Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario has named the player he believes deserves to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or award.The Ballon d’Or will now be awarded based on performances over the season, rather than the calendar year.The current season stretches from August 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023. The ceremony will take place at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30, while the nominees will be announced on September 6.After inspiring Argentina to their first World Cup title since 1986 in December, Lionel Messi became the firm favourite to win the prestigious individual accolade.The 35-year-old, who will leave Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami this summer, finally achieved his life-long ambition of becoming a world champion in his fifth (and presumably) final World Cup.However, Messi now faces competition from Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, who have won the treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League) with Manchester City.Two more City players, Ilkay Gundogan and Julian Alvarez (who won the World Cup alongside Messi), might also be in the mixOther contenders outside of Man City include Kylian Mbappe, who became only the second player in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.READ MORE:2023 Ballon d'Or favourites ranked including Messi, Haaland & Mbappe

Nike have produced some classic football adverts over the years, but their ’Secret Tournament’ advert from 2002 is arguably the most memorable of the lot.Twenty-four of the world’s best players were split into eight three-a-side teams. They competed on a ship, in a cage and there was only one rule: first goal wins.The ’Scorpion KO’ as it was otherwise referred to featured household names including Thierry Henry, Luis Figo, Paul Scholes, Roberto Carlos and the original Ronaldo.Furthermore, Manchester United legend Eric Cantona’s was the tournament’s referee.And if all that wasn’t enough, the advert was accompanied by one of the absolute banger that was ‘A Little Less Conversation’ by Elvis VS JXL.That song went to Number One in the UK charts thanks to Nike’s incredible advert and we’re immediately transported back to the summer of 2002 - simpler times, we can all agree - whenever we hear it.Watch the legendary ad here:

Brazilian legend Ronaldo has voiced his anger on social media after Real Valladolid had a goal controversially disallowed against Sevilla on Sunday.Valladolid - 17th in La Liga, one point above the relegation zone - thought they’d taken the lead at the end of the first half when Sergio Escudero found the net with a 30-yard strike.However, the goal was ruled out by referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias, who blew the half-time whistle as the ball was struck.Valladolid’s players and coaching staff were incensed by the decision.Sevilla went on to win the match, which was hosted at the Estadio Municipal José Zorrilla, 3-0 thanks to second-half goals from Rafa Mir, Papu Gomez, and Jesus Corona.

A clip of Ronaldo Nazario bumping into Lionel Messi at FIFA’s The Best award ceremony has gone viral on social media.The superstars are widely regarded as two of the greatest footballers of all time.Ronaldo - nicknamed O Fenomeno (The Phenomenon) - lit up global football during his peak years in the 1990s and early 2000s.Some people believe that the Brazilian would now be considered the greatest footballer of all time if he hadn’t suffered two career-threatening knee injuries midway through his illustrious career.As for Messi, well, the Argentine needs no introduction. After winning the World Cup in Qatar, the 35-year-old has nothing left to prove to anyone.Messi won FIFA’s The Best Men’s Player award for the second time at a glitzy ceremony in Paris on Monday evening.Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t in attendance, but the Portuguese icon’s namesake was.Read more: Cristiano Ronaldo fans accuse FIFA of mocking legend at The Best ceremonyWhile walking with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, Messi turned a corner and was embraced by a smiling Ronaldo.

Richarlison shone for Brazil at the 2022 World Cup.The Tottenham Hotspur star went into the tournament as Brazil's starting striker.He put in a string of impressive performances in Qatar.Richarlison scored three times during the competition, including a brilliant overhead kick against Serbia. It may well win the goal-of-the-tournament.Unfortunately for Richarlison and Brazil, they were defeated at the quarter-final in heartbreaking fashion by Croatia.Tite's side looked to be heading to the semi-finals when Neymar scored to make it 1-0 to Selecao in stoppage-time.But Bruno Petkovic's deflected strike sent the game to spot-kicks.And it was Croatia who emerged victorious as they dumped a shocked Brazil out of the competition.Richarlison was distraught after Brazil's exit from the competition as he cried on the pitch.

Richarlison was truly electric as Brazil swept their way past South Korea in an emphatic 4-1 win on Monday night.Having already announced himself at Qatar 2022 with a sensational brace against Serbia, the Tottenham Hotspur striker scored yet another 'Goal of the Tournament' contender at Stadium 974.Keeping the ball in the air with what were essentially headed keepy-ups, Richarlison could hardly have exuded the essence of Brazilian football more if he tried as he started and ended a sumptuous team goal.By the time that the ball returned to him in the penalty area and he duly swept the ball past Kim Seung-gyu, Brazil knew that they could simply canter their way to a quarter-final clash with Croatia.And there comes the true test, because although Brazil have reached the quarter-finals at the last eight World Cups, it's been 20 years since they got their hands on the trophy itself.As such, Richarlison and Brazil will need to be on top of their game to traverse three more 'cup finals' in order to stitch a sixth star above their most famous of badges.Check out our 2022 World Cup hub page

Brazil’s Rodrygo has gone viral following an interview with the legendary Ronaldo Nazario.Rodrygo, who plies his trade for Real Madrid, sat down with the retired striker for an interview on FIFA.com.The 21-year-old discussed how his first World Cup experience has been so far and whether he feels ready to step into Neymar’s shoes if the Paris Saint-Germain superstar fails to overcome an ankle injury.Ronaldo ended the interview by telling the young forward: “Go with everything, good luck! The whole of Brazil is rooting for you. Thanks!”Rodrygo clapped hands with Ronaldo before leaning over and brushing his hands over the legend’s legs.The initial look on R9’s face said it all. He didn’t know what Rodrygo was up to.The Brazil international then rubbed his hands over his own legs, much to Ronaldo’s amusement.

