SOCCER
Messi wins 8th ‘Ballon d’Or’
Lionel Messi on Monday won the eighth Ballon d’Or of his remarkable career at a glittering ceremony in Paris, while Spain’s World Cup-winning star Aitana Bonmati took the women’s prize. For Messi, the trophy rewards, above all else, his inspirational performances at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, when he dragged Argentina to victory, scoring seven goals and being named the tournament’s best player. “This is a gift to the whole Argentina team for what we achieved,” Messi said on stage after receiving his award from David Beckham, the co-owner of Messi’s Inter Miami. Bonmati was rewarded for starring as Spain won the World Cup in Australia in August.
SOCCER
Police search for Diaz’s dad
Police air and land patrols on Monday searched a cloud forest in northern Colombia for Liverpool star Luis Diaz’s father, who was kidnapped over the weekend along with the player’s mother. The couple were at a gas station in the small town of Barrancas on Saturday when they were abducted by armed men on motorcycles. Diaz’s mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued within hours by police, but his father, Luis Manuel Diaz, remained missing. On Monday, special forces searched a mountain range that straddles both countries and is covered by cloud forest. Police also offered a US$48,000 reward for information leading to Luis Manuel Diaz. Officials said they did not rule out the possibility that he could have been smuggled into Venezuela, where he would be beyond the reach of Colombian police. Luis Diaz, 26, is one of the most talented players on Colombia’s national team. He joined the English Premier League’s Liverpool last year in a deal worth US$67 million.
TENNIS
Swiatek wins Finals opener
World No. 2 Iga Swiatek on Monday overcame a shaky start to defeat Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in straight sets in her opening WTA Finals match in Cancun, Mexico. Polish star Swiatek looked out of sorts in an error-strewn first set in which she trailed 2-5 before roaring back to clinch a 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 victory. The 22-year-old four-time Grand Slam champion is bidding to reclaim her world No. 1 ranking from Aryna Sabalenka at this week’s season-ending finals in Mexico. In Monday’s other clash, US Open champion Coco Gauff opened her tournament with a 6-0, 6-1 drubbing of Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur.
SOCCER
FIFA bans Rubiales
Former Royal Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales, who provoked a players’ rebellion and reckoning on gender when he kissed an unwilling star player on the lips at the Women’s World Cup final trophy ceremony, was banned for three years on Monday by FIFA. His conduct at the Aug. 20 final in Australia — and his defiant refusal to resign as president for three weeks — distracted many people from the women’s career-defining title win. Rubiales is now barred from working in soccer until after the men’s 2026 World Cup. His ban would expire before the next women’s tournament in 2027. Spanish authorities have launched a criminal investigation against Rubiales for kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the team’s 1-0 victory over England in Sydney.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tomorrow for the final berth at next year's World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome yesterday. The home team's loss means that Nicaragua finishes No. 1 in the qualifier round held in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to the games. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier yesterday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, finished third, while South Africa placed at the bottom
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