Real Madrid ease past Pachuca to win Intercontinental Cup in Doha
December 19 – Real Madrid defeated Mexico’s Pachuca 3-0 to clinch the Intercontinental Cup and land manager Carlo Ancelotti a record fifteenth trophy at the club.
Year: 2024
Match week 16: Toon top attendances, Liverpool fill Anfield as fans put Xmas shopping on hold
December 19 – Premier League attendance remains in a strong position despite the festive season being in full flow. Usually this stage would record a drop off in attendance due to money saving or family priorities, but match week 16’s average of 97.89% marks a strong score for the period.
Koundé tops ranking of most used players, Van Dijk is second
December 19 – FC Barcelona defender Jules Koundé has emerged as the most-used outfield player in world football, according to the latest CIES Football Observatory report. The French international clocked an extraordinary 5,872 minutes across 69 matches, showcasing both his durability and importance to club and country.
Not feeling the love; Vinicius Jnr uses social media to tell people he is ‘the best player in the world’
December 19 – Vinicius Junior has hit out at his critics after bouncing back from losing out at the Ballon d’Or by winning the FIFA Best trophy award, accusing his detractors of trying to “invalidate” and “diminish” him.
Barca scramble for work-arounds as return to Nou Camp looks set for further delay
December 19 – The highly anticipated return of FC Barcelona to their spiritual home, the iconic Camp Nou, looks set to be delayed yet again.
Botev Plovdiv seek answers from government for banning of club’s Russian owner from Bulgaria
December 19 – Bulgaria’s Botev Plovdiv management has invited the deputies of six political parties to a meeting as the club seeks answers to questions on the travel restrictions imposed on the club’s Russian owner, Anton Zingarevich.
Watch out Postecoglu? Squid Game is coming Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
December 19 – Hot on the heels of announcing a deal with the beer giant of Asia, Tiger Beer, Tottenham Hotspur, is back with another Asian-themed partnership, this time in the form of the Netflix smash hit, Squid Game, which was developed in the country of their captain, Son Heung-min of South Korea.
Canada’s Northern Super League start-up secures hummel as kit provider
December 19 – The start-up Northern Super League, the professional women’s league that launches in 2025 with six teams, has unveiled hummel as its official kit provider.
Chelsea boss Maresca gives full backing to Mudryk to clear doping suspension
December 19 – Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has expressed his full support for Mykhailo Mudryk in the wake of the Ukrainian international winger failing a drugs test.
UCCSA set tender launch date for Women’s Champions League media rights for 2023-30 cycle
December 19 – UEFA Club Competitions SA (UCCSA), the joint venture between UEFA and the European Club Association (ECA) that manages the commercial business of UEFA’s club competitions, will launch a tender process for Women’s Champions League media rights on January 3.
Euro MPs demand FIFA gives ‘binding commitments’ on ‘critical’ Saudi 2034 issues
December 18 – In an open letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, European lawmakers have expressed “grave concern” over the hosting of the 2034 World Cup by Saudi Arabia.
Are the lunatics taking over the asylum? A22 applies to UEFA and FIFA to sanction its look-a-like league
December 18 – The European Super League (ESL) is dead in name only. It’s backer, A22 Sports Management, has proposed an alternative league hierarchy compromising 95 clubs across four leagues.
Ronaldo plots to enter football politics with run at Brazilian FA presidency
December 18 – Brazil legend Ronaldo has confirmed that he wants to run for the presidency of the Confederation of Brazilian Football (CBF) with a programme that will restore the prestige of the country’s game.
FIFA to open new office hub in Rabat, Morocco
December 18 – In a further decentralisation of the organisation, FIFA have announced that the world governing body will be opening an office in Rabat, Morocco.
Land of opportunity. FIFA’s cheap seats for Club World Cup final in New York start at $890
December 18 – The expanded FIFA Club World Cup has already drawn widespread criticism for cramming more fixtures into an already congested football calendar. But if the backlash over its scheduling wasn’t enough, the recently revealed ticket prices for the tournament could escalate the controversy to new heights.