Sport shorts: Ronaldo ‘deserves’ more Ballon d’Ors than Messi, All Blacks cover tattoos in Japan, Federer and Nadal team up

1. Ronaldo: I deserve more Ballon d’Ors than Messi 

Cristiano Ronaldo is aiming to finish his career with more Ballon d’Or wins than his great rival Lionel Messi. 

Juventus striker Ronaldo and Barcelona forward Messi have both won the award five times.   

Speaking on ITV’s Cristiano Ronaldo meets Piers Morgan, the Portugal skipper said: “Messi’s in the history of football – but I think I have to have six or seven or eight to be above him. I’d love it, I think I deserve it.

“I’m sure I’m in the history of football for what I have done and what I’m continuing to do, but one of the best players in history. 

“For me, the number one in history, but for some fans, if the number one is another one and I’m second, it doesn’t matter. I know I’m in the history of football as one of the greatest ever.”

Messi vs. Ronaldo head-to-head: how the two star strikers compare

2. Roger and Rafa team up for Laver Cup

Tennis rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will be reunited when they play for Team Europe against Team World in the Laver Cup, starting on Friday in Geneva, Switzerland.

The duo are joined on Team Europe by Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Fabio Fognini. Team World players include John Isner, Milos Raonic, Nick Kyrgios, Denis Shapovalov, Jack Sock and Taylor Fritz.

3. All Blacks cover up their tattoos in Japan 

The New Zealand All Blacks have been forced to cover up their tattoos while not on the pitch defending their Rugby World Cup title at the tournament in Japan.

Halfback Aaron Smith said he and his team-mates were wearing long-sleeve tops or tights while in hotel lobbies and when visiting public baths, because tattoos are associated with yakuza gangsters in Japanese culture.

Rugby World Cup: features, guides, fixtures and squads

4. Wales rocked by Howley’s departure

Wales’s Rugby World Cup preparations have been thrown into disarray with the sensational departure of backs coach Rob Howley after allegations he was “embroiled in a betting scandal”. 

The 48-year-old, who has been Warren Gatland’s right-hand man during his 11 years in charge of Wales, was sent home from Japan on Monday night.

Stephen Jones, who has been hired by the Welsh Rugby Union as part of their new coaching staff to take over next year, has been flown to Japan to replace Howley.

RWC 2019: Wales team profile, pool D fixtures, squad

5. Bad night in the ‘Chumpions League’

Liverpool’s defence of their Champions League crown began in ignominious fashion as they lost 2-0 at Napoli last night.

Their Premier League rivals Chelsea also lost their group stage opening match. Frank Lampard’s team were beaten 1-0 at home by Valencia. 

Today’s back pages: Liverpool and Chelsea are Champions League ‘chumps’

6. Spurs and Man City in action tonight

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City will hope to get their Champions League campaigns off to a better start than their Premier League rivals did. 

Today Spurs have a group B trip to Greece to play Olympiakos (5.55pm BST).

Premier League champions City also have an away fixture, to the Ukraine, to play Shakhtar Donetsk in group C (8pm).

7. F1 heads to Singapore

After back-to-back victories in Belgium and Italy Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will be aiming for a hat-trick of race wins since Formula 1 returned from its summer break.

This weekend the teams and drivers head to Asia for the Singapore Grand Prix – F1’s popular night race. Mercedes may not have won in Belgium or Italy but they still hold commanding leads in both championships. 

Sunday’s race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit starts at 1.10pm BST. 

F1 2019 season guide: standings ahead of the Singapore GP

8. Rangers mourn ex-captain Ricksen

Rangers Football Club have paid tribute to their former skipper Fernando Ricksen, who has died at the age of 43. The Dutchman had battled with motor neurone disease for the past six years. 

In a statement Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson said: “Everyone connected with Rangers will be distressed by Fernando’s passing. He fought so bravely against a terrible illness and our thoughts are with his family. 

“Fernando will never be forgotten by his team-mates or Rangers fans. His place in our history is secured.”

9. Correa remains in induced coma

Formula 2 driver Juan Manuel Correa remains in an induced coma in intensive care following the crash last month at Spa that saw Anthoine Hubert lose his life. The 20-year-old Correa suffered broken legs and a spinal injury at the Belgium Grand Prix on 31 August.

10. Fans support Stokes by boycotting The Sun

There have been renewed calls to boycott The Sun newspaper after England cricketer Ben Stokes described a front-page article about a family tragedy 31 years ago as “disgusting” and “immoral”. 

“Today the Sun has seen fit to publish extremely painful, sensitive and personal details concerning events in the private lives of my family, going back more than 31 years,” he wrote on Twitter, after the tabloid’s revealed that his half-brother and sister were shot dead in 1988.