Tag: cristiano ronaldo

Former Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad said Cristiano Ronaldo – who joined Al Nassr in December 2022 – is the only foreign player in the Saudi Pro League who truly deserves his multi-million-dollar salary.

Prince Abdullah, who was in the post from 2014 to 2017 – before the huge influx of foreign players that has transformed the league – also warned that the influx is side-lining local talent and threatening the national team’s future.

In an interview with the Fi Al-Marama TV program on Al-Arabiya, Abdullah called for urgent reforms to protect Saudi players and ensure competitiveness ahead of the 2034 World Cup, which the kingdom will host.

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“Ronaldo is the only foreign player worth what he earns because of the global exposure he brings to the league and the country,” he said of the Portuguese forward whose annual salary has been estimated at $211 million – $4 million a week.” Many others are paid far more than they deserve.”

Prince Abdullah said Saudi players have become “extras” since the number of foreign players per team on matchdays rose to eight, urging a cut to seven and more investment in youth development.

“Right now, building a strong league is coming at the expense of the national team,” he said. “We need a clear plan to prepare for 2034.”

He also called for hiring elite coaches for youth categories and warned that without structural changes, Saudi players will struggle to regain prominence.

Prince Abdullah, whose concerns about refereeing standards during his tenure led to him appointing former English referee Howard Webb as director of referees for the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, also suggested scheduling big matches on Thursdays to enable top European referees to take charge.

Cristiano Ronaldo said he will retire “soon” and while he admits it will be difficult to bring his glittering career to an end the 40-year-old has been planning for his post-football life for some time.

The Al Nassr striker is the all-time leading goal scorer with 952 goals for club and country combined and said last month he is targeting 1,000 goals before quitting the game.

“Soon,” the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said when he was asked when he would hang up his boots.

“I think I will be prepared. It will be very, very difficult,” he said on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored. “But, I have prepared my future since 25, 26, 27-years-old. I think I will be capable to support that pressure. Nothing will compare to the adrenaline you have to scoring a goal in football.

“But everything has a beginning and everything has an end. I’m going to have more time for myself, for my family, to raise my kids.”

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The former Manchester United forward says he still follows their results, despite bringing an unhappy second spell at the club to an end three years ago.

United endured their worst top-flight finish last season since they were relegated in 1973–74, coming 15^th .

“I’m sad, because the club is one of the most important clubs in the world and a club that I still have in my heart,” Ronaldo said.

“They don’t have a structure. I hope that changes in the present and future, because the potential of the club is amazing.

“They are not on a good path. And it’s not only about the coach and players, in my opinion… He (manager Ruben Amorim) is doing his best. What are you going to do? Miracles are impossible.”

Cristiano Ronaldo become the joint-top goal scorer in World Cup qualifying history in Portugal’s 3-2 triumph at Hungary on Tuesday.

The Portugal captain scored from the penalty spot to net his 39^th  goal in World Cup qualifying and join Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz as the highest scorer.

He found the net twice in Portugal’s 5-0 win at Armenia in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier.

“Two games, two wins, let’s go Portugal,” Ronaldo said on Instagram.

The Al Nassr forward could overtake Ruiz, who retired from football in 2016, when Portugal resume qualifying on Oct. 11 against Ireland.

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Meanwhile, Lionel Messi, for the first time in his career, finished as the top scorer in South American qualifying.

Messi, who was rested in Argentina’s 1-0 loss at Ecuador in their final World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, finished with eight goals — one ahead of Colombia’s Luis Díaz and Bolivia’s Miguel Terceros.

He is three goals behind Ronaldo and Ruiz in the all-time standings.

Argentina’s captain struck twice in last week’s 3-0 triumph against Venezuela in Buenos Aires in what was is expected to be his final competitive match on home soil.

Messi, 38, has scored a record 114 goals in 194 games for his country. Ronaldo is the highest scorer in men’s international football with 141 goals in 223 appearances for Portugal.

Cristiano Ronaldo inked a two-year extension with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, the club announced, following months of speculation over which team he would sign for next season.

