Ronaldo returns home for statue unveiling

Lisbon (AFP) - World player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo returned to his hometown of Funchal on Madeira on Sunday to attend the unveiling of a statue sculpted in his honour.

The Real Madrid star travelled to the Portuguese island from

Ronaldo unveils statue of himself in Portugal

LISBON, Portugal (AP) -- Cristiano Ronaldo has unveiled a statue of himself on his home island of Madeira in Portugal.

Analysis - Club World Cup still a hit outside Europe

MARRAKECH, Morocco (Reuters) - Greeted with overwhelming indifference in Europe, the Club World Cup is still seen as the pinnacle of club football elsewhere as thousands of San Lorenzo fans demonstrated this week.

A defeat is never dignified, says San Lorenzo coach

MARRAKECH, Morocco (Reuters) - San Lorenzo coach Edgardo Bauza refused to accept his team's 2-0 defeat had been dignified, even though they were up against the clearly superior Real Madrid in Saturday's Club World Cup final.

Real Madrid beat San Lorenzo to lift Club World Cup

MARRAKECH, Morocco (Reuters) - Real Madrid won the Club World Cup for the first time when they beat South American champions San Lorenzo 2-0 thanks to Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale in a bad-tempered final on Saturday.

Soccer-Real Madrid beat San Lorenzo 2-0 to win Club World Cup

MARRAKECH, Morocco, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Real Madrid won the Club World Cup after they beat South American champions San Lorenzo 2-0 in the final on Saturday.

Rodriguez fit, Ramos doubtful for Club World Cup final

MARRAKECH, Morocco (Reuters) - Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez is available for Saturday's Club World Cup final against San Lorenzo but centre back Sergio Ramos needs a late fitness test, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday.

Things to know about FIFA's World Cup probe

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) -- Ever since FIFA executives voted to send the World Cups of 2018 and 2022 to Russia and Qatar there have been endless questions about how and why they picked those countries and accusations that some of them might have been bought off or otherwise leaned on.

With FIFA's already tarnished reputation taking a beating, it

FIFA will not reopen 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) -- Sepp Blatter says FIFA will not reopen the vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, and will publish at least some of the confidential report in the bidding process.

At a FIFA executive committee meeting in Morocco,

Barcelona needs goals to keep pace with Madrid

MADRID (AP) -- With Real Madrid still playing at the Club World Cup in Morocco, Barcelona will have a chance to close the gap on the Spanish leaders on Saturday.

Madrid was due to play Sevilla, but the match will be played at a later

Barcelona's Neymar available for Cordoba clash

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona forward Neymar has recovered from a minor ankle problem and is available for Saturday's La Liga game at home to Cordoba, the club said on Friday.

Neymar has not played since he scored Barca's second goal in

FIFA under pressure after Garcia exit

Marrakesh, Morocco (dpa) - While a little hidden away in section E titled "Any other business" of the two-day agenda Thursday and Friday for the executive board of the ruling body FIFA, Michael Garcia's resignation will elevate ethics committee matters to centre stage.

And the issue has a far bigger dimension than the task of the executives to

San Lorenzo beat Auckland City in extra time, to face Real Madrid

Marrakech, Morocco (dpa) - Argentinian club San Lorenzo needed extra time Wednesday to get past lowly Auckland City in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals but eventually won the match 2-1 to set up a final against Real Madrid.

San Lorenzo, a Buenos Aires club famously supported by Pope Francis, pulled

Real Madrid's Club World Cup semi-final moved to Marrakesh

Rabat (dpa) - Real Madrid will make their Club World Cup debut in Marrakesh rather than Rabat this season after Tuesday's semi-final with Cruz Azul was moved due to

Comeback win puts Cruz Azul in semis against Real Madrid

Rabat (dpa) - Mexican side Cruz Azul came from behind to beat Australia's Western Sydney Wanderers 3-1 on Saturday in an interesting Club World Cup quarter-final which went into extra-time.

Cruz Azul's hero was veteran captain Gerardo Torrado, who

Auckland City defeat ES Setif to reach Club World Cup semi-finals

Rabat (dpa) - Oceania champions Auckland City defeated ES Setif of Algeria 1-0 in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup in Rabat on Saturday to set up a semi-final clash with San Lorenzo of Argentina.

Auckland progressed thanks to a goal from defender John

Madrid hopeful of Rodriguez return for Club World Cup

Madrid (AFP) - Real Madrid's James Rodriguez has started running again after a calf injury and could return in time to help his side in the Club World Cup next week, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Thursday.

FIFA to vote on releasing World Cup corruption report

Paris (AFP) - FIFA face a vote next week on whether or not to publish the controversial and sensitive report into alleged corruption during the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, it was claimed Thursday.

The sport's world governing body will discuss the matter at its

Record-breaking Real Madrid en route to Morocco through Almeria

Madrid (dpa) - The road to the Club World Cup for rampant Spanish leaders Real Madrid passes through Almeria on Friday.

Straight after the league match, the whites will continue south for the tournament in Morocco after what they hope will be their 12th straight win in La Liga.