We’re nearly at the end of 2020, which means it’s time for ESPN’s annual ranking of the best men’s players and coaches in world soccer! Welcome to the FC 100. This year, our fifth edition of the countdown has a lot of surprises and new faces — more on that later — as well as
10:50 PM GMT The fallout over the Argentina rugby team’s much-criticised tribute to Diego Maradona extended further on Tuesday, with some Argentines saying they will boycott the side because of what they consider an inadequate homage to the late football icon. The Pumas, as the rugby team are known, wore what looked like black electrical
7:00 AM ET The NBA returns to regular-season action on Dec. 22 following an abbreviated offseason — one that saw the draft and the start of free agency compressed into the same week — with some uncertainty. With the coronavirus pandemic ongoing, the league is facing decisions about how to undertake a campaign outside the
10:00 PM GMT Rugby has improved its position on racism but the sport is a reflection of society and there is still work to do, England coach Eddie Jones said on Tuesday following the sanctions handed out to three Argentine players. Pablo Matera was stripped of the Argentina captaincy and suspended, along with team mates
Mick Schumacher, the son of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael, has signed to race for Haas next season. The US-based team said the 21-year-old had signed a “multi-year contract”. He will partner Russian Nikita Mazepin, who was confirmed on Tuesday. Schumacher, a member of the Ferrari driver academy, leads the F2 series going into
Pirelli says it will press ahead with plans to introduce a new tyre design for 2021, despite criticism from Formula 1 drivers. Mario Isola, Pirelli’s motorsport boss, told BBC Sport introducing the tyre was “the right decision” for next season. Drivers complained the new tyres were slower, heavier and had worse handling than the 2020
2:38 AM ET The 2021 Australian Open is reportedly set to go ahead on Feb. 8, three weeks after the original Melbourne Park start date. According to multiple sources, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley has sent an email to players, coaches and managers outlining strict conditions, including two weeks quarantine. News Corp reported Tiley’s leaked
2:18 AM GMT Pablo Matera has been stripped of the Argentina captaincy and suspended along with team mates Guido Petti and Santiago Socino for posting racist comments on social media, the Argentine Rugby Union [UAR] said on Tuesday. The scandal has thrown the Argentina camp into crisis days before their final Tri-Nations match against Australia
India vs Australia: Virat Kohli reached 12,000 ODI runs in the third ODI vs Australia.© AFP Virat Kohli on Wednesday became the fastest to reach 12,000 runs in One-day International cricket. Kohli breached the mark in the third ODI against Australia in Canberra. The 32-year-old had 11,977 runs before this game and got to the
9:11 AM ET Cody Garbrandt says he is still recovering from COVID-19 symptoms more than two months after testing positive for the virus but believes he will be ready to challenge Deiveson Figueiredo for the UFC’s flyweight title in March. And yes, he is very confident Figueiredo will still be the champion, even though he’s
7:45 PM ET Former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has decided to squeeze one more appearance into 2020, on less than three weeks’ notice. Pettis (23-10) will face Alex Morono (18-6) at UFC Fight Night on Dec. 19 in Las Vegas. Contracts have not been signed, but both sides have agreed to the welterweight matchup.
3:07 PM ET The highly anticipated Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev fight isn’t happening on Dec. 19 after all. The main event fight, which was slated to be the UFC’s final one in 2020, has been canceled after Edwards recently tested positive for COVID-19, sources told ESPN. The promotion is hoping to rebook the fight
5:10 PM ET OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens are headed to Pittsburgh and Wednesday’s game is still on, but Baltimore had two more positive COVID-19 tests before departing Tuesday, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Sources told ESPN the positive tests belong to Ravens safety Geno Stone, a rookie seventh-round pick who has played two
8:45 PM ET The NBA’s Christmas Day schedule is set, and all five matchups are packed with star power. Zion Williamson makes his Christmas Day debut as the New Orleans Pelicans face the defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat. Stephen Curry, back from a broken left hand, leads the Golden State Warriors against reigning two-time
5:28 PM ET The ACC announced a series of scheduling changes Tuesday that allowed Notre Dame to clinch a spot in the ACC championship game Dec. 19. In addition, the ACC has changed its testing procedures, requiring teams now to have a PCR test administered on Thursdays so they can receive their results before traveling
4:12 PM ET Thomas Tuchel has great memories of Manchester, or more precisely, Old Trafford. Two and a half years ago, he planned the perfect game as his Paris Saint-Germain team thrashed Manchester United in their Champions League round-of-16 first leg. The Parisians should have won by more than the 2-0 scoreline, but their performance
7:12 PM ET The top seven teams in the College Football Playoff rankings remained unchanged Tuesday night, as Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State continue to occupy the top four spots. The Buckeyes stayed at No. 4 despite canceling last Saturday’s game at Illinois following an increase of COVID-19 cases in the program, which
5:10 PM ET OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens activated nose tackle Brandon Williams, quarterback Trace McSorley and injured cornerbacks Tavon Young and Khalil Dorsey from the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday. The Ravens have trimmed the number of players on the reserve/COVID-19 list to 16 players, which marks the first time they have reduced