Get the appThierry Henry was nominated nine times for the Ballon d'Or, football's top individual prize, but never won it. He came closest in 2003, finishing second to Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved. In 2006 he finished third, behind defender Fabio Cannavaro and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Henry won a long list of team honours during his career, but received relatively few individual awards.
The AFL 2027 fixture is likely to be announced on Thursday, November 12, based on the league's recent pattern. It will come in the days before the AFL National Draft, which starts on Thursday, November 19. The 2027 season is set to begin on either Wednesday, March 17 or Thursday, March 18 with Round 1. There will be no Opening Round, with all 18 teams playing in the first round. The start has been pushed back a week because of the 150th Anniversary cricket Test at the MCG from March 11 to 15.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes appeared to question head coach Michael Carrick's tactics after a 4-1 defeat to Como. Asked what went wrong, Fernandes said the decision not to press man to man had allowed opponents too much of the ball. When asked directly whether Carrick had got his tactics wrong, he said that was for the manager and staff to judge. Carrick later defended his approach, saying the side had tried to press at one point and conceded a goal from it. The club sits 13th in the Premier League after a poor start to the season.
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Get the appZach Merrett has moved to Hawthorn after a previous attempt to leave Essendon fell through. The midfielder says his final season with the Bombers was a smooth process. He said he held open talks with coach Brad Scott early in the year, then kept in regular contact with list boss Matty Rosa. Merrett said the club wanted to keep developing young players and bringing in high-end talent through the draft. He now joins Hawthorn with a clean slate for the 2027 season.
Barcelona have equalled a La Liga record after winning their first nine matches of the 2026/27 season. A 5-2 win over Real Betis on October 17 gave them nine straight victories, matching the mark Real Madrid set in 1968/69. Barcelona lead the table by five points with 27 points and have scored 39 goals, averaging 4.3 per game. Barcelona could break the record outright with a win in the next El Clasico against Real Madrid.
The Sporting News has ranked the top Ohio State wide receivers currently playing in the NFL. Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks takes the top spot after winning Offensive Player of the Year honours and the Super Bowl in 2025. Garrett Wilson of the New York Jets ranks second, having recorded three straight 1,000-yard seasons to start his career. Chris Olave of the New Orleans Saints is third, while Marvin Harrison Jr. of the Houston Texans, traded this season, ranks sixth.
The rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers has been renewed over the past year. Bears coach Ben Johnson first took a shot at Packers coach Matt LaFleur at his introductory press conference, saying he enjoyed beating LaFleur twice a year as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. LaFleur later offered a subtle response, praising Johnson's coaching while focusing on players. Johnson's Bears have won two of three meetings against Green Bay since he took over, including comeback wins in the playoffs.
The family of Mike Ditka, the former NFL tight end and coach, has announced that he died at the age of 86. Ditka is best known for his coaching career, which included Super Bowl titles, most notably Chicago's dominant 1985 season. Before that, he was one of the league's standout tight ends, earning five Pro Bowl selections and five All-Pro honours across 11 seasons with the Bears, Eagles and Cowboys. He also won an Offensive Rookie of the Year award and the 1963 NFL championship with Chicago. The Bears have retired his No.
Sydney Swans list manager Chris Keane has dismissed reports Nick Blakey could be traded, despite the defender meeting with rival clubs. Blakey is contracted for five more years, and Keane insists the club has no intention of trading him. Geelong’s chances of securing Blakey have diminished after trading pick 14 to St Kilda for Rowan Marshall. Blakey and four other Swans players are under investigation for an alleged sexual assault incident in Melbourne in August.
The AFL has released its 2027 Gather Round fixtures, with Adelaide and South Australia hosting a weekend of football. The Crows are expected to open proceedings on Friday night and Port Adelaide to close on Sunday afternoon. Some supporters had feared the draw would include weak matches, but the writer argues the league has delivered strong contests. Highlights include Adelaide against Brisbane, Collingwood against Sydney, Carlton against Melbourne, and Port Adelaide against the Western Bulldogs, featuring Zak Butters' return. Only two games were judged less appealing.
