If you thought the days of the Ballon d'Or generating headlines were over after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's era of dominance came to an end, then think again. After one of the most closely-fought races for a number of years, Rodri came out on top in 2024, beating Vinicius Jr into second place as Real Madrid dramatically boycotted the ceremony in Paris in protest at their star player missing out.

Ashlyn Castro is back in cheerleader mode at Santiago Bernabeu, with a cropped Real Madrid jersey being donned while heading to an iconic venue to support boyfriend Jude Bellingham. The England international midfielder has returned to action ahead of schedule after making a surprisingly quick recovery from surgery on a long-standing shoulder problem.

Real Madrid had double cause for celebration on Saturday, as the Spanish heavyweights welcomed the return of England superstar Jude Bellingham to the pitch after he spent over two months on the sidelines. Madrid had already sealed the victory by the time Bellingham was brought on as a substitute in the 89th minute to a rapturous reception from the Bernabeu.

The mercurial midfielder has no obvious role in the manager's system, and the Spaniard faces a challenge working him into his XI

Bryan Robson has lifted the lid on Manchester United's transfer pitch to Jude Bellingham, with Sir Alex Ferguson and Eric Cantona making pleas to the exciting midfielder. Bellingham was a hot prospect on the books of Birmingham when the Red Devils made their play for his signature, with the Premier League giants eventually left disappointed as they lost out to Borussia Dortmund.