RUBEN Amorim is in talks to become Manchester United’s new manager.

The 39-year-old has “verbally agreed” to become the new Red Devils boss, replacing Erik ten Hag.

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Who is Ruben Amorim?

Ruben Amorim is a Portuguese professional football manager and former player.

He was born on January 27, 1985, in Lisbon.

The midfielder spent most of his playing years at Portuguese clubs Belenenses and Benfica.

After playing for both clubs during his youth he spent five years at Belenenses, making his Primeira Liga debut in 2003.

He made 96 appearances and scored four times for the club.

He joined Benfica in 2008 and went on to secure ten major titles during his tenure.

After a year on load at Braga, he returned to Benfica for an incredible 2013/14 season.

In it he helped the club win four titles – the league, Taça de Portugal, Taça da Liga and the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira.

The following season saw him play for his first overseas club, on loan at Al-Wakrah in Qatar.

He represented Portugal in two FIFA World Cups – 2010 and 2014 – gaining a total of 14 caps for his country.

In 2017, he retired as a player after 95 appearances and five goals for Benfica.

He began his coaching career at Primeira Liga club Casa Pia the following year.

He was then appointed as head coach at Braga B before taking charge of the first team in December 2019.

Who is Ruben Amorim’s wife Maria Joao Diogo?

Ruben and Maria first crossed paths during his playing days.

In 2013, the pair married in a beautiful ceremony at the Palácio de S. Marcos church in Coimbra,

160 guests witnessed the beautiful moment, including members of the football world.

We have to win titles

Ruben Amorimon Sporting Lisbon future

Nuno Gomes, Miguel Vítor, Hugo Viana, Luís Filipe and Quim were all present, as was Maria’s brother, Antero Henrique.

Henrique was famously the former Sporting Director at PSG – and was a Man Utd target.

Maria and Ruben are blessed with two children.

Maria is an interior designer.

Together with Raquel Viana, she created Dois Tons, who offer interior, home staging, lighting, and turnkey projects as well as preparation of plans and layouts.

Their website states that the objective is to design spaces in which “the client’s personality, needs and lifestyle become the pillar of the creative process”.

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Who does Ruben Amorim manage?

Amorim joined Primeira Liga side Sporting Lisbon in March 2020.

In his first full season at the club he led them to their first league title in 19 years.

They also won the league cup (Taça da Liga) – and went on to defend their title in the 2021/2022 season.

What is Ruben Amorim’s net worth?

In March 2020, Ruben was appointed manager of Sporting Lisbon for a managerial transfer worth €10million (£8.65million).

This made him the third-most expensive manager ever.

As of 2024, he reportedly has an estimated net worth of £13million.

Despite the outside noise surrounding the game, Northern Ireland left Croatia with a 1-1 draw after an injury-time own goal by Izabela Lojna, who also netted an early penalty for the hosts.

Reflecting on the game, Oxtoby said she was “positive” about the performance and she was confident her side could progress to the next round of play-offs.

If Northern Ireland triumph in Belfast on Tuesday, then they will likely face Norway for a place at the Euro 2025 finals in Switzerland next summer.

The hosts are boosted by the return of midfielder Joely Andrews, who missed the first leg through injury, while defender Rachel Dugdale will be assessed after picking up a knock in Croatia.

Linfield defender Abi Sweetlove, 18, has been drafted into Oxtoby’s squad as cover.

“I thought we dominated the ball and created loads of opportunities”, said Oxtoby, who added she has “selection headaches” for the second leg.

“We need to be a bit more clinical, which is some of the things that we have been discussing, but, apart from that penalty, I don’t think you can ask for much more.

“We need to make sure we convert that dominance with the ball in the final third into goals.”

When asked what will make the difference to produce a match-winning performance over 90 minutes, Oxtoby said patience will be key.

“If things don’t go your way in the first 20 or 25 minutes, then it’s about having the confidence and patience in what you are trying to do, that it will come.