A media report claims the Sydney Swans could open the 2027 AFL season against the Geelong Cats on Wednesday, March 17, at the SCG. The AFL has not yet released its Round 1 fixtures, and the match has not been confirmed. All 18 teams will play on the same weekend to open the season, after Opening Round was scrapped. The Cats have added Toby Greene and Rowan Marshall, while the Swans are expected to remain strong under Dean Cox following a deep finals run in 2026.
Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson has revealed that a handwritten note from Channel 7 commentator Hamish McLachlan moved him to tears after his brother's death earlier this year. Speaking on the Dyl and Friends podcast, Dawson paid tribute to his wife Milly and to his club for their support. Jaryd Dawson was found dead in Robe in South Australia's south east in April. Dawson said teammates drove almost four hours to be with him, and that former Geelong captain Joel Selwood and former teammate Sam Jacobs had also helped him through the loss.
Former Port Adelaide forward Daniel Stewart, aged 37, has tragically passed away due to an unexpected health episode. His former teammate and friend Kane Cornes expressed shock and grief, describing Stewart as a brilliant and caring teammate. Stewart, known as Snowy, co-founded the fitness empire Body Fit Training (BFT) with Matt Thomas. His wife, Laura, confirmed the devastating news, requesting privacy as they mourn their loss. A GoFundMe page has been established to support Stewart's family, raising over $65,000 at the time of writing.
Port Adelaide's Dougie Cochrane is tipped to go first in a mock AFL National Draft, after Essendon places a bid on the 195cm utility. Father-son and academy selections are expected to feature prominently in the top 10. Ethan Drever is projected second to Essendon, which needs to rebuild its midfield after losing Zach Merrett. Cody Walker is expected to join Carlton as a father-son selection, while Mitch Harris is tipped to Melbourne as the best key defender in the draft.
AFL Gather Round will return to Adelaide from Thursday, April 8 to Sunday, April 11, 2027. Nine games will be played at Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and Barossa Park. Tickets and prices have not yet been confirmed. Fans can book flights with Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar, and accommodation through All Accor, the AFL's official accommodation partner. A parade through the Adelaide CBD, with 10 players from each club, is a new attraction.
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Get the appBrisbane have been given a primetime Thursday night opening match at Gather Round in 2027, against co-hosts Adelaide on April 8. The round closes on Sunday night with Zak Butters facing his former club Port Adelaide, now as a Western Bulldogs player. Brisbane have won all four of their past Gather Round matches, by an average of 38.5 points. Other grudge matches include Rowan Marshall facing former club St Kilda, and Essendon meeting North Melbourne after facing Melbourne in recent years. The round is played across four days in South Australia.
Essendon head into next month's AFL Draft holding the No. 1 overall pick, and attention is turning to how they will use it. Cody Walker and Dougie Cochrane are the leading candidates, though Carlton and Port Adelaide are expected to be strong contenders for them. Draft analyst Kevin Sheehan said Essendon have a clear incentive to act early on one of those players, because they would earn an extra pick at the start of the second round. Given the club's need for talent, pursuing one of them and forcing a matching bid could be a logical approach.
Zach Merrett has joined Hawthorn this offseason, a year after an earlier attempt to move failed. Hawks forward Jack Ginnivan believes Merrett should play a mix of wing, back and midfield. He suggested half-back as a spot where Merrett's use of the ball and speed would help. Many see midfield as Merrett's best role, alongside Jai Newcombe and Will Day. Coach Sam Mitchell faces a balancing act as he works out where to play the star midfielder during preseason.
The Brisbane Lions are still searching for a replacement for Chris Fagan, who left after leading the club to three straight premierships. Cameron Bruce is widely seen as a favourite, but former Collingwood great Nathan Buckley has said he wants to return to coaching. According to the Herald Sun, Buckley will formally present his case for the role next month. The writer suggests the race is mainly between Buckley and Bruce, with Buckley having previously missed out on roles at Tasmania and Melbourne and pulled out of the North Melbourne process.
Hawthorn forward Jack Ginnivan has said Tasmania may find it hard to recruit young players from Melbourne. Speaking on SEN's Summer Run, Ginnivan said he could not see himself living in Tasmania and that Melbourne and the Gold Coast offer a lifestyle young players are used to. He said the task would be challenging but added that coach Ken Hinkley could manage it.