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    FIFA 21 predicts next 15 players to win Ballon d’Or after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

    FIFA 21 has been used to guess the next 15 Ballon d’Or winners.
    Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have won 11 of the last 12 and a YouTuber has figured out who might win the next 15 using FIFA 21’s career mode.

    FIFA 21 has been used to guess the next 15 Ballon d’Or winners Credit: EA Sports

    Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have won 11 of the last 12 awardsCredit: AFP or licensors

    Messi has bagged a record six Ballons d’OrCredit: AFP or licensors

    The 2020 award was cancelled for the first time in 64 years by France Football because of coronavirus.
    Robert Lewandowski was hot favourite to bag the award after a Champions League and Bundesliga-winning season.
    Messi is the current holder of the award having won a historic sixth in 2019.
    And YouTuber BCHDGaming has simulated the next 15 seasons on FIFA 21’s career mode to see who might be the winners of the future.

    2020 – CRISTIANO RONALDO
    Nominees: Lewandowski, Mo Salah, Sadio Mane.

    Ronaldo – 2020Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2021 – LIONEL MESSI
    Nominees: Neymar, Mbappe, Raheem Sterling.

    Messi – 2021Credit: EA Sports FIFA

    2022 – KYLIAN MBAPPE
    Nominees: Messi, Jadon Sancho, Sterling.

    Mbappe – 2022Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2023 – KYLIAN MBAPPE
    Nominees:Sterling, Vinicius Jr, Paulo Dybala.

    Mbappe – 2023Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2024 – RAHEEM STERLING
    Nominees: Inaki Williams, Joao Felix, Mbappe.

    Sterling – 2024Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2025 – JOAO FELIX
    Nominees: Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Matheus Cunha.

    Felix – 2025Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2026 – KYLIAN MBAPPE
    Nominees: Francisco Trincao, Ansu Fati, Felix.

    Mbappe – 2026Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2027 – VINICIUS JR
    Nominees: Luis Javier Suarez, Adam Hlozek, Mbappe.

    Vinicius Jr – 2027Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2028 – VINICIUS JR
    Nominees: Mbappe, Felix, Hlozek.

    Vinicius Jr – 2028Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2029 – AMARA NGOM (Sadio Mane regen)
    Nominees: Mbappe, Lautaro Martinez, Jonathan David.

    Ngom – 2029Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2030 – BOA MORTE (Cristiano Ronaldo regen)
    Nominees: Fati, Trincao, Mbappe.

    Boa Morte – 2030Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2031 – JUAN GOMEZ (Lionel Messi regen)
    Nominees: Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Boa Morte.

    Gomez – 2031Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2032 – ALEXANDER ISAK
    Nominees: Erling Haaland, Sancho, Mbappe.

    Isak – 2032Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2033 – KYLIAN MBAPPE
    Nominees: Vinicius Jr, Leonel Lodico (Sergio Aguero regen), Juan Gomez.

    Mbappe – 2033Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    2034 – ANSU FATI
    Nominees: Konrad Dabrowski (Lewandowski regen), Haaland, Sancho.

    Fati – 2034Credit: EA Sports FIFA
    FIFA 21 is released today.

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    Alexis Sanchez scores twice in eight minutes in Inter’s win over Parma… as many as he managed in final Man Utd season

    INTER MILAN star Alexis Sanchez scored two goals in just eight minutes against Parma away on Thursday.
    That’s as many as he managed in his final season at Manchester United across all competitions in the 2018-2019 campaign.

    Inter Milan star Alexis Sanchez scored twice against ParmaCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Sanchez opened the scoring for Inter after 54 minutes when he latched on to a loose ball from ex-Old Trafford team-mate Romelu Lukaku.
    The ex-United and Arsenal star doubled the Nerazzurri’s lead just eight minutes later thanks to another assist from Lukaku, who is showcasing some sparkling form in the Serie A.
    Parma cut the deficit thanks to a close-range finish from Hernani in the 71st minute but that was all the fight they had left against the Serie A table-toppers who won 2-1.
    Sanchez celebrated with his team-mates in the dressing room after full-time and shared a picture of their backstage jubilation on Instagram.

    The forward has been enjoying a somewhat new lease on life under ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte at the San Siro.
    The Chile international scored more goals against Parma than he could muster on his final full season at United, where he found the net just once in the Premier League and the FA Cup.
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    Sanchez took the Premier League by storm in 2014 when he joined Arsenal from Barcelona following an impressive World Cup run with Chile.

