By CIARAN FOREMAN, SPORTS REPORTER and KIERAN GILL, MAIL SPORT REPORTER and RIATH AL-SAMARRAI, CHIEF SPORTS FEATURE WRITER

Updated: 14:07 EST, 16 December 2025

Follow Daily Mail Sport’s live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Cardiff host Chelsea at the the Cardiff City Stadium, with Kieran Gill and Riath Al-Samarrai reporting from the grounds.

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Paris Saint-Germain and France forward Ousmane Dembele has been named The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2025, capping a season that will be remembered as one of the finest in the club’s history.

Ousmane Dembele, 28, an attacker, emerged as the standout performer in world football after driving PSG to their first-ever UEFA Champions League title. Dembele was at the heart of that remarkable European run, scoring eight goals and supplying six assists as the Paris side finally conquered the continent.

His influence stretched far beyond Europe. Dembele played a central role as PSG swept to a domestic treble, lifting the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France and the Trophee des Champions. He also helped the French champions reach the final of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, underlining his consistency across competitions and continents.

Individually, the season was equally dominant. Dembele was named Most Valuable Player in both the Champions League and Ligue 1 for the 2024/25 campaign. He finished as joint-top scorer in the French top flight and was recognised across Europe with multiple end-of-season honours.

By the numbers, his achievements during the period included winning the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France and the 2024 Trophee des Champions, finishing runner-up at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 and securing third place with France at the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League.

He was also named UEFA Champions League Player of the Season, selected in the Champions League Team of the Season, voted Ligue 1 Player of the Year and included in the UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year.

The award was decided through FIFA’s established voting process, which considers performances between 11 August 2024 and 2 August 2025. A shortlist was first drawn up by a panel of experts before votes were cast by men’s national team coaches, men’s national team captains, football journalists and fans via FIFA’s official website.

Each voting group accounted for 25 per cent of the final outcome. Voters selected their first, second and third choices, earning nominees five, three and one point respectively. National team captains were not permitted to vote for themselves. In the event of a tie, the player with the most first-choice votes from their own group would be declared the winner.

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New Super Eagles player, Tochukwu Nnadi has named four Nigerian stars he looks up to as a professional footballer.

The four Nigerian stars, Nwankwo Kanu, Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika.

Nnadi has recently been named in Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Speaking to Super Eagles media, the Zulte Waregem midfielder said: “I was always dreaming of being in the national team one day.

“I played in the Under 20. Now I’m in the Super Eagles, and I was not expecting it to be too soon. I was looking up to Nwankwo Kanu.

“I was also looking up to Wilfred Ndidi, Onyeka and also Raphael Onyedika. Those are the players I look up to.”

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Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann believes playing Ghana in an international friendly game will give the team an idea on what to expect from Ivory Coast in the 2026 World Cup.

Recall that Germany have been drawn alongside Curaçao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador in Group E.

The clash against the Black Stars is expected to take place on Monday, March 30, 2026, in Stuttgart.

Read Also:2026 WC Playoffs: Missing Osimhen In Second Half Vs DR Congo Affected Eagles –Onyeka

Reacting to the development, Nagelsmann stated that he can’t wait to face the Black Stars.

“We are very much looking forward to the clash with Otto’s team.

“Their strong transition play can give us a taste of what to expect in the World Cup group match against Ivory Coast.”

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Conor Benn says he felt little surprise when he saw the video Chris Eubank Jr released in the weeks after their rematch, showing himself motionless on a hospital bed, hooked up to machines and surrounded by medical staff. 

The footage sparked widespread concern across boxing, intensified calls for Eubank Jr to retire and prompted an outpouring of sympathy online. 

Benn, however, is unmoved by the reaction and believes the focus should be less on the image itself and more on why it was shared in the first place.

‘I heard he had IBS throughout the last parts of training camp,’ Benn said. ‘I heard it after the fight as well, or he’s got a stomach cyst or whatever it is. 

‘Ultimately, I’m not really too concerned, to be honest. I know it’s not a serious health condition. I think people need to look deeper into the reasons as to why it’s posted. There’s a certain pattern here of sympathy vote and a victim mentality.’

