THE BEST SOCCER PLAYERS

Luis Suarez, an instant hero in the Reds' 2-0 victory against Stoke City Luis Suarez enjoyed a dream debut for Liverpool as he stepped off the bench to score the second goal in a 2-0 win over Stoke and prove that life goes on without Fernando Torres at Anfield. The Uruguayan made a £22.8million move to England from Ajax in the January transfer window as part of Kenny Dalglish's plans to rebuild the 18-time champions of England. And, although he began the match among the substitutes, Suarez could not have announced himself in any better fashion than with a goal at The Kop end following his 63rd minute introduction. Wearing the No.7 shirt made famous by Dalglish and Kevin Keegan, the striker could yet see the Premier League's dubious goals panel deny him his 79th minute strike following the intervention of Andy Wilkinson, but he still claims the spotlight. Raul Meireles had put Liverpool in front in the 47th minute, while injured £35m-man Andy Carroll was watching

Liverpool have completed the signing of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez from Dutch club Ajax in a five-and-a-half year deal worth about £22.7m. "Luis Suarez has completed his transfer to Liverpool in a deal that will keep him at Anfield until 2016," a club statement read. Suarez, 24, will wear the coveted number seven shirt, made famous by his boss Kenny Dalglish. The striker scored 49 goals in 48 games for Ajax in the Eredivisie last season. Ajax , who told Liverpool to return with a "respectful" bid after rejecting their initial offer of £12.7m, will make a £16.3m profit on a player they bought from Dutch outfit Groningen in 2007. But BBC Sport blogger Tim Vickery suggested that Liverpool have invested wisely. "If I had £23m in my bank account I wouldn't have too many qualms about spending it on Suarez," Vickery told BBC Radio 5 live. "Everybody wins. Ajax played the transfer game poker very well. Liverpool have paid top whack but

Liverpool have confirmed they have agreed the sale of Fernando Torres to Premier League rivals Chelsea. It is understood Chelsea's offer is £45 million and the striker will now hold talks with the Blues as he seeks to finalise a deal before the transfer window closes. A statement read: "Liverpool Football Club tonight confirmed they have agreed a fee with Chelsea for the sale of Fernando Torres. The player has now been given permission to speak to the London club." Torres joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2007 and has scored 65 goals in 102 Premier League games. Liverpool have moved to compensate for the loss of Torres by agreeing a £35 million deal for Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll. The club are also hopeful of signing Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam, while Stephen Warnock has been linked with a return to Anfield on loan. Chelsea, meanwhile, are working hard to sign Benfica defender David Luiz before the transfer window closes.

Sporting a disbelieving look but smiling all the same, Lionel Messi joked at how heavy the newly presented FIFA Ballon d’Or felt. After his Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola offered to take it home for him, the Argentinian magician stepped down from the stage and spoke about his triumph to FIFA.com. FIFA.com: Lionel, how are you feeling?   Lionel Messi: I’m happy, but I didn’t expect it because everyone had been talking so much about Xavi and Andres [Iniesta]. They also deserved it for the wonderful year they had. They won the World Cup, which usually goes a long way to deciding who wins this award, and they both had big parts to play in that. That’s why I thought one of them would be going up to collect the trophy. It was a wonderful surprise. How do you think they are feeling?   I don’t think they’re sad about it. It was a great thing for the three of us and the club to have got this far. I think we all enjoyed the gala. You obviously feel they deserved to win it, but what d

Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won the inaugural Fifa Ballon d'Or award at a ceremony in Zurich. Messi, 23, won the prize - a merger of the Fifa Player of the Year prize and Ballon d'Or - ahead of his Barca team-mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi. "I'm surprised to win but pleased to be here with my friends," said Messi, who won the two separate awards last year. Jose Mourinho, who won an unprecedented Treble with Inter Milan in 2010, was named the Coach of the Year. Messi added: "To win it makes it even more special. I want to share it with all of my friends, my family, all the Barcelonistas and the Argentinians." Hamit Altintop won the Puskas Award for Goal of the Year for his wonder volley when Turkey played Kazakhstan, Brazilian striker Marta won the Women's Player of the Year for a fifth consecutive time and Germany's Silvia Neid won the Women's Coach of the Year. The last player to win the Ballon d'Or award

Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas is "100 per cent" confident he will be fit to play for Spain at the World Cup. Fabregas has been out of action since suffering a cracked bone in his fibula during the 2-2 draw with Barcelona on 31st March. The classy midfielder has been ruled out for the rest of the season, but Fabregas is confident of recovering in time to make Spain's squad. Fabregas is set to visit a specialist in London next week, with the player expecting to then step up his rehabilitation work ahead of Spain's opening match in South Africa, against Switzerland at Durban on 16th June. Writing his captain's notes in the Arsenal match programme for the Premier League game against Manchester City, Fabregas said: "I am back in Spain at the moment, but will return to London for a specialist appointment and routine scan in the next few days. "I will be at the last [Arsenal] game of the season, of course, because all the players will go on a

Wayne Rooney, who is expected to be crowned the PFA player-of-the-year on Sunday evening, has hailed Lionel Messi as the best player in the world. The Manchester United star, who will miss the remainder of the Premier League campaign with a groin injury, has scored 34 goals this season and elevated himself amongst the world's best players. However, having watched Barcelona star Messi at close quarters, Rooney himself feels Messi is the outstanding star of this generation. "It's nice that people put me up there but I think Lionel Messi is the best in the world," he told United Review. "The things he can do with the ball are unbelievable and he is scoring a lot of goals as well. "He has been fantastic again this year. He is the best player in the world." Rooney is the clear favourite to win the PFA player-of-the-year and he is also nominated for a third triumph in the young player category as well. The 24-year-old could become only the third pla

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres fears a lengthy spell in the Premier League could result in chronic long-term injuries. Torres is currently ruled out for the season with a reoccurring knee problem that has also limited him to just 22 appearances this season, although he has still scored 18 goals. The Spanish international, who expects to be fit in time for the World Cup, is concerned at the physical toll of the English top-flight and is amazed that players like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have performed at such a high level for so long. "The Premier League is such a tough competition and I have always admired this championship and the players who are here," Torres told the News of the World. "This is my third season and I'm still amazed to see Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard, players who have been here a long time, still playing at such a high level and with such impressive rhythm because the English league really wears down a player. "I just can

Portugal winger Nani has signed a new four-year contract with Manchester United, the England giant club. His impressive form this season has made MU a deal that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2014. Nani had been the subject of plenty of criticism after failing to live up to his £17 million price tag since moving to United in 2007, but he has proved his worth over the past few months - producing a number of scintillating displays, including a man of the match performance in the 3-1 over Arsenal. Nani had been the person of plenty of criticism after deteriorating to live up to his £17 million rate since moving to MU in 2007, but he has proved his value over the past few months - producing a sort of brilliant displays, including a man of the match action in the 3-1 triumph over Arsenal. "Nani is an emerging talent in this team and has developed greatly since joining the club," United coach Sir Alex Ferguson told the club's official website. "We ar

Long considered to be the ‘next Zidane’ by fans in France, Algerian playmaker Mourad Meghni appears to finally coping with this weighty expectation and is currently pushing hard for a place in Algeria’s squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Barring another injury like the ones that have blighted his career so far – his delicate frame has done him no favours in that regard – it is more than likely that Meghni will be showing off his skills in South Africa this June. Nearly ten years ago it was in French colours that the promising attacking midfielder played first impressed on the world stage, helping the country of his birth to secure the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Trinidad and Tobago in 2001. The Caribbean adventure was one of many successes achieved by this golden generation of French footballers, who had already reached the final of the UEFA European U-17 Championship the year before, and were destined to go on to win the prestigious Toulon U-21 international tourn