    The 32-year-old went on to net a total of 80 goals in 166 matches throughout his four-year stint at the Emirates.
    United signed him mid-season in 2018 thinking they found their next big Old Trafford superstar but the Chilean registered a mere three-goal return across all competitions on his debut campaign.

    Following another hapless season with the Red Devils, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided to loan him out to Inter where he scored four goals, his best return in two years.
    The Serie A giants decided to buy him last summer and he currently counts five goals in 18 league outings this season.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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    Cristiano Ronaldo’s mum says she almost died from stroke and reveals family’s ‘torture’ by her hospital bed

    CRISTIANO RONALDO’S mother Dolores has revealed she thought she was going to die when she suffered a stroke this time last year.
    The 66-year-old was rushed to hospital on March 3, 2020, in her native island of Madeira after suffering an ischemic stroke.

    Dolores Aveiro posted this picture of Instagram as she commented on her strokeCredit: Instagram @doloresaveiroofficial

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s mother has spoken of her health scare a year after she suffered the strokeCredit: AFP – Getty

    Dolores Aveiro was discharged from hospital almost three weeks later as she stated that she was ‘recovering well’ and she thanked the doctors and medical team that treated her.
    And she has now taken to social media to speak in depth about her ordeal and the impact it had on her family.
    Captioning a photo of her on Instagram in the hospital captured 12 days after her stroke, she said: “A year ago today I saw my life almost running between my fingers.
    “And luckily I managed to hold on to a light, a light that pulled me up, a light that stubbornly insisted that it was just another obstacle to be overcome and another story of overcoming to tell.

    “I never spoke openly about what actually happened, just because I recovered to almost 100 per cent people think that nothing happened or that the scare I gave my children and those who really love me was small.”
    Before adding: “I stayed in a hospital bed, connected to dozens of wires and incubated. The hours after the stroke were torture.
    “They didn’t know how I was going to wake up, they didn’t know how the damage would be, they were afraid of losing me, fear that I would be disabled, without recognising them, and with many limitations.”
    She continued: “I woke up, a few hours later, not knowing what happened to me. I looked ahead and saw my children, around my bed. I was surrounded by machines, unable to move.

    Dolores has declared she thought she was going to die following the incidentCredit: Refer to Caption

    “I just remember seeing my grandson’s tears. Those living eyes looked at me with such love and then I screamed. I screamed, for the confusion that was going through my head. I screamed, I cried a lot.
    “The emotion was strong, at that moment, there was no one in that place who had not been moved.
    “At that moment, I thought it was almost over. I thought it was a farewell, a bitter farewell.
    “I was confused and lost, but I realised that, after all, I had just survived something very strong and for my four children, I would have to be strong and go back to being who I was.”

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    Zlatan Ibrahimovic met girlfriend Helena Seger in angry row over his Ferrari after he blocked off her car

    HELENA SEGER has revealed she met partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic after he blocked her car off with his Ferrari.
    The sparky AC Milan striker set model and businesswoman Helena, 50, off with his haphazard parking skills.

    Helena Seger has revealed her first encounter with Zlatan IbrahimovicCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    The Swedish striker’s Ferrari blocked off Seger’s Mercedes in a Malmo car parkCredit: Splash News

    And Helena has recalled the incident while admitting neither of them are ‘easy to live with’.
    She told Elle, via Corriere dello Sport: “He had parked his Ferrari badly in a car park in Malmo.
    “He had done so in a way that prevented my Mercedes from coming out.
    “Quite gruffly, I told him to move it right away.

    “And yes, he saw something that he liked.
    “It’s not easy to live with him, but I admit it, it isn’t with myself either.”

    Ibrahimovic watched on as AC Milan suffered another title race setback on WednesdayCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Swedish businesswoman Seger discussed her relationship with the strikerCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Together, Ibrahimovic and Seger have two children, sons Maximilian and Vincent.
    Talk of the pair getting married at some point was dismissed by the Swede, who insisted she does not want to be defined by her relationship.