A schoolboy has been sent home after turning up in Ronaldo Nazario's iconic World Cup haircut, according to Hull Live.There were many rumours surrounding Ronaldo's fitness at the 2002 World Cup.So, to take attention away from his fitness, Ronaldo thought it would be a good idea to change his hairstyle.He proceeded to shave his head but leave a segment at the front, creating one of the most iconic hairstyles in football history.It worked how he hoped, too. The whole world stopped talking about his fitness and instead focused on his hair.He then scored in the semi-final before scoring twice in the final against Germany as Brazil were crowned world champions for the fifth time.Ronaldo Nazario - the king of the 2002 World Cup!

Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrated his 41st birthday on Monday.Most footballers that reach his age have already spent the past few years either in a dugout, studio or beach somewhere.But as Zlatan himself is always quick to remind the world: he’s far from your average footballer.Earlier this year the legendary Swedish forward said that he wanted to continue playing football until “someone better” than him comes along."I want to play as long as I can," Ibrahimovic told UEFA.com, per ESPN. "The reality is I'll play until I see that someone is better than me, so I'm still playing. The future is yet to be written."REGGIO NELL'EMILIA, ITALY - MAY 22: Zlatan Ibrahimovic of AC Milan celebrates with a cigar after their side finished the season as Serie A champions during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and AC Milan at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on May 22, 2022 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images)Zlatan went on to win the Serie A title with AC Milan before signing a one-year contract extension in the summer - despite the fact he was recovering from a serious knee injury.The veteran striker is yet to appear this season but is expected to return to action in the New Year.As it’s Ibra’s birthday, let’s cast our minds back to when he named his dream five-a-side team in 2015."I need no defenders, only attackers," Zlatan told UEFA, suggesting that every one would have to take turns in goal.

We may never see an out-and-out striker quite like Ronaldo Nazario again.Had the Brazilian icon avoided serious knee injuries while he was at Inter Milan, he'd almost certainly be in the 'GOAT' debate alongside Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Pele.As a youngster, Ronaldo was quite simply unplayable. He averaged close to a goal a game at PSV Eindhoven as a baby-faced teenager, before dropping one of the great individual seasons at Barcelona in 1996/97.The man aptly nicknamed 'Il Fenomeno' scored 47 times in 49 appearances and halfway through the campaign at the end of 1996, he won the first of his three FIFA World Player of the Year awards at the age of just 20 - making him the youngest player to collect the accolade.Then at 21, Ronaldo scooped the 1997 Ballon d'Or, which saw him become the youngest ever recipient of that award too, a record that remains intact to this very day.The guy is the definition of an all-time great and the story of his career is one that needs to be taught to the younger generation.

Ronaldinho or Neymar: who you got?Well, that's the question on many football fans' lips at the moment as a fascinating debate about the two Brazilian icons is currently unfolding on social media.Twitter user @neyhoIic - take from that username what you will - has seemingly sparked a deluge of back and forth online by posting a viral video that they believe shows a key area of superiority for Neymar over his compatriot.

Luciano Spalletti has enjoyed a long and successful career in football.Spalletti enjoyed a decent career as a professional footballer where he played in Italy's lower leagues for a number of clubs including Entella, Spezia and Empoli.He retired from football in 1993 and promptly turned to management.Spalletti has gone on to coach a number of Italy's top teams, including Roma and Inter Milan, while he has also managed Udinese, Sampdoria and Zenit St Petersburg.Now 63, he is currently manager of Napoli. He guided the Italian club to a 3rd place finish and Champions League qualification in the 2021/22 season.Spalletti has managed so many world-class players while he has come up against plenty more.The Napoli manager is a keen collector of football shirts and he's now shown his incredible collection in an interview with DAZN. We're not joking - his collection may well be unbeatable. View it below...

Twenty years have now passed since Nike released a serious contender for the greatest football advert of all time.If you remember the 2002 World Cup, then you’ll almost certainly remember Nike’s iconic ’Secret Tournament’ commercial in the build-up to that summer’s showpiece tournament in South Korea and Japan.Twenty-four of the world’s best footballers - including the likes of Thierry Henry, Ronaldo Nazario, Roberto Carlos, Paul Scholes, Ronaldinho and Luis Figo - were split into eight three-a-side teams.Refereed by Manchester United legend Eric Cantona, the ’Scorpion KO’ saw the eight teams compete in a cage, on a ship, with only one rule: first goal wins.The producers of the advert nailed the soundtrack. ‘A Little Less Conversation’ by Elvis vs JXL was one of the biggest hits of 2002 and is still a banger today.It’s impossible not to be transported back to 2002 whenever you hear the song, which reached No. 1 in various charts across the world including the UK that summer.

