ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI

Barcelona’s risky bet to mortgage the club’s future has paid off with its first Spanish league title in four years.

Kylian Mbappé scored two goals and set up another for Olivier Giroud to give France a 3-1 victory over Poland and a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Writers covering the World Cup for The Associated Press have chosen their standout players at the tournament so far to form a best team of the group stage.

Guillermo Ochoa’s World Cup magic didn’t work against Lionel Messi and Argentina.

Robert Lewandowski finally scored at the World Cup.

Saudi Arabia’s shocking upset of Lionel Messi and Argentina suddenly put the Green Falcons in the international spotlight.

Lionel Messi returns to the World Cup for a fifth attempt at finally winning soccer’s biggest prize.

Some are older and familiar names who might be in their last World Cup, while others will be names to get used to for future World Cups.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s explosive TV interview with Piers Morgan seems certain to end his Manchester United career.

Spain’s Pedri González will highlight the list of teenagers who could make an impact at the World Cup.

Karim Benzema has won the men’s Ballon d’Or for the first time after a brilliant season with Real Madrid capped by the Champions League and Spanish league titles.

Barcelona faces another tough Champions League group after being drawn with Bayern Munich and Inter Milan as it tries to avoid a second straight group-stage exit since losing Lionel Messi.

Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi was omitted from the 30-man list of nominees for the prestigious award.

Barcelona has sold off even more of its club assets so it could meet the Spanish league’s financial rules and clear Robert Lewandowski and other newcomers to play in the season opener.

Real Madrid starts the Spanish league season overflowing with confidence that it can retain the domestic title despite Barcelona spending big to add top talent to its team.

Manchester City has agreed to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.

Poland’s refusal to play its World Cup qualifier against Russia next month in response to that nation's invasion of Ukraine gained wider support when Sweden followed with its own plans to protest to FIFA.

Robert Lewandowski has scored a hat trick on his 100th Champions League appearance to lead Bayern Munich into the last-16 with a 5-2 rout of Benfica.

Italy has set an international record of 36 games unbeaten as Germany and Spain returned to the top of their World Cup qualifying groups.

Gerd Müller, the Bayern Munich and former West Germany soccer great known as “Der Bomber” for his scoring prowess, has died.

The group stage of the European Championship is compete.

Germany's collapse at the World Cup in Russia the following month meant the final act of Löw's long tenure would be a rebuild. Germany's showing in Russia was its worst World Cup campaign since 1938, and there's been more unwanted history since. Losing to North Macedonia ended a 20-year, 35-game unbeaten run for the national team in World Cup qualifying. AdInjuries have played their part, too, leading Löw to use defensive midfielder Emre Can at left back and right back in successive World Cup qualifiers. Löw has done some useful groundwork for his successor, like persuading 18-year-old Bayern forward Jamal Musiala to choose Germany over England.

A child in a red costume collects money for Poland's most popular nationwide fundraiser for health purposes, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, that was postponed by two weeks due to the pandemic, in downtown Warsaw, Poland, on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021. Anti-government protesters angry about a near-total abortion ban suspended their marches for the weekend to show solidarity and ensure that they didn't steal the spotlight from the event. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)WARSAW – From soccer star Robert Lewandowski to opposition politicians, Polish citizens on Sunday donated at least 71 million zlotys ($19 million) to a charity's fundraiser for health causes that has been criticized by the conservative government for its liberal agenda. Anti-government protesters angry about a near-total abortion ban suspended their marches for the weekend to show solidarity and ensure that they didn't steal the spotlight from the event. The 71 million zlotys ($19 million) collected is significantly less than over 180 million zlotys collected last year, but the event was to continue until midnight, and making donations was also possible later.

FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2020, file photo, the Olympic rings for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 pass by on a barge by tugboats off the Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo. Tokyo Olympic officials said Thursday, Dec. 24, they have reached a basic agreement with all 68 domestic sponsors to extend their contracts into next year to support the postponed Games. Facing increasingly long odds, some mega-events — the Olympics, March Madness, the Boston Marathon and Wimbledon — pushed the starting line into 2021. … Continue to push (against) everything that’s the opposite of love.”If only for a moment, the pandemic receded into the background. “If we can continue to do that, all of us,” James concluded, “America would be a much better place.”

Some talking points ahead of the second round of games in the Champions League:NO RONALDO VS. MESSI? The highly anticipated matchup of Cristiano Ronaldo against Lionel Messi likely won’t happen because Ronaldo has the coronavirus. Alvaro Morata replaced Ronaldo against Dynamo Kyiv last week and scored twice in a 2-0 win. Eden Hazard was added to the Madrid squad and could make his season debut after nursing a muscle injury. Diego Simeone's side was thrashed 4-0 by defending champion Bayern Munich and next hosts Salzburg in Group A on Tuesday.

Bayern's Robert Lewandowski celebrates after scoring his team's first goal from the penalty spot during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Chelsea at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)MUNICH Robert Lewandowski scored two goals and assisted two more as Bayern Munich cruised into the Champions League quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday, completing an overwhelming 7-1 victory on aggregate. The coronavirus-enforced suspension of the season didn't interrupt Bayern's charge to the Bundesliga title and it hasn't interrupted its Champions League bid either. Abraham did get a goal for Chelsea just before halftime when Bayern 'keeper Manuel Neuer gifted him the ball when clearing a cross. Corentin Tolisso added another for Bayern in the 76th before Lewandowski headed in the fourth eight minutes later.

Munich's players celebrate in front of the empty stands after the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and FC Bayern Munich in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, June 27, 2020. A SEASON LIKE NO OTHERThe games were eerie as players shouts echoed off empty concrete terraces and the colorful fan displays were gone. It helped that Germany was a world leader in ramping up its coronavirus testing. Bundesliga players spent less time training at home than their counterparts in England or Spain because of Germany's quick move to socially distanced training in groups. The English Premier League and Spanish league are both heading into talks on new domestic TV rights cycles from 2022.

(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)BERLIN Bayern Munich effectively won the Bundesliga title in November when it appointed Hansi Flick as coach. Bayerns defensive record was its worst since Jrgen Klinsmann was coach in 2008. Kovac had led Bayern to a league and cup double the season before but never had the full backing of the clubs leadership. Bayern is currently on a 14-game winning run including the 3-0 win over Chelsea in London in the Champions League. There are also other reasons Bayern has won an unprecedented eight consecutive title, mostly tied to the clubs financial might.

(Lars Baron, Pool via AP)BERLIN Germanys soccer league was marked by gestures against racism and support for the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday as Bayern Munich took another step toward a record-extending eighth straight Bundesliga title. All of Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlins 22 outfield players took a knee in the center-circle together before the top tier's late game with no fans present. Bayern's players had Black Lives Matter printed on their armbands, partly covering sponsor Qatar Airways logo on the left arm. Robert Lewandowski scored Bayerns fourth to claim his 30th Bundesliga goal of the season, set up by Thomas Mller, who now has 20 assists. It also had to do without fans, as all Bundesliga games are being played without supporters amid strict hygiene measures against coronavirus.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic trains in Carnago, near Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2020. The 38-year-old striker signed a deal with AC Milan until the end of the season with an option to extend for another year. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

9’s are back in vogue in Serie A. The last round of matches was a case in point, with a hat trick from Ronaldo and multiple goals from Lukaku, Immobile and Belotti. Meanwhile, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is only one game into his Serie A return with AC Milan. 9’s, his vertical moves have been in perfect synch with crossing specialists Sergej Milinković-Savić and Luis Alberto. Dubbed “LuLa,” the duo has scored 23 goals in Serie A this season — seven more than all of AC Milan.