Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane once again left Cristiano Ronaldo out of his squad that travels to Sevilla on Thursday holding a 3-0 lead for the second leg of their Copa del Rey last 16 tie.

Asia's football chief said the region "deserves more slots" at the World Cup, as FIFA's decision to expand the tournament to 48 teams from 2026 was cheered in countries from China to New Zealand.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said he, his players and even the club's supporters will need to raise their game when arch rivals Liverpool visit Old Trafford this weekend.

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo said he is "part of football's history" in an interview published Tuesday a day after he won FIFA's inaugural "The Best" prize for the world's best player in 2016.

Vandals in Buenos Aires destroyed a statue of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, leaving the sculpture of the five-time Ballon d'Or winner without its head or torso on Tuesday.

"The statue of Lionel Messi fell victim to an act of vandalism that left it without its top half," the Buenos Aires city government said in a statement.

Hosting the Euro 2016 football tournament cost France less than 200 million euros ($211 million) but brought some 1.22 billion euros into the country, according to figures released by the ministry of sports Tuesday.

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo claimed he had to overcome media "campaigns" against him to win FIFA's inaugural "The Best" prize for the world's best player in 2016.

Maria Sharapova will make her return to competitive tennis following her 15-month ban at the WTA clay-court tournament in Stuttgart in April, it was announced on Tuesday.

FIFA will expand the World Cup to 48 teams, adding 16 extra nations to the 2026 tournament which is likely to be held in North America.

President Gianni Infantino's favored plan — for 16 three-team groups with the top two advancing to a round of 32 — was unanimously approved Tuesday by the FIFA Council.

Cristiano Ronaldo was named FIFA's best men's footballer of 2016 on Monday, the latest prize after a glittering year for the Portugal and Real Madrid star.