    Helena continued: “I think I like Zlatan because I stand up to him, I too have an important background and I have built my career with a lot of sacrifice.
    “Getting married could disturb my sense of independence.
    “I don’t want to be labelled simply as the wife of a player, or the winner of a beauty contest.
    “I think people don’t know how much I have studied, worked and fought.”
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    Ibrahimovic, 39, is a known Ferrari fan and splashed out £1.4million on a Monza SP2 for his 38th birthday.
    However the expensive motor landed him in hot water when he was fined for a cruise around Malmo – because the vehicle was unregistered.
    The veteran forward, recently criticised for sparking a row with LeBron James over the NBA icon’s political activism, was absent as Milan drew 1-1 with Udinese on Wednesday night.
    AC face his old side Manchester United in the Europa League next week but he will miss the renuion due to a groin injury.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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    Ex-Man Utd star Ashley Young hoping to win Serie A title with Inter Milan ‘before sealing Watford free transfer’

    INTER MILAN star Ashley Young reportedly has his heart set on an emotional return to Watford in the summer.
    The 35-year-old – who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season – came through the ranks at Vicarage Road before joining Aston Villa in 2007.

    Ashley Young reportedly wants to join Watford when his contract with Inter Milan expires in the summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    But according to the Mirror, the ex-Manchester United ace is keen on returning to Hertfordshire where his family home is.
    They state that he is desperate to help Inter win a first Serie A title since 2010 with Antonio Conte’s side three points clear at the top of the table.
    And he would then seek a dream return to Watford – whether the club are plying their trade in the Premier League or Championship.
    Watford are currently third in the Championship table – ten points behind leaders Norwich and only behind Brentford on goal difference.

    Young featured in 110 games for the Hornets between 2003-2007, scoring 22 goals including 15 strikes in the 2005-06 season.
    The versatile winger – who can also play as a full-back – has made no secret of his desire to retire at his former stomping ground.
    Speaking on Watford’s ‘Golden Tales’ podcast in October, he said: “If I could go back and play there [at Watford] again, I would walk from Italy right now.
    “Because it’s what I know, it’s where I come from and it’s what allowed me to be who I am and get where I am.

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    “For me, at my age now, and you can ask my family, you can ask my agent, if I had the opportunity to go back and finish my career at Watford, I would jump at the chance.”
    Before adding: “I know what started my career. It was Watford.
    “I always say and I will always say it’s my home.”

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    Gianluigi Buffon reveals he might extend playing career AGAIN until aged 45 but will retire by end of 2023 season

    GIANLUIGI BUFFON could extend his career yet again this summer – but will finally hang up his gloves by 2023.
    The Italian goalkeeper, who boasts a World Cup, ten Serie A titles and a host of other trophies and records from a long playing career, turned 43 in January.

    Gianluigi Buffon has opened the door to playing until he is 45Credit: Getty Images – Getty

    Yet he continues to be a part of a Juventus side challenging on multiple fronts, coached by old team-mate Andrea Pirlo.
    In ten appearances this season, the veteran has kept six clean sheets including a 3-0 romp past Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the Champions League group stage.
    Buffon’s contract expires at the end of the campaign but the prospect of a new deal is on the horizon.
    The keeper told the Guardian: “I’ve learned nothing is certain in life.”

    He added: “Look, in my head, there truly is a final stop sign.
    “A maximum bar, which is June 2023, that is the maximum, really, really the maximum.
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    You never know, maybe there’s a reason, something I’m meant to go back there for. One last great story to write.
    Gianluigi Buffon

    “But I could also stop playing in four months.”

    Enjoying his second season in his second spell at Juve, Buffon had announced his retirement in 2017 – only to sign for Paris Saint-Germain.
    After lifting the Ligue 1 title, he made another surprise move by returning to Turin in a playing capacity.
    Should the legend reach the end of the 2022-23 season at the age of 45, he will have mastered a stunning 28-year career in the game.
    And Buffon has maintained his confidence in his abilities and added that he still may have ‘one last story to write’.
    He noted: “They say that when you reach my age, the decline happens all at once – from one moment to the next.