Michael Owen was a fantastic footballer in his pomp.While the Englishman's punditry in the present day is often questionable, it must not be forgotten just how good of a player he was.In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Owen was one of the most feared strikers in world football.As a youngster at Liverpool, he had defenders quivering in fear with his pace and clinical finishing.Owen scored 157 goals in 296 games for the Reds and even scooped the coveted Ballon d'Or award in 2001 while on the team's payroll.The 42-year-old also thrived on the international stage, bagging 40 goals in 89 appearances for England - including a memorable hat-trick against Germany in a World Cup qualifier.Yeah, Owen's playing career was pretty darn good, especially when you remember he enjoyed a successful year at Real Madrid too.MADRID, SPAIN - OCTOBER 23: Michael Owen of Real Madrid celebrates his goal during the La Liga match between Real Madrid v Valencia at the Bernabau stadium on October 23, 2004 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)When you have the honour of representing Los Blancos, England, Liverpool and Manchester United, you're going to be able to name a stellar XI made up of former teammates.And that's exactly what Owen did back in 2017.He was asked to name the best XI of footballers he's played alongside during a feed show with Steve Bower.Owen also named the greatest XI of players he played against.Needless to say, both teams are god-tier level...

‘Goooooooalaccio!’If this immediately brings back memories of lazy weekend mornings watching Italian football on Channel 4 then you’ve come to the right place.If that doesn’t ring any bells but ‘GOAL LAZIO!’ does, then you’re also in the right place - although today is the day you realise you’ve been getting the line wrong all these years. Fear not, it’s a common mistake we’ve all made!For those of you still left scratching your heads, we’re referring to Football Italia - a much-loved 90s show dedicated to showing Italian football when Serie A was home to most of the world’s best players.The programme was hosted by the legendary James Richardson who, sat outside a cafe with a delicious looking dessert, would go through various Italian newspapers and discuss the week’s biggest talking points.

It’s hard to watch modern football referees and not miss the legend that was Pierluigi Collina.It’s not the quality of refereeing these days that has us longing for the no-nonsense Italian, but the way in which most allow players to get away with so much.The diving, the moaning, the ganging up on officials. It’s all rather tiresome.But during his reign as the finest referee in the game, Collina didn’t stand for any rubbish. GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN - APRIL 30: Referee Pierluigi Collina points out the ripped shirt of Sweden striker Kennet Andersson (r) to Scotland defender Colin Hendry (c) during a World Cup qualifier between Sweden and Scotland at the Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. (Photo by Stu Forster/Allsport UK/Getty Images)

You can’t go wrong with a good conspiracy theory.A situation that everyone took for face value, just for someone, somewhere to sow a seed of doubt with a wild claim and change the entire status quo.Like, for example, the suggestion that Nike forced Ronaldo to play in the 1998 World Cup final. Once we tell you more about that one you’ll never think about France ’98 the same way.We’ve gathered some of the craziest football conspiracy theories around from articles, Reddit threads, Twitter debates and more, so you can lose yourself in the idea that the football you thought you know doesn’t really exist.

It so happens that two of the best players to have ever played football are both called Ronaldo.Ronaldo Nazario cemented his greatness with some quite unbelievable performances in the late 90s and early 00s.The Brazilian forward was virtually unplayable during his early years at football.He was incredible for PSV, scintillating in his only season at Barcelona and then terrific during his early days at Inter Milan.Sadly, two horrific injuries during his time at Inter hindered him somewhat and, although he was able to return and still played at a very high level, he wasn't quite the same.Still, at his very best he was quite extraordinary and is quite rightly viewed as one of the greatest ever.When Ronaldo Nazario was at the end of his career, Cristiano Ronaldo came along.25 Mar 1998: Portrait of Ronaldo of Brazil before the International friendly against Germany at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart in Germany. Brazil won 2-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Mark Thompson /AllsportThe Portuguese superstar has since become the greatest goalscorer of all-time, notching over 800 career goals, shattered record-after-record and won five Ballon d'Or titles.He's still going strong at the age of 37.But who is the 'real Ronaldo?'Thierry Henry was working as a pundit for CBS Sports this week covering the Champions League action.And he was in absolutely no mood to argue when dubbing Ronaldo Nazario as the real Ronaldo. Henry went off after Jamie Carragher asked him if he ever asked anyone to swap shirts during his time as a footballer.

The world's best footballers are idolised by millions of people around the world.Take Mohamed Salah, for example. He's no doubt an inspiration for millions of youngsters globally.But who were the idols of some of the players playing in the Premier League today?BT Sport have released a brilliant video where they asked numerous footballers playing in England's top tier who their favourite player was growing up.Kevin De Bruyne, Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount are just a few big names that got involved.View their answers below...