Sports

Cristiano Ronaldo is motivated by the millions of people who look up to him ahead of the World Cup, as he dismissed criticism of his inflammatory interview with Piers Morgan.

The conversation with Morgan, broadcast on TalkTV, aired in full last week, with Ronaldo seemingly doing his utmost to bring his second spell at Manchester United to an end.

Among a wide range of topics, Ronaldo discussed how he felt betrayed by the club and how he did not respect manager Erik ten Hag – he even aimed a swipe at former team-mate Wayne Rooney.

Ronaldo is seemingly heading for a January exit, though for now his focus is on leading Portugal in Qatar. Their campaign in the gulf nation starts on Thursday against Ghana.

Iker Casillas came to his old Real Madrid club-mate …

A positive drugs test normally marks the end of an athlete s Olympic dream.

But USA goalkeeper Hope Solo will be allowed to take her place at London 2012.

The 30-year old tested positive for Canrenone last month but its position as a specified substance means Solo only receives a public warning.

Specified substances are those which are more susceptible to credible non-doping explanations.

Solo says the substance came from a prescribed medication and acted in accordance with the US Anti-Doping Agency.

Solo is aiming for a second successive gold medal, after helping the team to success in 2008.

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Arda Guler scored in the first half to earn a second-string Real Madrid side a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Friday, moving the LaLiga leaders a step closer to a record-extending 36th Spanish title.

With five games remaining, Madrid climbed to 84 points and extended their lead to 14 points over second-placed Barcelona, who have a game in hand and host Valencia on Monday.

Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti rested several key players ahead of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, but his side did just enough to secure the three points.

The winner came from 19-year-old Turkish midfielder Guler, making his first start for Madrid after signing from Fenerbahce, when he turned home Dani Carvajal s cross in the 29th minute.

19 Youngest players to sco…

Sheffield United have named Nigel Adkins as their new manager on a three-year deal.

The Yorkshire club have been searching for a new boss since sacking Nigel Clough after losing to Swindon Town in the League One play-off semi-finals.

Adkins has plenty of experience in the third tier having twice won promotion with Scunthorpe United and finishing runner-up with Southampton in the 2010-11 season.

The 50-year-old, who also gained promotion to the Premier League with Southampton, most recently managed Reading.

He succeeded Brian McDermott at the Madejski Stadium in March 2013 but was unable to prevent the team dropping out of the Premier League and was sacked in December 2014.

Andy Crosby and Dean Wilkins have been named as assistant manager and fir…

Tottenham Hotspur are one of many clubs showing interest in 18-year-old Pescara defender Marco Perrotta, .

In addition, Perrotta s agent Ulisse Savini revealed that his client is being chased by Italian giants AC Milan as well as AS Roma.

AS Roma, AC Milan and Tottenham on him? It s true, but not only them, there are other clubs interested in the player, Savini told tuttomercatoweb.

Perrotta is expected to be a big player for the club following their promotion from Serie B last term. He is under contract with the Biancazzurri until 2016, but his future remains uncertain at the moment.

Right now he is looking forward to a season with Pescara in Serie A and he has a contract that ties him to the club until 2016, added Savini.  For the …

Monaco moved top of Ligue 1 as a first hat-trick in four years from Radamel Falcao fired them to a 4-0 victory over Bordeaux on Saturday.

Leonardo Jardim s side seized the advantage with two goals inside five minutes as Djibril Sidibe slotted home from close range, before goalkeeper Jerome Prior inadvertently parried Valere Germain s cross off Falcao and into the net.

The Colombia international made certain of the victory for his side shortly after half-time as he collected Germain s cut-back before coolly rounding Prior and turning home, while a penalty completed his first treble at club level since December 9, 2012.

Adam Ounas was sent off for a challenge from behind on Sidibe to compound Bordeaux s misery as Monaco celebrated moving top of the table on goal …

Does Wilfried Zaha regret snubbing England in favour of Ivory Coast? No.

Zaha switched his international allegiance last year and the Crystal Palace star is now gearing up for the Africa Cup of Nations with the reigning champions.

The 24-year-old, who was born in Abidjan, made two appearances for England in friendlies against Sweden and Scotland in 2012 and 2013 respectively, meaning he was eligible to represent the country of his birth due to never representing the European nation in a competitive fixture.

Zaha has not looked back and is happy with his decision ahead of Ivory Coast s AFCON opener against Togo on January 16.

I left for England and I did not return to the country [Ivory Coast]. So I did all my schooling in my adopted country and it was mo…

Arsenal star Mesut Ozil insists he has never been concerned by critics and is proud of what he has achieved in his career.

The 28-year-old has won trophies with Werder Bremen, Real Madrid and the Gunners and lifted the World Cup with Germany in 2014.

The midfielder has rarely been far from the critical spotlight, however, with concerns raised about his ability to influence the biggest games for an Arsenal side that has enjoyed only fleeting success since his arrival in 2013.

But Ozil has little interest in the view of pundits, telling the Daily Mail: I hear a lot, but I don t give any worth to it. What the manager says is what s important to me. What experts say doesn t interest me and never will.

I know what I can do. I ve not been playing at the top le…

Porto have exercised their option to purchase Oliver Torres permanently from Atletico Madrid at the end of the season.

Already on loan at the Estadio do Dragao, Torres will arrive from Madrid for €20million ahead of the 2017-18 Primeira Liga campaign.

The 22-year-old Spanish midfielder has flourished in Portugal, scoring two goals in 18 league appearances for Porto this season.

Porto hereby informs the market that it has exercised the purchase option for the acquisition of the sporting rights of the athlete Oliver, for the amount of €20m, from Atletico Madrid, Porto said in a statement on Thursday.

It is further informed that the contract of employment with the player will be effective upon the termination of the loan agreement currently in force. <…

Tottenham s rumoured pursuit of Dani Ceballos has become trickier with the Real Madrid midfielder declaring he does not want to be sold.

Ceballos, 22, has been mentioned as a potential makeweight in a deal that could send Christian Eriksen the other way.

Arsenal have also been linked with a move for the former Real Betis player, who signed a six-year contract at the Santiago Bernabeu in July 2017.

But it appears the only hope the north London rivals have of engineering a deal is on a loan basis.

I don t want to be sold, Ceballos told Spanish broadcaster Onda Cero.

Whatever comes next, wherever I am, I want to enjoy myself and feel important.

I ve got a lot of football left in me and I think the next season will be my best.

You…