    Buffon began his career with Parma some 25 years agoCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    The goalkeeper famously helped Italy to their 2006 World Cup triumphCredit: Getty – Contributor

    “I don’t believe this. I feel what I feel, and the sensations I have within myself don’t make me think there is going to be some sudden collapse.
    “I am also someone who believes very strongly in fate, in destiny. When Juventus offered me the chance to come back, I thought, ‘Madonna!’.
    “You never know, maybe there’s a reason, something I’m meant to go back there for. One last great story to write.
    “So I have to be honest, there is also a part of this that comes down to that bit of ego all of us have.”
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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    Cristiano Ronaldo scores 20th goal in 21 Serie A games as Juventus beat Spezia 3-0 to keep faint title hopes alive

    CRISTIANO RONALDO scored his 20th goal in 21 Serie A games as Juventus kept their faint title hopes alive with a 3-0 win against lowly Spezia.
    Ronnie bagged his latest strike in the 89th minute, becoming the first player in Europe’s top five leagues to reach 20 league goals for the TWELFTH successive season.

    Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 20th league goal in 21 matches against SpeziaCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Juventus moved to within seven points of league leaders Inter Milan after Tuesday’s 3-0 winCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Federico Bernardeschi also played a crucial part off the bench, coming on to set up strikes for fellow sub Alvaro Morata and Federico Chiesa.
    It was a much-needed win for Andrea Pirlo, who came under heavy criticism following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Verona.
    The result means Juventus are seven points off league leaders Inter Milan.
    Juve have won the last NINE Scudettos, making them Italy’s dominant force over the past decade.

    Tuesday’s win against Spezia keeps their hopes alive, with Inter visiting Turin on the second-last day of the season.
    But Antonio Conte’s men look to be in pole position to secure a first title since the days of Jose Mourinho in 2010.
    Inter wrapped up their fifth successive Serie A win with a 3-0 victory over Genoa on Sunday.
    And they can move ten points above Juventus if they best Parma on Thursday.

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    Should Pirlo’s men fail to retain their title, they still have a Coppa Italia final against Atalanta to look forward to.
    But there is still work to be done in the ever-elusive Champions League.
    Juventus trail Porto 2-1 from the first leg of their last-16 tie.
    But Chiesa’s 82nd minute away goal in Portugal could prove pivotal in Juve’s home leg next week.

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    Torino given 3-0 loss after failing to turn up for Lazio game because they’re self-isolating after coronavirus outbreak

    TORINO were handed a 3-0 defeat after failing to turn up to play Lazio – because the team are self-isolating following a coronavirus outbreak.
    Eight Torino players and two staff members tested positive for Covid-19 with the more contagious variant detected in England identified in some cases.

    Lazio players conducted their pre-match ritual despite Torino’s squad being in self-isolationCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    The club’s training ground was closed by the local health authority last Tuesday with players and coaching staff forced into isolation.
    The quarantine period ends at midnight on Tuesday night – after the game more than 400 miles away in Rome was due to finish.
    However, with the game not officially called off until 45 minutes after the scheduled kick-off time, Lazio still followed their usual matchday routine, with the club even announcing the starting line-up on social media.
    The players walked around the Stadio Olimpico pitch and some even took selfies as they waited to find out what would happen.

    Serie A’s governing body held an emergency meeting earlier in the day but voted not to postpone the match.
    Torino president Urbano Cairo hit out at the league for the decision with his side unable to travel.
    He said: “The league cannot be defended [for] not taking note of the objective reality, a reality that says we cannot move or leave the city – that’s glaringly obvious.
    “I expect things to be done logically, if you add one plus one you shouldn’t have to do a thousand steps to get to two. The only logical consequence was to postpone the game.

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    Lazio tweeted out the team sheet and pre-match pictures as normal beforehand

    “Now we are waiting for the decision of the sporting judge. It is clear that we will appeal. We will make all possible appeals.”
    Torino can look to the example of Napoli from earlier in the season for hope.
    Like the Turin club, Napoli were unable to travel to play Juventus in October.
    They were handed a 3-0 loss and docked one point but the ruling was overturned on appeal by the Italian Olympic Committee after several failed attempts in other courts.
    Torino – who sit 17th in the league and just outside the relegation zone – last played on February 19, a 1-0 win over Cagliari, before the outbreak.
    Last Friday’s clash with Sassuolo has been rearranged for March 17.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

    Ciro Immobile discusses the situation with the referees and match officials before it was finally scrapped 45 minutes after the scheduled kick-off timeCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Lazio were all ready to play but Torino were back home more than 400 miles away unable to travel due to a Covid-19 outbreakCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Head coach Simone Inzaghi, right, revealed his team line-up for the match and his team have been handed a 3-0 winCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    Urbano Cairo, the Torino president, hit out at Serie A over their decision against postponing the matchCredit: Getty Images – Getty

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