Diego Maradona once boldly claimed that an eventual Liverpool flop was up there with Lionel Messi as one of the best players in world football.

The legendary Argentine left his mark on the game as one of the greatest footballers, and his knowledge had fans listening to his every word. Not one to mince his words, Maradona gave an honest assessment of the sport in which he dominated during the eighties.

It might come as a surprise to hear that the 1986 World Cup winner didn’t name Messi as the best player in history. Back in 2019, he opined that Real Madrid icon Alfredo Di Stefano was ‘superior to everyone ‘, including himself.

Six years earlier, Maradona gave his thoughts on that generation who were starring on the world stage. He revealed his admiration for one of football’s most polarising stars.

Maradona’s Surprising Inclusion

Maradona wasn’t only celebrated for his unbelievable talent on the pitch but also for his larger-than-life personality off it. His rebellious yet charismatic character captivated fans throughout his storied career.

Those traits sum up Mario Balotelli, whom the late great Argentine named on his list of the four best players in the world. He told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport in October 2013:

“I like him. For me, there is [Lionel] Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Balotelli.”

Balotelli was at AC Milan at the time of Maradona’s comments, after moving to the Italian giants from Manchester City in January 2023. He left the Etihad after continuous disciplinary issues that marred an impressive spell with the Citizens.

During his time at City, he won the Premier League title while finding the back of the net 20 times in 54 games. He had shown huge potential, but behind-the-scenes issues led to a falling out with former manager Roberto Mancini.

Maradona’s admiration of Messi is unsurprising given their Argentine connection and the former Barcelona attacking gem was at the peak of his powers at Camp Nou at the time. From February 2012 to 2013, he registered an astonishing 100 goals, 21 assists and nine hat-tricks.

Messi found himself in a constant battle with Cristiano Ronaldo, and that year it was the ex-Real Madrid forward who won the prestigious Ballon d’Or. This came after netting 69 goals in 59 games for club and country.

Many, including Maradona seemingly, believed Neymar was their heir to Messi, and he’d only just arrived at Camp Nou in June of that year. There were signs of his world-class talent, and he already earned huge recognition from one of the all-time greats.

Balotelli, though, was a name not many were putting in the same conversation as those three despite his obvious talent. Concerns extended beyond just his temperament as a lack of consistency took hold in the latter stages of his spell with City.

Balotelli’s Career Stumbled After Maradona Defended Him

Most Premier League fans likely reflect on Balotelli’s time at the Etihad and deem it somewhat successful. That wasn’t the case when he returned to English football with Liverpool almost a year on from Maradona’s endorsement.

The Italian striker headed to Anfield in a £16 million deal but didn’t arrive with the same confidence that saw him tipped for greatness. Instead, he looked out of sorts, and a disappointing tally of four goals in 28 appearances wasn’t what the Reds were expecting when he replaced Luis Suarez.

Balotelli didn’t last long on Merseyside and he was sent back on loan to Milan before joining French outfit OGC Nice permanently on deadline day in August 2016. His career has nosedived since and he has never managed to replicate the heights of his time at City.

That said, he almost certainly became a household name thanks to his unique personality. And before Maradona had named him one of the best players in the world, he recalled his first conversation with the Sicily-born frontman:

“My first contact I had with Mario was a picture he sent me of him smoking cigar. I liked it – I laughed. I would like to talk to Mario by ourselves, in a room, and I would explain to him the bad experiences I had in football. People should leave Balotelli in peace.

He added: “I think you should first look at what kind of player he is and a manager should judge him for what he is on the pitch.”

Balotelli later revealed that it was former City teammate Sergio Aguero who organised their meeting. He explained while speaking to AwayDays’ Ellis Platten:

“It was funny because I asked Sergio, ‘Give me Maradona’s number so I can speak with him’. And he gave me the number, and the first thing I sent him was a picture of me with a Cuban [cigar]. And he sent me a picture back of himself with a Cuban.”

The Italian added, “Maradona is Maradona”, a quote that holds similarities to his famous undershirt message he displayed after scoring in the Manchester Derby. It read “Why always me?” and clearly, despite all his critics, he had the backing of Argentina’s ‘Golden Boy’.

Oleksandr Usyk has confirmed who he wants to share the ring with in what looks set to be the final fight of his glittering career.

The Ukrainian great, widely regarded as the finest heavyweight of his generation, vacated his WBC, IBF and WBA titles earlier this summer while revealing he has just one bout left in him.

Now, Usyk has confirmed the frontrunner for his last showdown.

Usyk Names His Final Career Opponent

Usyk, 39, confirmed his interest when speaking to The Athletic, framing a clash with former WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder as a straightforward matter of opportunity and business.

