Image source, Getty Images

And also breaking news from the world of tennis, where Aljaz Bedene retired hurt in the third set of his first-round clash with Sam Querrey in the ASB Classic in Auckland. 

Britain's number two won the first set 7-6 (7/5) having saved four break points against the American but Querrey fought back. 

The second set also went to a tie-break, which Querrey won 7-6 (10/8), before play stopped just short of the two-hour mark in the third with Bedene trailing 2-1.

Image source, Getty Images

Some breaking cricket news... Rohit Sharma has just smashed an unbeaten 171 - the highest individual score in ODI's by an individual in a visiting team in Australia - as India plundered 309-3 in 50 overs in the first one-day international against the hosts.

Sharma has now had scores of 209, 138, 34 and 171, totaling more than 550 runs, in his last four one-day innings against Australia, with an average of 64 runs per innings. Incredible.

His century at the WACA was his ninth in one-day internationals and his third in Australia, a record matched among Indian batsmen only by V.V.S. Laxman. He had 13 fours and seven sixes on the day.

Australia are batting now - but they've a heck of a task on their hands to get a victory.

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In case you're wondering why Lionel Messi won, take a gander at this:

• 61 games, 52 goals and 26 assists.
• A goal every 101 minutes and an assist every 202 minutes.
• Best minutes-per-goal rate - 80 - of anyone scoring a minimum of 10 goals across Europe's top five leagues during 2015.
• Directly involved in 49 goals in La Liga - 34 scored and 15 assists - which was the joint-most with Ronaldo in 2015 across the top five European leagues.
• Scored in all six club tournaments in 2015, as Barcelona won five of them.

Image source, Getty Images

So then, hardly a shock but Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or award - or, put another way, the accolade of being the world's best player - for the fifth time.

The 28-year-old Argentine got 41.33% of the vote , with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo second (27.76%) and Barca's Neymar third  (7.86%).

Rather incredibly - and bloomin' annoyingly for everyone else in football - either Messi or Ronaldo have won the past eight awards.

United States midfielder Carli Lloyd, who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final, won the women's award. England coach Mark Sampson was beaten to the women's football coach of the year award by USA boss Jill Ellis.

If Van Gaal buys one paper today, he should make it the daily Telegraph.

Instead of his boring comments, they go on Andy Murray ahead of his quest to win a first Australian Open.

Mind you, Louis still sneaks a mention at the bottom...

Image source, Daily Telegraph

Wonder if Louis van Gaal regrets telling the media during his press duties on Monday that he too has sometimes found his team dull to watch?

When he sees today's back pages he might do...

And the winner of the Ballon d'Or was..

Image source, Getty Images

Never going to be anyone else really was it? In fact as cliffhangers go, this was up there with waiting to find out what comes after A in the alphabet.

More on Messi, bags of transfer gossip, and the build-up to a big night of Premier League action.

It's Sportsday, first the papers.