Lionel Messi won the men's Ballon d'Or award for a record-extending seventh time at a ceremony in Paris on Monday.

Messi won the last edition of the Ballon d'Or in 2019 before last year's awards were canceled due to the pandemic. He also won in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and in 2015.

The 34-year-old scored 38 goals in 48 games last season for Barcelona and won the Copa del Rey before captaining Argentina to Copa America glory in July.

That was the first major international title of his glittering career, which had been spent entirely with Barcelona before his tearful departure from the Camp Nou in August and subsequent move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi has played just 11 games for PSG so far, scoring four goals, but he was rewarded as much as anything for his continued brilliance down the years.

He has now won the Ballon d'Or twice more than his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo -- between them, they have won 12 of the last 13 editions with the exception coming in 2018 when Luka Modric claimed the prize.

Prolific Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski finished second and Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho was third in the voting by a jury of journalists from around the world.

Spain starlet Pedri won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21 at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday, while Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma was named the best goalkeeper.

Barcelona midfielder Pedri, who only turned 19 last Thursday, was a key player for Spain as they reached the semi-finals of the European Championship and featured in their side that lost in the men's Olympic football final against Brazil in Tokyo.

In addition, he played 52 games for Barcelona, helping them win the Copa del Rey.

Pedri, who joined Barca from Las Palmas last year, recently extended his contract at Camp Nou to 2026.

The Kopa Trophy is named after Raymond Kopa, the Real Madrid and France star of the post-war era who won the Ballon d'Or in 1958.

France forward Kylian Mbappe was the inaugural winner of the prize in 2018, and Matthijs de Ligt of Juventus and the Netherlands won it in 2019.

There was no Ballon d'Or awards ceremony last year because of the pandemic.

Donnarumma won the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper after his outstanding performances in Italy's glorious Euro 2020 campaign.

The 22-year-old left AC Milan for Paris Saint-Germain following the European Championship.

Liverpool and Brazil star Alisson was the first winner in 2019 of the Yashin Trophy, named after former USSR icon Lev Yashin.

Spain's Alexia Putellas wins women's Ballon d'Or

Alexia Putellas of Barcelona and Spain won the women's Ballon d'Or prize at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, completing a remarkable year for the 27-year-old.

Putellas is the third winner of the prize, following in the footsteps of Ada Hegerberg, who won the inaugural women's Ballon d'Or in 2018, and United States World Cup star Megan Rapinoe, winner in 2019.

The 2020 Ballon d'Or awards were canceled because of the pandemic.

Putellas captained Barcelona to victory in this year's Champions League, scoring a penalty in the final as her side hammered Chelsea 4-0 in Gothenburg.

She also won a Spanish league and cup double with Barca, the club she joined as a teenager in 2012, and helped her country qualify for the upcoming Women's Euro in England.

Her Barcelona and Spain teammate Jennifer Hermoso finished second in the voting, with Sam Kerr of Chelsea and Australia coming in third.

It completes an award double for Putellas, who in August was named player of the year by European football's governing body UEFA.

Bangladesh's veteran opening batter, Tamim Iqbal, has been omitted from the 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, as announced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday. Meanwhile, experienced batter Mahmudullah has secured his spot in the team.

The squad selection process generated considerable discussion, with several players being automatic choices. Tamim Iqbal, despite not being in peak physical condition, seemed like a surefire inclusion, especially after his confident return to international cricket with a fluent 44 against New Zealand.

However, reports emerged in local media just a day before the squad announcement, suggesting that Tamim had informed the management of his inability to play in all nine group matches of the tournament due to his fitness concerns. These reports reportedly left Shakib Al Hasan, the team's star all-rounder and captain, dissatisfied, even to the point where he contemplated stepping down as captain. Ultimately, the selectors decided against picking Tamim.

In a noteworthy development, Nafees Iqbal, Tamim's elder brother and the team's logistics manager, left the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium during Bangladesh's third ODI against New Zealand, and it appears he was removed from his post at Shakib's request.

The squad features some fresh faces as well, with Tanzid Hasan, who made his international debut in the recently-concluded Asia Cup, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, the promising fast bowler who impressed in his debut against India in the Asia Cup, earning their spots.

Bangladesh used the ongoing New Zealand series as an opportunity to experiment and assess potential options for the World Cup. Unlike most other teams, the selectors refrained from announcing a provisional squad, keeping fans and experts in suspense until just a couple of days before the ICC's deadline.

