When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Categories

HomeGeopoliticsEconomyFuture
GreenSocietyBon vivantWeirdIdeasMagazine

Focus

Ukraine WarIsrael Palestine WarGreen or GoneCoronavirusThe New Now
Paris CallingTrumpMigrant LivesChina 2.0

Countries

FranceUSAGermanyUnited-Kingdom
ItalyRussiaChinaNew-Zealand

Sources

Die WeltLa StampaThe ConversationThe WireKayhan-London
Les EchosEl EspectadorLivy BeregWorldcrunchBrowse all sources >

More about Worldcrunch

About usEditorial MissionEqual OpportunityCorporate Services

Follow us on social media

FlipboardTwitterFacebookInstagramLinkedIn

Already a subscriber? Log in .

You've reached your limit of one free article.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime .

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Exclusive International news coverage

Ad-free experience NEW

Weekly digital Magazine NEW

9 daily & weekly Newsletters

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Free trial

30-days free access, then $2.90
per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
Switzerland
Switzerland

Is Lionel Messi Already The Best Soccer Player Ever, At The Age Of 25?

SwitzerlandSourcesWORLDCRUNCHSocietyCountries

Worldcrunch

ZURICH - The results for Golden Ball 2012 killed any remaining doubt over who is our era's undisputed emperor of the soccer planet.

FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi won his fourth straight trophy for best player of the year, the first to notch that record for a man whose talent seems to know no limits. This was the voting announced Monday night in Zurich.

1° Lionel Messi 42 %

2° Cristiano Ronaldo 24 %

3° Andres Iniesta 11 %

The only remaining question about the Argentinean nicknamed “La Pulga” (“The Flea”) is whether he has surpassed the legends of the past, including the likes of his countryman Diego Maradona, Brazilian icon Pele and more recent stars like Zinedine Zidane.

Though he still has no World Cups with the Argentine national team, Messi has led Barcelona to three Champions League titles and five Spanish top division crowns.

Here's the man putting to shame Barcelona's arch enemy, the Real Madrid:



from GIFSoup


Here are ESPN Spain's top 10 goals:


Badge
WORLDCRUNCH
Premium stories from Worldcrunch's own network of multi-lingual journalists in over 30 countries.
WORLDCRUNCHWORLDCRUNCH Logo

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Economy
chinese economy

How A Xi Jinping Dinner In San Francisco May Have Sealed Mastercard's Arrival In China

The credit giant becomes only the second player after American Express to be allowed to set up a bank card-clearing RMB operation in mainland China.

Photo of a hand holding a phone displaying an Union Pay logo, with a Mastercard VISA logo in the background of the photo.

Mastercard has just been granted a bank card clearing license in China.

Rafael Henrique/ZUMA
EconomySourcesChinafeatured-postTHE INITIUMCountries
Liu Qianshan

-Analysis-

It appears that one of the biggest beneficiaries from Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to San Francisco was Mastercard.

The U.S. credit card giant has since secured eagerly anticipated approval to expand in China's massive financial sector, having finally obtained long sought approval from China's central bank and financial regulatory authorities to initiate a bank card business in China through its joint venture with its new Chinese partner.

For the latest news & views from every corner of the world, Worldcrunch Today is the only truly international newsletter. Sign up here.

Through a joint venture in China between Mastercard and China's NetsUnion Clearing Corporation, dubbed Mastercard NUCC, it has officially entered mainland China as an RMB currency clearing organization. It's only the second foreign business of its kind to do so following American Express in 2020.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that the development is linked to Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting on Nov. 15 with U.S. President Joe Biden in San Francisco, part of a two-day visit that also included dinner that Xi had with U.S. business executives.

Keep reading...Show less
View article in original language
English edition • Worldcrunch
THE INITIUMTHE INITIUM Logo

The latest