Controversial former France coach Raymond Domenech blasts Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and former France internationals Franck Ribery and Nicolas Anelka in his new book, due out on Wednesday.

His book, called "Mon dico passione du foot" (My Passionate Football Dictionary) takes readers through an A to Z of his experiences in the game.

Cristiano Ronaldo has picked up three awards at the Spanish league's gala including last season's best player.

The Real Madrid star was also given the "Best Forward of La Liga 2013-14" and best goal awards late Monday.

Six members of the Germany squad that won the World Cup were included among the nominees for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award Tuesday, joining Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar on the 23-man short list.

Mario Goetze, who scored the winning goal against Argentina in the World Cup final, was selected along with Germany teammates Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm, Thomas Mueller, Manuel Neuer, and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

World football boss Sepp Blatter on Tuesday opposed any boycott of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and backed the huge preparations undertaken by President Vladimir Putin's government for the mega event. 

"A boycott will never give any positive effect," Blatter told the R-Sport news agency in comments translated into Russian. "We trust the country, its government."

In a reversal of roles, the outspoken Muhammad Ali won the "Rumble In The Jungle" 40 years ago but has become a stricken, silent icon, while brooding slugger George Foreman has turned into an outgoing tycoon.

Parkinson's disease ended the snappy banter that was Ali's trademark. The man who once said "when you are as great as I am it is hard to be humble" no longer speaks in public and is rarely seen. 

Former France playing legend Zinedine Zidane and his club European champions Real Madrid were embroiled in an embarrassing dispute on Monday with the Spanish Football Federation who according to influential Madrid-based sports paper Marca handed him a three month coaching ban.

The 42-year-old -- who inspired France to the 1998 World Cup trophy and was also a member of the Euro 2000 title winning side -- has been coaching Real's reserve side Castilla but the federation claims he does not possess the required coaching qualifications.

Juventus travel to Genoa looking to maintain their three point lead on Roma on Wednesday while AC Milan go in search of a win away to Cagliari that could see them jump up to third place in Italy's Serie A.

The Marussia team's move into bankruptcy protection on Monday, four days after Formula One rival Caterham did the same, leaves only 18 cars on the grid for Sunday's United States Grand Prix, the smallest in nearly a decade.

FRP Advisory, a London-based firm specializing in corporate restructuring, recovery and insolvency, has taken on the role of administrator and said Russian billionaire shareholder Andrei Cheglakov has been unable to provide the required funding to keep Marussia going.

Alex Ferguson has described suggestions he bequeathed an "ageing" Manchester United squad to hapless Old Trafford successor David Moyes as "insulting".

Moyes took over from his fellow Scot following the retirement of Ferguson -- British football's most successful manager -- after the end of the 2012/13 season.

Standing at the helm of a three-masted schooner, Alina Koralewska is having no trouble at all staying the course to Barcelona despite being able to see neither compass nor stars.

The 59-year-old Pole is blind and is steering the "Kapitan Borchardt" on the Mediterranean Sea with the help of a talking global positioning programme.