In sport, familiarity fosters contempt, a reality that has led to some of the greatest rivalries in sports history. Time after time, when you’re facing an old foe, the stakes are higher, and emotions are inflated. Football has, perhaps, produced some of the most notable rivalries including the likes of Scotland vs England, Argentina vs Brazil, and Portugal vs Spain.

However, at an individual level, you also have the likes of Portugal vs Argentina, though this is more because of the competition between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. This rivalry is particularly prickly when it comes to the prestigious honor of the Ballon d’Or. Messi may have football betting odds of 1.36 to win the 2021 Ballon d’Or following his shock move to Paris Saint-Germain, while Ronaldo has odds of 17.0, but, according to history, we shouldn’t write Portugal out of the competition just yet. 

Ricardo Carvalho has been answering fan questions online for British magazine FourFourTwo, discussing in fascinating detail a wide range of topics including former teammates Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, as well as José Mourinho and former teammate Kylian Mbappe.

Carvalho, who won 89 caps for the Seleção, is one of Portugal’s most decorated players, having won seven league titles in three different countries, as well as UEFA Cup, Champions League and various other cup competitions, as well as the European Championships with his country in France in 2016.

Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Manchester City

Nuno Espírito Santo got off to the dream start as manager of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday with a well-deserved victory over Premier League champions Manchester City in the capital.

Heung-Min Son’s winning goal early in the second half ensured Nuno’s side took all three points in what was his first official game on the Spurs bench since he was appointed this summer. Despite a strong start by the visitors, Spurs were largely viewed as deserving winners in a lively encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Renato Sanches will stay with French champions Lille this summer after picking up a knee injury which will likely require surgery, according to reports in France.

Sanches was a surprise absentee from the Lille squad ahead of their 4-0 defeat at home to Nice on Saturday. Initial speculation focused on the midfielder possibly being prepared for a transfer, but Lille coach Jocelyn Gourvennec confirmed after the match that the former Benfica man has a knee problem.