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Women's World Cup Winner Spain Finally Rises to the Top of FIFA Rankings

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Quarter Final - Spain v Netherlands - Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand - August 11, 2023 Spain's Teresa Abelleira and Eva Navarro celebrate with fans after progressing to the semi finals of the World Cup REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Quarter Final - Spain v Netherlands - Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand - August 11, 2023 Spain's Teresa Abelleira and Eva Navarro celebrate with fans after progressing to the semi finals of the World Cup REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli/File Photo
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Women's World Cup Winner Spain Finally Rises to the Top of FIFA Rankings

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Quarter Final - Spain v Netherlands - Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand - August 11, 2023 Spain's Teresa Abelleira and Eva Navarro celebrate with fans after progressing to the semi finals of the World Cup REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Quarter Final - Spain v Netherlands - Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand - August 11, 2023 Spain's Teresa Abelleira and Eva Navarro celebrate with fans after progressing to the semi finals of the World Cup REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli/File Photo

Women’s World Cup winner Spain rose atop the FIFA rankings published Friday after advancing to the final four of the UEFA Nations League.
Spain finished top of a Nations League group this month that included Sweden, which had led the most recent FIFA rankings published in August after the Women’s World Cup.
Spain now is No. 1 for the first time, ahead of the United States, France and World Cup finalist England. Sweden dropped four places to No. 5, The Associated Press reported.
FIFA said Spain became the fourth nation to top the women’s rankings since they were created in 2003, following the US, Germany and Sweden.
Spain will play at the Nations League mini-tournament in February with France, Germany and the Netherlands. Two teams will join host France at the Paris Olympics in July.
A total of 192 of FIFA’s 211 member federations now feature in the women’s rankings, FIFA said.

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Wolff Blasts Rivals over F1 Engine Loophole Claims

Formula One F1 - Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria - June 27, 2025 Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff during the press conference REUTERS/Gintare Karpaviciute
Formula One F1 - Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria - June 27, 2025 Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff during the press conference REUTERS/Gintare Karpaviciute
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Wolff Blasts Rivals over F1 Engine Loophole Claims

Formula One F1 - Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria - June 27, 2025 Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff during the press conference REUTERS/Gintare Karpaviciute
Formula One F1 - Austrian Grand Prix - Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria - June 27, 2025 Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff during the press conference REUTERS/Gintare Karpaviciute

Mercedes Formula One boss Toto Wolff blasted rivals on Monday for casting doubt on the legality of his team's new engine through secret meetings and letters.

The sport is entering a new era with one of the most sweeping technical overhauls in decades and there has been talk of Mercedes and rivals Red Bull, now making their own engine, exploiting a loophole in the rules through the thermal expansion of components.

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That could put the three Ferrari-powered teams (Ferrari, Cadillac and Haas), Audi and Aston Martin (Honda) at a competitive disadvantage if true, Reuters reported.

Mercedes provide engines to four teams, while Red Bull also supply Racing Bulls.

"I just don't understand that some teams concentrate more on the others and keep arguing a case that is very clear and transparent," Wolff told reporters ahead of the team's online season launch.

"Communication with the FIA was very positive all along. And it's not only on compression ratio, but on other things too," added the Austrian.

"It's very clear what the regulations say. It's very clear what the standard procedures are on any motors, even outside of F1."

Wolff said rivals needed to get their act together instead of "doing secret meetings and sending secret letters and keep trying to invent ways of testing that just don't exist."

"Maybe you want to find excuses before you even start it (the season), why things are not good... it's not how we would do things," he added.

"Especially not after you've been told a few times that that is fine, it's legal and it's what the regulations say. But again, if somebody wants to entertain themselves by distraction then everybody's free to do this."

Formula One's governing body has played down talk of the controversy triggering a protest that overshadows the Australian season-opener on March 8.

Mercedes started the last engine era in 2014 with a dominant power unit and racked up a record eight constructors' titles in succession.

Wolff said the early evidence from an initial shakedown involving 10 of the 11 teams was that there was less of a gap than feared by some.

"In terms of pure performance on a lap, and even over several laps, it's looked like there is no-one that is really collapsing," he said.

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Arteta Seeks Arsenal Reinforcement for Injured Merino

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 7, football match between Inter Milan and Arsenal at San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on January 20, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 7, football match between Inter Milan and Arsenal at San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on January 20, 2026. (AFP)
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Arteta Seeks Arsenal Reinforcement for Injured Merino

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 7, football match between Inter Milan and Arsenal at San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on January 20, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 7, football match between Inter Milan and Arsenal at San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on January 20, 2026. (AFP)

Mikel Arteta said Arsenal are "actively looking" for a replacement for the injured Mikel Merino in the closing hours of the transfer window.

Merino, who has been a valuable contributor in midfield and attack for the Gunners, could miss the rest of the season with a fractured right foot that requires surgery, AFP reported.

Arteta stressed how significant the Spain international's absence as Arsenal compete to win four trophies.

The Arsenal boss hopes his club can come up with a new signing to fill the void before Monday's 1900GMT deadline.

"We are actively looking at options and we will continue to do that," Arteta told reporters on Monday.

"When you lose a big player like this with four months to go, and all the competitions to play for, you need to look and we need to do everything we possibly can to see if a player is available."

The loss of Merino has been tempered by the return to fitness of Germany forward Kai Havertz.

There was further good news for Arsenal as Arteta revealed an injury that kept England winger Bukayo Saka out of Saturday's 4-0 win over Leeds is only minor.

"Today, he (Saka) was better. Let's see how he responds. It doesn't look like something too serious," Arteta added ahead of Tuesday's League Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea

"Whether he is available for tomorrow or the weekend, we will have to wait and see."

Arsenal remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple.

Arteta's side hold a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League and face third-tier Wigan in the FA Cup fourth round.

But the Spaniard is focused on reaching the League Cup final as his side's first opportunity to end a six-year trophy drought.

Arsenal hold a 3-2 lead over Chelsea ahead of the second leg on home soil at the Emirates Stadium.

"The next one is always the most important one. And it is the closest, at least, to reach a final," said Arteta.

"We really need to create the atmosphere, the energy, the belief that we're going to do it."

Sports

Barcelona’s Raphinha Out for a Week with Leg Injury

Football - UEFA Champions League - FC Barcelona v FC Copenhagen - Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 28, 2026 FC Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates scoring their third goal. (Reuters)
Football - UEFA Champions League - FC Barcelona v FC Copenhagen - Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 28, 2026 FC Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates scoring their third goal. (Reuters)
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Barcelona’s Raphinha Out for a Week with Leg Injury

Football - UEFA Champions League - FC Barcelona v FC Copenhagen - Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 28, 2026 FC Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates scoring their third goal. (Reuters)
Football - UEFA Champions League - FC Barcelona v FC Copenhagen - Spotify Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 28, 2026 FC Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates scoring their third goal. (Reuters)

Barcelona forward Raphinha has been sidelined for a week ​with a right leg injury, the LaLiga champions said on Monday, after the Brazilian was forced off at halftime during Saturday's ‌3-1 win ‌at ‌Elche.

The ⁠29-year-old, ​who ‌has scored eight goals and provided three assists this season, was ruled out for nearly two months after suffering ⁠a hamstring injury in September.

"Raphinha ‌is suffering from ‍an ‍overload in the adductor ‍muscle of his right leg... his recovery period is expected to be one ​week," Barcelona said in a statement, adding ⁠that he will miss Tuesday's Copa del Rey quarter-final at Albacete.

Leaders Barcelona, bidding for their third LaLiga title in four years, are a point above Real Madrid in the ‌standings.