India bat makers Cibulkova wins, say there’s no Wozniacki dumps stopping17 big hitters Puig18 in Sydney TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2017

Messi to the rescue, but Barca lose ground on Real Page 19

ZURICH: Real Madrid and Portugal’s forward and winner of The Best FIFA Men’s Player of 2016 Award stands on stage with Houston Dash and US midfielder and winner of The Best FIFA Women’s Player of 2016 Carli Lloyd following The Best FIFA Football Awards 2016 ceremony, yesterday in Zurich. — AFP Ronaldo, Ranieri scoop top FIFA awards ZURICH: Cristiano Ronaldo claimed FIFA’s inaugural third Champions League title, thanks in major part to the greatest shocks in English football history by defy- Ronaldo was joined by Real team-mates Sergio best player of the year award yesterday, the latest prize his 16 goals in 12 games, as well as triumphing with ing title odds of 5,000-1 to lift the Premier League tro- Ramos, Marcelo, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric while the for the Real Madrid and Portugal star after a glittering Portugal at Euro 2016 — the country’s first major prize. phy last season. side comprised four Barcelona players with Gerard 2016 for club and country. “2016 was the best year of my career,” Ronaldo said Having miraculously avoided relegation the previous Pique, Andres Iniesta and Luis Suarez joining Messi. Leicester City’s received the best after being handed the prize from FIFA President Gianni season, the Foxes rode that wave of momentum all the Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer-named to men’s coach award following his side’s fairytale Premier Infantino. “It was a year that was magnificent at a per- way to the title. US midfielder Carli Lloyd scooped the the FIFPro World 11 for the fourth year running-was the League triumph. sonal level and at a sports level,” he added on the stage best women’s player of 2016, the two-time Olympic only player selected without links to Spain’s top two But the night again belonged to the 31-year-old in Zurich. gold medallist adding to her 2015 FIFA Women’s World clubs. Juventus defender Dani Alves was included for a Ronaldo, who edged out long-time nemesis Lionel Ranieri, 65, who saw off Real boss Player of the Year accolade. The American finished sixth time having help Barca to a league and cup dou- Messi for the trophy as well as France’s Antoine and Portugal manager Fernando Santos, said the best ahead of Brazilian star Marta and Germany’s Melanie ble before leaving the Camp Nou for Italy last June. Griezmann, the top player at this summer’s European coach honour was “incredible” after receiving the prize Behringer. Spain’s accounted for nine of the 11 World football’s governing body has launched the championship. from Argentine football legend . players in the FIFPro team of the year with Ronaldo and new award series after ending its six-year collaboration Ronaldo had already won the Ballon d’Or after his Under Ranieri’s leadership, Leicester pulled off one of Messi headlining a star-studded line-up. with France Football magazine for the Ballon d’Or. — AFP Maradona backs FA Cup lustre fades as top teams shroud their stars LONDON: Heavy squad rotation and dwin- League, but who stunned Manchester 48-team W Cup dling attendances over the third-round United as Third Division underdogs in 1984 ZURICH: Diego Maradona yester- snow-lined pitch Monday was weekend suggested the FA Cup, once the — lost 3-0 at third-tier Millwall after man- day backed controversial plans to UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin, jewel in the crown of English football, is ager Eddie Howe changed his entire start- expand the World Cup to 48 who has voiced scepticism locked in a downward spiral. The FA Cup is ing XI. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, teams, a day before world foot- towards expansion, and CONCA- the game’s oldest knockout competition, meanwhile, selected the club’s youngest ball’s powerful governing council CAF chief Victor Montagliani, who dating back 146 years, and boasts a history ever team-with an average age of 21 years faces a key decision on the issue. is open to a bigger tournament. rich with famous upsets and unforgettable and 296 days-and saw them taken to a “It sounds like a fantastic idea to Former French international finals. But it is increasingly seen as an replay by fourth-tier Plymouth Argyle. me,” the 56-year-old, who David Trezeguet said more World inconvenience for the big teams, for whom Football Association chief executive Champions League qualification is all- Martin Glenn defended the big sides’ right inspired Argentina to World Cup Cup berths could give “possibili- important, while financial concerns mean to make changes, saying blooding young ties to countries and especially glory in 1986, told reporters at league position is the top priority for many players was “not a bad thing”. FIFA’s Zurich headquarters. players who have never experi- smaller clubs. “The FA Cup is a great com- “This will give more possibili- enced this beautiful competition”, petition, but there are other priorities now,” ‘DEVASTATED’ ties to countries that have never while acknowledging that details said Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock, The sense of disinterest was reflected in reached that level of competi- still needed to be worked out. whose side lost 2-1 to second-tier rivals the attendances, which were largely down tion.” FIFA president Gianni Among the major concerns Fulham. on the average crowds for league games. Infantino, who took charge of the from critics is that a longer tour- “A club like ours cannot afford to go Just 17,632 fans turned up to watch scandal-tainted world body last nament would increase pressure down.” The FA Cup final was once the only Sunderland draw 0-0 against top-flight year, has made expanding the on an already strained club match shown live on British television and rivals Burnley at the Stadium of Light, World Cup from the current 32 schedule. The influential the tournament’s third round-when top- which habitually hosts crowds of close to teams the centrepiece of his European Clubs Association, led flight teams enter the competition — has 42,000. And only 5,199 people watched administration. by German great Karl-Heinz produced some memorable shocks. Cardiff (average attendance 16,414) lose to But his plans have faced criti- Rummenigge, has come out But in recent times the glamour clubs Fulham in a match that kicked off at the cism including warnings that it against an enlarged World cup, have made their priorities clear by fielding inconvenient hour of 11:30 GMT. It was a will dilute the quality at football’s citing football’s overloaded cal- weakened teams in order to keep their different story for the competition’s min- showcase event. “The quality will endar. leading players fresh for more important nows, however, showing the FA Cup con- ZURICH: Gianni Infantino, left, FIFA President, and Diego Armando challenges ahead. tinues to hold special meaning for those not fall,” said Maradona, dripping Infantino says that money Maradona, a former Argentine footballer, pose for a photo on the The Premier League’s leading scorers, sides closer to the base of the English foot- with sweat after rumbling his way should not drive any decision, but green carpet while arriving for the The Best FIFA Football Awards Diego Costa, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis ball pyramid than the top. through a mini tournament of a confidential FIFA report seen by 2016 ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday. — AP Sanchez, did not see even a second of Non-league Sutton United, who pulled former football greats and cur- AFP projects that a 48-team tour- action in the FA Cup at the weekend. off a famous upset against Coventry City in rent executives. nament would bring a cash boost ing the World Cup unchanged at of three, which would come into Premier League leaders Chelsea, FA Cup 1989, saw their attendance leap from an Infantino has been courting of $640 million (605 million 32 teams, two proposals for a 40- effect for the 2026 competition. holders Manchester United and Tottenham average of 1,518 to 5,200 for their 0-0 draw support from the game’s most euros) above projected revenues team competition and two 48- Any decision made today will Hotspur each made nine changes to their at home to third-tier AFC Wimbledon. It powerful figures ahead of today’s for next year’s finals in Russia. team scenarios. have to be approved by FIFA’s full teams and although they all progressed, was a similar story for their National League meeting. The influential council will Infantino is said to be backing 211 members at the body’s next other top-tier sides came unstuck. (fifth-tier) rivals Barrow, who lost 2-0 to Among those playing on the review five proposals today: leav- a 48-team option with 16 groups congress. — AFP Bournemouth-now of the Premier Rochdale. — AFP