Benn is careful not to dismiss health concerns outright, but he is clear that, in his view, suffering is part of the profession and not something fighters should use to reframe a defeat. 

Conor Benn has hit out at Chris Eubank Jr’s ‘victim mentality’ after his defeat 

Eubank Jr shared footage of him in hospital seemingly unconscious last month (above)

The son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn points to his own experiences as an example of what boxers routinely endure without public complaint. 

‘You don’t see pictures of me making 152 for my fight in Vegas and I’m on the floor in a blanket, struggling to make the weight,’ he said. 

‘Ultimately it’s just part of the game. It’s part of the sport we do. We’re modern-day gladiators. You’ll never hear me moan about anything.’

He recalls entering a rematch of his own while carrying a serious injury, without once suggesting it should temper the result. 

‘For one of my fights, I tore my tendon in my last spar of camp,’ Benn said. ‘That was my rematch against the Frenchman who had put me down in the first fight. 

‘Torn tendon, asthma, all of it and I’m good. I’m not here for sympathy. You’re in the wrong game if you want the sympathy of the public. No one cares.’

Benn acknowledges that Eubank Jr, like every fighter, faced challenges in camp, but insists that choosing to fight means accepting responsibility for the outcome.

‘Nobody has a perfect camp,’ he said. ‘I had issues in the first fight as well. There were things throughout camp that were challenging and we had to work around them, but you’ll never hear me make excuses. 

‘Give the man his roses, give him his flowers, and that’s it. You either thought you were good enough to get in there on the night, or you weren’t. Either you believed it, or you were scamming the public into thinking there was going to be another fight of the year.’

For Benn, the result settled the matter. ‘Ultimately, he thought he was good enough to come in and beat me on the night,’ he said. ‘Ultimately, he wasn’t. 

‘First time around, I took his soul. I could see it. He’s not the same and he never will be the same again. I’ve got his soul right here, right here, in my hands.’

That belief underpins Benn’s view that Eubank Jr should now walk away from the sport, not out of spite, but out of pragmatism and concern. 

‘He will never get his soul back,’ Benn said when asked whether his rival could recover from the loss in November. 

‘I’m not giving it back to him. Should he retire? He should retire, yeah. He should call it a day. He’s got paid lovely for his last two fights. First fight was close, second fight he got battered in. If I was him, and I was his team, I’d call it a day.’

Despite the rivalry and obvious animosity, Benn insists his stance is rooted in the realities of boxing rather than personal malice. 

‘Do I like him? No. Do I think he’s a prat? Yes,’ he said. ‘But ultimately we’re fighters, and you want to see him leave this game without any injuries, especially not permanent injuries. It’s an unforgiving sport. We both know that first-hand. Don’t overstay your welcome.’

Eubank Jr has spoken publicly about health problems, brutal weight cuts and personal struggles, and has hinted at a possible comeback once he is ‘100 per cent’. 

Benn is unconvinced but leaves the door open if his rival insists on continuing. ‘If he wants to fight, I’ll happily beat him up at 168,’ Benn said. ‘No problem. I’ll do it for free.’

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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has revealed that the club were prepared to part ways with him during the summer transfer window, despite his status as a key figure at Old Trafford.

The Portugal international was strongly linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia before the new season began, with speculation gathering pace around his future.

Bruno Fernandes ultimately chose to remain at United, citing both personal reasons and his attachment to the club, but his comments suggest the decision was not as straightforward as it appeared from the outside.

“The club wanted me to go [in the summer], I have that in my head,” Fernandes said in an interview with Portuguese outlet Mais Futebol.

“I told the directors this, but I think they didn’t dare to make that decision.

“I decided to stay, also because of family reasons, but because I genuinely like the club. The conversation with the manager also made me stay.

“But, from the club’s side, I felt a bit like, ‘if you leave, it’s not so bad for us.’

“It hurts me a lot. More than hurting, it makes me sad because I’m a player they have nothing to criticise about. I’m always available, I always play, good or bad. I give my all.

“Then you see things around you, players who don’t value the club as much and don’t defend the club as much… that makes you sad.”