“I’ve seen a lot of maturity from the group in that area. They have the patience to probe and try different things, and our principles of play have been really positive.

“It’s another opportunity to do that and I’m really excited to see how they go.”

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams was suspended for three games by the NFL on Monday for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

Williams has been on injured reserve all season after tearing the ACL in his left knee during special teams drills at training camp in August. He then had season-ending surgery. The suspension means he will not be paid for the next three weeks, but will be eligible for reinstatement Nov. 11 and won’t have to miss any games when he returns from the injury.

Williams was arrested twice in 2023 because of traffic-related incidents.

After being pulled over in the Dallas suburb of Frisco in August 2023, right after the team had come home after training camp in California, Williams faced charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

That was seven months after Williams was charged with reckless driving after an accident a few days before Christmas 2022 when he was traveling nearly 100 mph and weaving through traffic before colliding with a vehicle driven by a 71-year-old woman. Neither driver was seriously injured.

Before getting hurt in camp this year, the 6-foot-4, 261-pound Williams had been expected to have a bigger role as an edge rusher. Defensive end Dorance Armstrong and outside linebacker Dante Fowler left the Cowboys in free agency during the offseason.

49ers beat Cowboys 30-24, Is Dallas a playoff team? | The Herd

A second-round draft pick out of Mississippi in 2022, Williams played in 32 regular-season games over the past two seasons, including all 17 last year. He has 8.5 career sacks.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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THE 68th edition of the Ballon d’Or has concluded with the FULL shortlist and winner announced.

This year’s ceremony was the first time in 21 years that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo have been nominated in the men’s category.

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BALLON D’OR LIVE – AS IT HAPPENED

The two footballing icons have shared 13 of the past 16 awards, eight going to Messi and five for Ronaldo.

Karim Benzema and Luka Modric are also not included in the 30-man shortlist, meaning a first-time winner is guaranteed.

Real Madrid pair Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham were amongst the favourites after helping Los Blancos to win the Champions League, LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup last season.

But it was Manchester City superstar Rodri who was crowned the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner after an eventful ceremony which saw Real BOYCOTT the event.

Ballon d’Or 2024 full results

SunSport brings you the full finishing order for the 2024 Ballon d’Or:

=29th – Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)

=29th – Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)

28th – Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)

27th – Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)

26th – Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)

25th – Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea)

24th – William Saliba (France, Arsenal)

23rd – Ruben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)

22nd – Antonio Rudiger (Germany, Real Madrid)

21st – Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)

20th – Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey, Inter)

19th – Martin Odegaard (Norway, Arsenal)

18th – Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)

17th – Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)

16th – Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)

15th – Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Club)

14th – Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)

13th – Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig / Barcelona)

12th – Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)

11th – Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)

10th – Harry Kane (England Bayern Munich)

9th – Toni Kross (Germany, Real Madrid/ now retired)

8th – Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

7th – Lautaro Martinez (Argentina, Inter Milan)

6th – Kylian Mbappe (France, PSG/ Real Madrid)

5th – Erling Haaland (Norway, Man City)

4th – Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid)

3rd – Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)

2nd – Vinicius Jr (Brazil, Real Madrid)

1st – Rodri (Spain, Man City)

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Who has won the most Ballon d’Or awards?

Here is a list of all the multiple-time Ballon d’Or winners:

• Lionel Messi – 8: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023
• Cristiano Ronaldo – 5: 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
• Michel Platini – 3: 1983, 1984, 1985
• Johan Cruyff – 3: 1971, 1971, 1974
• Marco van Basten – 3: 1988, 1989, 1992
• Franz Beckenbauer – 2: 1972, 1976
• Ronaldo – 2: 1997, 2002
• Alfredo Di Stefano – 2: 1957, 1959
• Kevin Keegan – 2: 1978, 1979
• Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – 2: 1980, 1981

Bruno Silva plans to take a break from fighting after coming up short at UFC 308.

