Sport
Neymar Says Ballon d’Or Made a Joke by Putting Raphinha in Fifth Place
Santos striker Neymar has openly criticized the Ballon d’Or organizers after Barcelona winger Raphinha was ranked fifth in the 2025 edition of the award.
The 33-year-old didn’t hide his frustration, branding the decision as nothing short of a joke. Neymar took to Instagram shortly after the ceremony on Monday night, writing that placing Raphinha in fifth place was “too much of a joke.”
The 2025 Ballon d’Or was claimed by Ousmane Dembele, who finished ahead of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, with Vitinha and Mohamed Salah also ahead of Raphinha in the standings.
Neymar, however, believes his compatriot deserved more recognition. Raphinha was a standout performer for Barcelona last season, playing a vital role in their LaLiga and Copa del Rey triumphs. Across all competitions, the former Leeds United star registered 56 goal contributions in 57 matches, making him one of the club’s most influential players.
Sport
Super Eagles Star Calvin Bassey Opens Up on Nearly Walking Away from Football
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
Sport
CAF Fines Egypt $5,000 Over Post-Match Media Violation After Zimbabwe Clash
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Sport
Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle Opens Up on Benching Big Names
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
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