It’s a fight that has been in the offing for half a year, with Usyk previously stating he wanted Wilder prior to his victory over Rico Verhoeven; the WBC even granted him permission to defend his titles against him. And now the Ukrainian may finally have his wish fulfilled.

He also claimed the ball is firmly in the American’s camp as we wait for discussions to conclude. “Why not? If Deontay’s team wants it, I do it. Money, business… Now we have two options, but what for me is good, we will take. The team is working on it,” Usyk said.

For Usyk, after becoming undisputed at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, he has nothing left to prove. With two wins each over the likes of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, he has become the best of his generation, despite a tougher-than-expected stoppage win over former kickboxing champion Verhoeven in May.

Wilder, meanwhile, arrives on the back of a narrow split-decision victory over veteran Derek Chisora: his 45th victory in 50 fights. At this stage of his career, the 40-year-old’s best days are behind him. Yet, this opportunity would pit two of the best of this generation against each other — with the ‘Bronze Bomber’ being the only top heavyweight that has eluded the Ukrainian.

“This is a man who in the last 10 years is a top fighter,” Usyk said. “He’s a great champion. He is still a dangerous guy. I’m not boxing for glory or credit. For me, this is just my life.”

Teddy Atlas Issues a Warning To Usyk

However, not everyone is convinced the fight is as risk-free as it might appear. Teddy Atlas, one of boxing’s most respected voices, acknowledged that Wilder no longer poses the danger he once did, but stressed that his right hand keeps any contest live.

“There is always an amount of risk,” Atlas said of the projected showdown. “Anytime you get in a ring, there’s risk. Wilder is long, he’s tall, he’s a heavyweight and he can punch with the right hand. Usyk is getting older. He had 300 amateur fights. He hasn’t taken a lot of punishment, but he has taken some, and as you get older, there is always risk.”

Wilder has won 43 of his 45 fights via knockout, and Atlas was quick to add that the threat has diminished with time, calling it far less likely than in Wilder’s pomp. Ultimately, though, the trainer’s concern was less about the outcome than the ending. Atlas expressed a hope that Usyk can achieve what so many greats before him could not: a clean exit at the peak of his powers.

“All I want for Usyk is to do something not every great fighter has been able to pull off. Walk off into the sunset at your best. Walk off whole, healthy, and with the memory that we deserve to have about you. The great Joe Louis couldn’t do it.

“The great Muhammad Ali couldn’t do it. I’d like to see Usyk do that. I think it’s time to do it,” Atlas said, adding that the timing must be Usyk’s own choice to make — and that he senses the great man is starting to make it.”

Former five-time World Darts Champion Raymond van Barneveld has found himself in trouble with the sport’s top officials on a number of occasions after a new report into disciplinary matters was published by the Darts Regulation Authority.

The 59-year-old Dutchman was one of a number of top stars to have been punished for their conduct, in addition to other top names such as Luke Humphries, Rob Cross and Gary Anderson.

The recently-published list covers all offenses committed between June 2023 and April 2026 this year. The transgressions vary in their seriousness. For example, Humphries was cited for offensive language during a tournament, which cost him a £250 fine, while Cross was forced to pay £500 after making an offensive gesture on stage.

Raymond van Barneveld’s Offenses

Curiously, though, Van Barneveld’s name appeared twice on the document. Firstly, he was written up for “inappropriate behaviour and using offensive language’ at Players Championship 2 event in Wigan in 2025. This saw him hit with a £3,000 fine, as well as a three-month ban [suspended for 12 months].

Remarkably, Van Barneveld was summoned again just six months later, when he was handed a formal warning for “failing to report damage to a hotel room”.

Despite the surprising nature of his disciplinary record, Van Barneveld was far from the worst offender to be hauled in front of the DRA. Scotland’s Cameron Menzies was handed a four-month ban and a £2,500 fine for his viral outburst at the 2026 World Darts Championship.

Cameron Menzies Punished For World Championship Outburst

Menzies repeatedly punched a table several times following his first-round loss to Charlie Manby. However, his ban is suspended until the 23rd of July 2027, meaning that he will avoid having to serve it so long as he isn’t involved in any further incidents up until that time.

His fellow Scot Gary Anderson was also named in the document. ‘The Flying Scotsman’ found himself in trouble for “aggressive and abusive behaviour” at the 2025 World Matchplay in Blackpool. The former world champion was fined £3,000 [of which £1,000 was suspended].

While it is not a good look for several of the sport’s biggest names to find themselves in disciplinary trouble, none of the above players were the worst offenders.

The largest fines given on record were incidents of match fixing, of which five competitors were found guilty. The most serious of these cases involved Prakash Jiwa, who was hit with an 8-year suspension in January 2025, and was fined over £17,700.