And Raiola claimed this is ‘the beginning of something new’ with hundreds of players also demanding answers from the sport.
      He told The Telegraph: “It won’t just be Zlatan or Gareth Bale. We have around 300 requests from players.

      “We will go until the end, if necessary, against Fifa and Fifpro and everybody who sells rights they don’t have.
      “This is one of the biggest disgraces involving Fifa who want to weaken the players to become slaves.
      “But I will not allow that. Zlatan is not a marionette, Zlatan is not someone you can tell to do something he doesn’t want to do.
      “The nice thing about this is that it is being brought by players. He is committed to the cause.

      Gamers can use the AC Milan striker in the latest edition of the game

      The powerful agent has already received 300 requests from players trying to get to the bottom of the issueCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “The question is very simple: Fifa and Fifpro are profiting from the rights that EA Sports happily buy from them but they buy rights that they don’t have.
      “The individual image rights of the player are not with Fifa, Fifpro or AC Milan. They belong to the player himself.
      “If EA Sports wants to continue the business like they do we will bring them to court but not only that we will bring to court everyone who is selling the rights that they don’t have. So if that is Fifpro, that’s Fifpro. If that is Fifa, that’s Fifa.”
      Ibrahimovic opened the debate with his tweet which explained he is not a member of the union Fifpro and therefore questioned who had given EA Sports permission to his likeness.
      He said: “Who gave FIFA EA Sport permission to use my name and face? @FIFPro?
      “I’m not aware to be a member of Fifpro and if I am I was put there without any real knowledge through some weird manoeuvre.
      “And for sure I never allowed @FIFAcom or Fifpro to make money using me.
      “Somebody is making profit on my name and face without any agreement all these years. Time to investigate.”

      Somebody is making profit on my name and face without any agreement all these years.Time to investigate
      — Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official) November 23, 2020

      Gareth Bale weighed in on the debate, adding: “Interesting… what is @FIFPro? #TimeToInvestigate.”
      EA Sports told SunSport they are allowed to use the pair’s details due to deals they have in place with AC Milan and the Premier League.
      A statement read: “We are aware of discussions around licensing of players in EA Sports FIFA. The current situation being played out on social media is an attempt to draw FIFA 21 into a dispute between a number of 3rd parties and has little to do with EA Sports.
      “To be very clear, we have contractual rights to include the likeness of all players currently in our game. As already stated, we acquire these licenses directly from leagues, teams, and individual players.
      “In addition, we work with Fifpro to ensure we can include as many players as we can to create the most authentic game.
      “In these instances, our rights to player likenesses are granted through our club agreement with AC Milan and our long-standing exclusive partnership with the Premier League, which includes all players for Tottenham Hotspur.”

      Zlatan Ibrahimovic calls for investigation into FIFA 21 as EA Sports ‘use his name and face without permission’ More

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      Villas-Boas wants every No10 shirt in world retired in Maradona tribute – but which current icons would lose the jersey?

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      ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS called on Fifa to retire the No10 shirt for every team in the world as a tribute to Diego Maradona.
      The Argentine legend wore the iconic number at Barcelona, Napoli, Boca Juniors and for his country.

      Andre Villas-Boas wants Fifa to retire the No10 shirt across all of football following Diego Maradona’s deathCredit: Sports Illustrated – Getty

      And after his tragic death aged 60 following a heart attack on Wednesday, the Marseille manager wants to see his legacy remembered with the jersey no longer used in world football.
      Villas-Boas said of Maradona’s passing: “Yes it is tough news.
      “I would like Fifa to retire the No10 shirt in all competitions, for all teams.
      “It would be the best homage we could do for him.

      “He is an incredible loss for the world of football.”
      Maradona was wearing the No10 as he led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986.
      That includes the famous quarter-final against England where he scored the ‘Hand of God’ goal and the incredible solo effort in the Azteca Stadium, Mexico.
      Since then, the likes of Ronaldinho, Francesco Totti and – most famously of all – Maradona’s compatriot Lionel Messi have become synonymous with wearing the No10.

      Current No10s who would lose their number

      Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
      Christian Pulisic (Chelsea)
      Harry Kane (Tottenham)
      Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
      Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich)
      Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
      Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
      Marcus Rashford (Man Utd)
      Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)
      Neymar (PSG)
      Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
      Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
      Sergio Aguero (Man City)
      Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Dortmund)

      And Villas-Boas’ appeal would see Messi, Neymar, Sadio Mane, Marcus Rashford and Luka Modric have to change numbers.
      Napoli have already retired the No10 in honour of Maradona, who helped the club to their two Serie A titles in 1986-87 and 1989-90.
      Argentina tried to do the same in 2001 but the request to not use the number at the 2002 World Cup was blocked by Fifa.
      Others clubs have retired shirt numbers in the past to honour specific legends – such as the No10 at Brescia for Roberto Baggio, Javier Zanetti’s No4 at Inter Milan, the No14 Johan Cruyff wore at Ajax and the West Ham No6 for Bobby Moore.

      Other times it has been following the death of a player who wears that shirt like Fiorentina’s Davide Astori who wore No13 and Beijing Enterprises’ No24 worn by Chieck Tiote.
      Tributes poured in from across the footballing world for one of the sport’s greatest players of all time, who died exactly 15 years after his hero George Best.
      Pele, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham were among those who took to social media to share their memories of the maverick and send their condolences to his family.
      Thousands took to the streets in Buenos Aires, where he died, as well as Naples on Wednesday evening.
      ⚠️ Read our Diego Maradona death live blog for the latest news & updates

      Maradona wore the No10 shirt for the famous World Cup quarter-final against England in 1986Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      The Marseille boss wants to see Fifa take a stance across the whole of footballCredit: AFP or licensors

      Diego Maradona’s legendary career in numbers, as Argentine legend dies aged 60 More