Barcelona and Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho was named 2005 European Footballer of the Year today. The 25-year-old was favourite to claim the Ballon D'Or, having already won the 2004 Fifa World Player of the Year and the inaugural FIFpro award.

Steven Gerrard was third in the voting with 142 points, Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard was second on 148, Ronaldinho won with 225 points.

The football world is in mourning after the death of ex-Northern Ireland star George Best. Best, 59, died in a west London hospital eight weeks after being admitted with flu.

The ultimate laddish tale of Best's exploits tells of the night when a waiter delivering champagne to Best's hotel room saw thousands of pounds of casino winnings and the current Miss World both arranged tastefully on the bed.

The scene prompted the legendary question: "Mr Best, where did it all go wrong?"

Footballing legend George Best is unlikely to survive another 24 hours, his doctor has said.

Best, 59, could not recover from the internal bleeding that developed in the night, Professor Roger Williams said. 'I have to tell you his hours are numbered,' he said at Cromwell Hospital, west London, at 1250 GMT.

The ex-Northern Ireland star deteriorated with a lung infection on Friday, eight weeks after entering hospital with flu symptoms.

This is a large format video - recommended for broadband users only. Les plus beaux dribbles.

Please note that Wednesday, November 23rd will be the last day to order your tickets to the Chrimbo Party as we need to place the order with the caterer.

Tickets for this event are $15.00 for each paid-up member, and $25.00 for all other guests. You can buy tickets during the broadcast of the Real Betis Champions League Match at Scallywag's. If you are unable to be at the match, email your ticket request and we will hold your tickets at the door for pick up.

Doors and Bar open at 7pm

The Prince and The Duchess visited Anfield, the home of Liverpool FC, and met with team captain Steven Gerrard as part of a visit to the North West of England.

See you all at Scallywags:

Liverpool vs. Real Betis
UEFA Champions League
TSN
Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2:30pm EST
LIVE

The Toronto Branch is excited to announce The 4th Annual Chrimbo Party to be held on November 26th at the Toronto Naval Club (14 Hayden Street).

Join fellow Reds for a night of dining and dancing with music by Benny and M*L*C. We once again have many great raffle door prizes provided by our sponsors Reebok Canada and Carlsberg Canada, along with a Grand Prize of a return ticket for two to the UK, courtesy of Zoom Airlines

These tickets always go fast, so please contact the LFC Toronto Executive to get yours soon! Prices are $15 for Toronto Branch Members and $25 for Non-Members.

After yesterday's match, Liverpool has become the only undefeated side in Group G of the Champions League.

Liverpool defeated Anderlecht 3-0 convincingly, while rival Chelsea fell to Real Betis 1-0. With Chelsea's loss, Group G is throw wide open - although Liverpool need just a single point from their final two Group G games to ensure they reach the last 16, with a home match against Betis and an away fixture at Chelsea still to come.

Liverpool plays Anderlecht today in Champions League Group Play - the Belgians are yet to win through 3 games in the Group.

Everyone is healthy and Skipper Steven Gerrard could be handed the right-sided midfield role he filled in the weekend win against West Ham.

If Liverpool win this match and Chelsea beat Real Betis (likely one would think), Liverpool will qualify for the last 16 of this season's Champions League. Working against the Belgians is the fact that Liverpool have never lost to a Belgian club in a total of eight matches at all venues.

Legendary Liverpool skipper Ron Yeats recalls the momentous day at Anfield 41 years ago when Bill Shankly first introduced our now famous all-red kit (against Anderlecht!).

"We'd just finished training and I was on the way home when Shanks called me back," says Yeats. "My initial reaction was that I'd done something wrong. Either that or I was getting a pay rise!

"Anyway, it was neither, 'I want you to try on this all-red strip' he asked, so I went into the dressing room and put it on. I came out and the boss was nowhere to be seen so I went down the steps towards the players tunnel and I could him out in the middle of the pitch with Bob (Paisley).

"I made my way towards them and as I got closer Shanks came out with that immortal line, 'Christ son, you look about seven foot tall, we're going to play in all-red from now on'.

"We wore it the next night against Anderlecht and beat them 3-0. That was that and Liverpool have played in these colours ever since. For Shanks it was all psychological and I think it rubbed off on the players as well. It may sound strange but playing in all-red did make us feel and look bigger.

"It was amazing what it did for us and I must admit, I loved playing in all red."