“Blindado” revealed on a long video posted on his social media, hours after the loss in Abu Dhabi, that he has dealt with severe anxiety for over four years. The Brazilian middleweight won his first three UFC fights before going on a 1-6 slump inside the octagon.

“I’m a man that always dedicates hard to his professional and personal life,” Silva said in Portuguese. “I’m very happy in my personal life and fulfilled as a man, but there’s been a few years that I have dealt with strong anxiety crisis inside the octagon. Those who don’t know, you feel like drowning. You’re tired and powerless, and all you want is not to be in that octagon. When the first round ended [at UFC 308], the crisis came, and I was very tired. It felt like my heart would come out of my mouth, and I feel bad. I lost my focus entirely. In my mind, I just want to get out of there, you know?”

Silva said he began experiencing these oppressive thoughts four years ago, and they became worse when he fought Gerald Meerschaert. Silva was coming off his first UFC defeat, a decision to future champion Alex Pereira, when he tapped in just 99 seconds against Meerschaert. He bounced back with a first-round knockout over Brad Tavares eight months later, but then lots his next four to Brendan Allen, Shara Magomedov, Chris Weidman and Naurdiev.

“I went to a psychiatrist and started taking medication, did heart exams and there was nothing,” Silva said. “And now, I was doing great. I did all the work, did yoga to calm down and everything, but there are fights that are hard. Some fights are harder than those in the octagon. Fights with our body, our mind, our heart.”

Silva said he will now focus on taking care of himself as a person, leave the fighter aside for a bit, and put his career on pause.

“I have a life ahead of me and won’t fight again like this,” Silva said. “I don’t know how my situation will be in the UFC, if I’m going to be released or not. In case I’m not, I’ll ask for a break. I need some time. I need to check on my body, I need time for myself. I had 10 fights [in three years], I’m one of the most active fighters in the UFC, so I need to take care of myself.”

“To those who like me, and those who are embarrassed, ask for help,” he continued. “Don’t be embarrassed. People will criticize no matter what, so get help. This is my message to you that is going through problems. Ask for help, talk about it. Thank God I don’t have depression, but this is affecting my career, my work, and I’ll only fight again, you’ll only see me in the octagon again, when I’m healed, when I’m well. Fighting like this is too much, it makes me feel bad as a man. I’m devastated to go back home like this. But this is part of life, right?

“I’ve had a victorious career, and now I’m going through a delicate moment. I think I need patience and faith to move forward because life isn’t only about fighting. I have a life as a person, I’m a family man and I need to be well to go back home and put food on the table for my family and people I love. You may think all you want, that I need to change teams and everything, it’s your right. The work was done, but I am the problem. I can go anywhere in the world, the problem is inside me, so I need to get help now. It’s God, myself and a professional to help me now.”

Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe won the Ballon d’Or’s Gerd Muller award for scoring the most goals in Europe, though Real Madrid forward Mbappe did not attend the ceremony in Paris.

England captain Kane, who joined Bayern Munich from Tottenham last summer, scored 44 goals in 45 competitive games in his first season with the German club.

Mbappe netted 44 goals in 48 appearances in his final season with Paris St-Germain.

The France forward was not at the ceremony at Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet along with the rest of his Real Madrid representatives.

According to AFP and several Spanish news outlets, Real Madrid cancelled plans to attend after hearing that Vinicius Junior would not win the men’s award.

The European champions told AFP that its delegation would not go “where it is not respected” after learning Vinicius, favourite to win the award, would not be crowned the world’s best male player.

“Thank you to my club Bayern Munich, all my staff, teammates, for helping me score all the goals I scored,” Kane said.

“It’s an honour to take this award from a club legend [Karl-Heinz Rummenigge]. It was a new chapter for me. Going to Germany, taking my family with me was a new experience, I didn’t know what to expect.

“To get off to the start I did, credit to my teammates. I went along for the ride and we had a good season.”

When ceremony co-host Didier Drogba asked Kane what area of his game he would like to improve, the England captain replied: “My speed. Although age might be catching up with me.”