Mahmudullah, who had been absent from the ODI side for a considerable period, finally earned a place in the team after lower-order batters failed to make their mark in recent series. Mahmudullah's performance in the New Zealand series proved crucial, as he top-scored with a 76-ball-49 in the second ODI amid a batting collapse.

The spin duo of Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan also secured their spots in the squad after delivering strong performances in the latter part of the Asia Cup and the early stages of the New Zealand ODIs.

Soumya Sarkar, on the other hand, auditioned for a role but struggled, recording a duck in the second ODI against New Zealand before being dropped from the squad for the third game.

The finalized squad for the World Cup comprises the following players: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Tanzid Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

Bashundhara Toiletries Limited, a sister concern of Bashundhara Group, the largest industrial company in Bangladesh, has become the title sponsor of SAFF Championship Football 2023, the famous South Asian World Cup in football. And in Bangladesh, the country's first ever sports channel, T Sports, owned by Bashundhara Group, has bought broadcasting rights. Bashundhara Toiletries Limited SAFF Championship 2023 will be watched live on T Sports App along with satellite channel T Sports.

From June 21 to July 4, the 8-team SAFF Championship match, including Bangladesh, is going to be held in Bangalore, India. In the second match of the opening day, 2 arch rivals India and Pakistan face each other.

Bashundhara Group, one of the sponsors of sports on the red-green map, has crossed the borders of the country and opened new horizons outside the country. Bashundhara Group is regularly sponsoring various tournaments of Bangladesh team and Bangladesh Football Federation in the hope of promoting football in the country. In continuation of that, Bashundhara Toiletries Limited is participating in South Asia's biggest football tournament with Bangladesh team. 

Safwan Sobhan, Vice Chairman of Bashundhara Group and President of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club said, "This news is a matter of pride and joy not only for Bashundhara Group but also for the people of Bangladesh. Any international tournament means the sponsorship of foreign companies, their presence in the field-gallery, especially the presence of Indian companies is high here. This time, a Bangladeshi company will be seen as the sponsor of the SAFF Championship to be held on Indian soil. We believe, that will motivate the Bangladesh team to perform well.”

Meanwhile, T Sports has brought great news for the football lovers of Bangladesh. This is the first time all the matches of SAFF Championship will be broadcast in Bengali language. T Sports will also broadcast analytical discussions with football experts before and after the start of the match.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) ace Neymar and Bruna Biancardi have announced that they are expecting to welcome their first child into the world.

On Tuesday night (18 April), Bruna Biancardi posted five photos on her Instagram account, confirming that she and Neymar were expecting. The couple, who were glowing with happiness in the said images, did not confirm the sex of the child.

The post reads, "You're going to join a beautiful family, with my sister, grandmothers, uncles and aunts who already love you very much! See you soon son/daughter, we can't wait!"

The baby will be Neymar's second child after 11-year-old Davi Lucca. 

According to media reports, the couple started dating in 2021. Though they kept their romantic relationship private.

They officially announced their relationship to the public through an Instagram post in January 2022.

The ABG Limited extended their hands to support the National Women’s Football Team to make the team's progress easier toward the success in football.

The country’s largest business conglomerate Bashundhara Group’s concern ABG Limited extends their support for National Women’s Football Team.

ABG Limited inked a three-year deal with Bangladesh Football Federation to provide monetary assistance for women’s football league, national and international competitions and other development projects for women’s football at MD House at Bashundhara R/A on Thursday.

Managing Director of Bashundhara Group and ABG Limited and Chairman of Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Ltd Sayem Sobhan Anvir on behalf of the sponsor ABG Limited while FIFA Council Member, BFF Executive Committee member and BFF Women’s Wing Chairman Mahfuza Akter Kiron on behalf of the federation has signed the contract.

Bashundhara Group (EWPD) Deputy Managing Director and Head of Accounts and Finance, Bashundhara Kings President and BFF Vice-President Imrul Hassan, ABG Ltd advisor Mostofa Azad Mohiuddin, BFF vice-president Mohiuddin Mohi, BFF general secretary Md. Abu Nayeem Shohag, and T-Sports CEO Ishtiaque Sadeque attended the signing ceremony.

Also, Daily Sun Editor Enamul Hoque Chowdhury, Kaler Kantho Editor-in-Chief Imdadul Haq Milan, Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naem Nizam, Kaler Kantho Editor Shahed Muhammad Ali, News24 Executive Editor Rahul Raha and other distinguished personalities were also present.