Fernandes, 31, provided further insight into how close he came to leaving and the emotions involved in the process.

“I knew very well that Manchester United wanted me to leave. I guess the club didn’t do so because Ruben Amorim wanted me to stay, but I could sense that even if I left, it wouldn’t be a bad thing from the club’s perspective,” he explained.

The midfielder also disclosed that he sought advice from former United forward Cristiano Ronaldo before making his final decision.

“Ronaldo gave me some advice, but the final decision was always mine. I decided to stay because I truly love this club, but loyalty isn’t valued as much as it used to be in football today,” he said.

Fernandes went on to reflect on Ruben Amorim’s early months at Manchester United, highlighting the challenges faced by the manager after his arrival.

“It was a difficult start for him. He came here after winning everything at Sporting Lisbon, only to face a team with extremely low morale,” Fernandes emphasised. “We performed well in the Europa League, but we couldn’t maintain consistency in the league.”

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Wikki Tourists head coach, Bashir Saleh, has attributed his team’s poor run of form to ineffective finishing.

The Bauchi Elephants are without a win in their last four matches in the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL.

Wikki Tourists have recorded five wins, six draws and six defeats in 17 matches this season.

They suffered a 1-0 defeat to Rivers United in their last match on Monday.

Saleh said that the technical crew are working tirelessly to improve the team’s performance.

“Our problem has been finishing. The technical crew is working hard to address this, and we believe improvements will come soon,” Saleh told the club’s media.

“We created enough chances to get something from the game against Rivers United. Our problem has been finishing. The technical crew is working hard to address this, and we believe improvements will come soon.”

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Two-weight world champion and WBC number one heavyweight contender, Lawrence Okolie (22-1, 16 KOs), will make his historic professional debut on African soil as he headlines ‘Chaos in the Ring II’ against Ghanaian powerhouse Ebenezer Tetteh (23-3, 20 KOs).

The blockbuster event is set for Sunday, December 21, 2025, at the Detty December Festival Grounds in Lagos.

Promoted by former world champion Amir Khan and Dr. Ezekiel Adamu (CEO of Balmoral Group) in partnership with Queensberry Promotions, the night forms a centrepiece of the “Detty December” cultural festival.

For the 33-year-old Okolie, who was born in London to Nigerian parents, the fight represents more than just a ranking defence. 

Having already captured world titles at cruiserweight and bridgerweight, he is now focused on becoming a three-weight world champion in 2026.

“Fighting in Lagos means everything to me. This is where my family is from. This is the dream,” Okolie said. “On 21 December, under the Detty December lights, I’m putting on a show you won’t forget.”

His opponent, Ebenezer Tetteh, is a durable veteran known for his knockout power, having recently gone seven gritty rounds with British star Dillian Whyte.

In the co-main event, 2016 Olympic gold medallist Tony Yoka (14-3, 11 KOs) brings his elite pedigree to Nigeria. 

The French heavyweight aims to climb back into world title contention against German veteran Patrick “Big Patrick” Korte (23-5-1, 19 KOs) in a ten-round showdown.

Promoter Amir Khan expressed the magnitude of the card: “I’ve fought all over the world, but this Lagos card is special. Okolie headlining Africa for the first time, Tony Yoka bringing heavyweight fire… we’re giving fans a night they’ll never forget.”

The event features a blend of international prospects and fierce local rivalries:

Harley Benn, son of boxing legend Nigel Benn, faces Ghanaian warrior Elvis Ahorgah.

Unbeaten Prospects: Shiloh Defreitas (6-0) puts his record on the line against the rugged Taye Fajimi (10-0).

Local Rivalries: Two all-Nigerian six-round clashes see Basit Adebayo face Sikiru Shogbesan, and Isaac Chukwudi battle the heavy-handed Raheem Animashaun.

Female Talent: Emerging stars Nene Joy Ojo and Sandra Darkwah Boateng will also feature in a four-round contest.

‘Chaos in the Ring II’ will be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN, marking a landmark moment for African boxing as it joins a star-studded December calendar featuring global icons like Gunna and Busta Rhymes.

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Rivers United technical adviser Finidi George has demanded more from his players despite the win over Wikki Tourists.

