Ronaldo, Higuain top highest-paid players in Serie A

Juventus superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, is the highest-paid player in Serie A.

Ronaldo, who completed a €100m move to the Bianconeri from Real Madrid in the summer, earns three times more than anyone else in Italy’s top-flight.

Italian newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport has revealed the wages of all Serie A players and it showed that the Portugal captain earns €31million (£28m/$36m) per season.

Gonzalo Higuain, who joined AC Milan from Juve after Ronaldo arrived in Turin, is the next best paid, raking in €9.5million (£9m/$11m) per season.

After Higuain, it is fellow Argentine attacker and Juventus star, Paulo Dybala on €7m (£6m/$8m), with Miralem Pjanic not far behind on €6.5m.

Sport World Cup 2018: I’ve beaten Messi at club level, I hope to do it again today – Obi Mikel

Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi has recalled that he had once beaten Argentina captain, Lionel Messi at club level and that he hopes to beat him again when Nigeria throws tackles with the La Albiceleste in their all important last group game on Tuesday.

The match will be played at the Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg by 7pm (Nigeria)

Mikel and Messi first crossed each other’s path in the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands in 2005 with the Barcelona superstar lifting the trophy and also best player of the tournament.

Since then, they have met several times at the international and club levels with the Argentine captain having the upper hand most of the time.

Mikel who now plays in China and Messi who has spent his carrier at Barcelona will rekindle their rivalry today when Nigeria and Argentina battle for a spot in the knock out stages.

The Super Eagles sit in second position in the group with three points, while Argentina occupy last position with just one point.

“I’m looking forward to it. It’s always a pleasure playing against Messi. I have played against him so many times, be it national team, be it at club level,” Mikel stated during a short video interview posted on ESPN.

“Once in Chelsea, I managed to come out on top against him. In this tournament, I hope to do that. I hope the team will come out top against him.”

I will make Jamaican national football team – Usain Bolt

Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt has said that he is serious about starting up a soccer career now he has retired from sprinting.

He also said he could even be good enough to play for Jamaica.

Bolt, eight-time Olympic gold medalist, is currently recovering from a hamstring injury.

He accepted there might be some skepticism, but said it had always been his boyhood dream.

He told reporters at the U.S Formula One Grand Prix, “For me it’s a personal goal. I don’t care what people really think about it. I‘m not going to lie to myself.

“I‘m not going to be stupid. I‘m not trying to embarrass myself.

“But if I go out there and feel I can do this then I will give it a try. It’s a dream and another chapter of my life.

“If you have a dream that you always wanted to do, why not try and see where it will go.

“It’s just my hamstring keeping me back right now. In two weeks I can start training again and get back into some shape.

“Then I can really explore the situation.

“They say the invitation is always open, so it’s all about me getting over my injury and then getting into shape.

“Then I can do the trials and see what level I‘m at.”

A keen Manchester United fan, Bolt doubted manager Jose Mourinho would be on the phone any time soon, but said he had spoken to the club’s former manager, Alex Ferguson about his dream.

“He said ‘Alright, get into shape and I’ll see where that goes’,” said the sprinter.

Jamaica, who failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals, are currently 59th in the world rankings, leaving Bolt to also muse, “I think I can make the Jamaica team easily. I wouldn’t say they are that good at this point.”

BREAKING: Everton sacks Ronald Koeman as manager

Everton have sacked manager Ronald Koeman.

Koeman became the third Premier League manager to be shown the exit door this season when he was sacked on Monday.

The 54-year-old Dutchman guided Everton to seventh place in his first season in charge last term.

His sacked a 5-2 defeat to Arsenal at the weekend.

Everton have started the season on a poor note despite having spent £140million in the summer.

Club’s statement reads, “Everton Football Club can confirm that Ronald Koeman has left the Club.”

Mourinho vows to reveal why he didn’t become Barcelona manager

Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has said he will reveal why he did not become Barcelona coach.

Mourinho learnt his trade at the Camp Nou, as a translator and assistant coach under Bobby Robson.

He then joined up with Louis van Gaal’s staff in the 1990s.

When Frank Rijkaard was fired in 2008, Mourinho was one of the options to take over Barca.

However, the Portuguese didn’t get the job and instead he went to Inter Milan, where he brought domestic and continental success, while Barca appointed Pep Guardiola.

“These are things about my career that I prefer to keep for myself.

“Maybe I’ll talk about it one day when I’m old, very old.

“The only thing I can say is that I’m still a coach with concerns, ambitions and the desire to do new things,” Mourinho said in an interview with Telefoot.

Nigeria vs Zambia: How Super Eagles players shared their bonus with Ikeme

Players and officials of the Super Eagles, gave a share of the bonus they were paid for beating Zambia 1-0, to goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, who is presently down with acute Leukaemia.

This was revealed by head coach, Gernot Rohr, in an interview with Lagos Talks FM.

Rohr says Ikeme set Nigeria on a sound footing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, with his fine performance in their first game away to Zambia in Ndola which they won 1-0.

“At first don’t forget him, you win you have a bonus everybody gave his part to Carl he was very happy ‎, the next idea I have is to go and see him to say thanks for what you did in the first game against Zambia.

“We can’t forget he brought us on the right way and we are sure he will come out of this great fight he has to fight and come with us to the World Cup,” Rohr said.

Mourinho reveals why he can’t rest Lukaku yet

Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has said that he cannot rest goal machine Romelu Lukaku, until Zlatan Ibrahimovic returns to the squad.

Ibrahimovic is out until January 2018, as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

Lukaku has hit the ground running at Old Trafford, scoring 10 goals in his first nine United matches, since his £75million move from Everton last summer.

Mourinho admits he cannot rotate the 24-year-old yet.

“Without Zlatan we can’t rotate the strikers.

“Also because Marcus Rashford is playing in other postions.

“Until the moment we have Zlatan we can’t think about giving rest to our number nine the same way we give in other positions. We can’t do that,” the Portuguese said.