Lionel Messi scores for PSG in first game back since World Cup triumph

CNN  —  Lionel Messi celebrated his return to Paris Saint-Germain with a goal in his first game back since lifting the World Cup. The 35-year-old only returned to training in the new year after taking some time off to celebrate and recuperate after Qatar 2022, where he finally won the trophy that had always eluded … Read more

João Félix: Atlético Madrid and Portugal forward joins Chelsea on loan until end of 2022/23 season

CNN  —  Atlético Madrid and Portugal forward João Félix has joined Chelsea on loan until the end of the 2022/23 season, the English Premier League side announced on Wednesday. “Chelsea is one of the great teams in the world and I hope to help the team reach their objectives, so I am very, very happy … Read more

Why Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia means so much for the Gulf monarchy’s sporting ambitions

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appears in today’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, CNN’s three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. Sign up here. Abu Dhabi, UAE CNN  —  It’s a partnership that’s been hailed as “history in the making.” One of the world’s most famous soccer stars landed in the Saudi … Read more

Pelé: Brazilian’s final hurrah at New York Cosmos helped spark ‘sporting revolution’

CNN  —  He’d won three World Cups, scored goals galore and become a global icon, but Pelé wasn’t quite done yet, so off he went to the US and helped transform the sport of soccer in North America. The Brazilian great was convinced to come out of retirement, signing in 1975 for the New York … Read more

Pelé: What made Brazilian legend so great

CNN  —  Born into poverty – he used to kick a grapefruit around Brazil’s Minas Gerais state – Pelé finished his career as arguably soccer’s greatest ever player. He was that rarity; like Muhammad Ali, Pelé was a sports star, who transcended his sport. The Brazilian brought joy and creativity to a sport often stuck … Read more