The former champions defeated Abdu Maikaba’s side 1-0 in a matchday 17 tie at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt on Monday.

Taofeek Otaniyi scored the decisive goal in the ninth minute.

Read Also:NPFL: Rivers United Secure Top Spot, Extend Unbeaten Run

Rivers United secured top spot on the NPFL table following the win.

Despite claiming maximum points from the game, Finidi expressed concern with his team’s performance.

“I can’t really see where the game was moving to, it was off and on throughout ,” Finidi stated in a post-match interview.

“We are quite happy with the victory but the game proper, we can’t actually see where we controlled the game.

“After the impressive performance against Plateau United, coming here back home we struggled against Wikki Tourists.”

By Adeboye Amosu

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Nigeria’s Super Falcons have slipped one place to 37th in the world in the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings released days ago, despite maintaining their status as Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national team.

The Super Falcons, who were previously ranked 36th, now sit 37th with 1,607.063 points, a marginal drop largely attributed to their inactivity during the most recent FIFA women’s international window.

Inactivity during international window could have caused the Falcons to drop one place despite dominant continental success

Super Falcons Retain Continental Kings

Despite the global drop, Nigeria remain head and shoulders above the rest of Africa, continuing their long-standing dominance on the continent.

The top five African teams in the latest ranking are:

South Africa’s Banyana Banyana retained their position as Nigeria’s closest continental rivals, while Ghana recorded one of the biggest rises among Africa’s top teams, climbing five places in the global rankings.

Beyond the continent’s elite, Burkina Faso emerged as one of the standout movers in the latest update.

Although ranked 15th in Africa, the Burkinabé side recorded the continent’s biggest leap, jumping 16 places globally from 134th to 118th, reflecting steady improvement in recent performances.

FIFA’s latest ranking cycle reveals the growing competitiveness of women’s football across Africa, with several nations closing the gap on perennial leaders Nigeria.

WAFCON Glory Still Fresh

The ranking adjustment comes on the back of a successful 2025 international year for the Super Falcons, following their triumph at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) held in Morocco from July 5 to 26.

Nigeria secured a record-extending 10th WAFCON title, staging a comeback in the final to defeat tournament hosts Morocco 3–2 after trailing by two goals.

The victory was powered by decisive contributions from Esther Okoronkwo and Rasheedat Ajibade, underlining Nigeria’s pedigree on the biggest continental stage.

Their title run included:

• A 5–0 quarterfinal demolition of Zambia

• A 2–1 semifinal victory over South Africa

• Group-stage wins against Botswana and Cape Verde

• A goalless draw with Algeria

Smooth Progress in 2026 WAFCON Qualifiers

Following their WAFCON success, the Super Falcons returned to competitive action in October 2025, cruising past the Republic of Benin in the qualifiers for the 2026 WAFCON.

Nigeria advanced with a 3–1 aggregate victory, securing a 2–0 away win in Lomé, Togo, before playing out a 1–1 draw at home in Abeokuta.

However, Justine Madugu’s side did not feature in the most recent FIFA international break, a factor that directly contributed to their slight fall in the latest ranking cycle.

Global Ranking: Spain Stay on Top

At the top of the global standings, Spain retained the No. 1 position, continuing their reign as the world’s best women’s national team.

The global top five is completed by:

1. Spain

2. United States

3. Germany

4. England

5. Sweden

Read More: EXCLUSIVE: “I Still Have More to Give” – Uchenna Kanu Targets Super Falcons Return

Read More: MISSION X ACCOMPLISHED: SUPER FALCONS STUN MOROCCO TO WIN 10TH WAFCON TITLE

Read More: OFFICIAL: Madugu Extends Super Falcons Contract Until 2027

Read More: “I Planned to Win the World Cup” – Waldrum Opens Up on Turbulent Super Falcons Tenure

Focus Shifts to Upcoming Engagements

With rankings updated, attention now turns to upcoming qualifiers and international fixtures as teams prepare for the next edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to return to Morocco in March next year.

The Super Falcons, the mission remains, maintaining continental dominance, returning to regular international action, and climbing back up the global rankings ladder.

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