 “Cristiano Ronaldo is staying at @AlNassrFC until 2027,” the club wrote in a post on X.

Minutes before the official confirmation, the team posted a teaser video, with the 40-year-old Ronaldo walking along a beachfront and saying: “Al Nassr forever”.

Ronaldo later posted a message on his Instagram, confirming the extension.

 “A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together,” read the post.

The Portuguese superstar arrived in 2023 in the kingdom to play with the club, heralding a rush of players in the latter stages of their careers to the oil-rich country.

Last month, Ronaldo posted “This chapter is over” hours after the Saudi Pro League wrapped up with Al Nassr finishing third and trophyless once again.

“Ronaldo’s presence is a key factor in developing the Saudi league in the last two years and a half. He opens the door for elite and young players to come to Saudi Arabia,” a source from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a major investor in Saudi football, told AFP last month.

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The oil-funded PIF, the sovereign wealth fund behind a number of big-ticket Saudi investments, controls a group of Pro League clubs including Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli.

Ronaldo’s announcement in May came just months after Brazilian star Neymar ended his injury-plagued 18-month stay in January, after playing just seven times for Al Hilal – on a reported salary of around $104 million a year.

Although Ronaldo was the Pro League’s top scorer with 25 goals, he has been unable to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, who lost in the Asian Champions League semi-finals last month.

Last year, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said he could end his career with Al Nassr, the Riyadh team favoured by a number of Saudi royals.

Saudi Arabia has shaken up football by spending heavily on stars from Europe, starting with Ronaldo’s move in late 2022, and the desert nation will host the World Cup in 2034.

For the past two years, Saudi football fans could watch the likes of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, with six Ballons d’Or between them, on any given weekend during the football season in the kingdom.

However, the oil-fuelled Saudi football project has drawn comparisons with the Chinese Super League, which imported players on exorbitant salaries until team owners went bust as the Chinese economy fizzled.

But with Saudi Arabia set to host the 2034 World Cup, and desperate to re-model itself as a tourism and business magnet before global oil demand falls for good, there is probably more to come from the Pro League.

Ronaldo appeared to trade an end-of-career payday for football obscurity when he first moved to Riyadh’s Al Nassr two years ago in a deal said to be worth $250 million at the time.

Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al-Nassr have been drawn to face Yokohama F Marinos from Japan in next month’s quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite with fellow Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal to take on tournament debutants Gwangju FC of South Korea.

Al-Ahli, the third club from Saudi Arabia to reach the last eight, will play Thailand’s Buriram United and Japanese outfit Kawasaki Frontale will face Al-Sadd from Qatar.

All four quarter-finals will be played in Jeddah as part of a centralised competition that will also see the Saudi Arabian port city hosting the semi-finals and final.

Al-Hilal, winners of the title on a record four occasions, will meet Gwangju in the opening game of the finals phase on April 25.

Yokohama F Marinos, who were runners-up last year, play Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli face Buriram United on April 26 with Kawasaki to take on Al-Sadd on April 27.

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The semi-finals will be played on April 29 and 30, with the final to be held at the King Abdullah Sports City on May 3.

Asian Champions League Elite Quarter-final Draw:

Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) v Gwangju FC (South Korea)

Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia) v Buriram United (Thailand)

Yokohama F Marinos (Japan) v Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia)

Kawasaki Frontale (Japan) v Al-Sadd (Qatar)

Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice for Al Nassr as they continued to thrive in the AFC Champions League Elite, with the Saudi champions defeating Al Gharafa 3-1 in Qatar.

The 39-year-old’s contributions moved Al Nassr nearer to the last eight, needing just three points from their final three group games.

Yesterday, Al Nassr captain Ronaldo had looked destined to endure a hugely frustrating game following a series of missed opportunities in the first half at Al Bayt Stadium.

However, the Portugal star finally opened the scoring little more than 50 seconds into the second half, when he headed home Sultan Al Ghannam’s cross from close range.

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Al Nassr then doubled their advantage through Angelo Gabriel, a summer signing from Chelsea, on 58 minutes, before the Brazilian turned provider six minutes later to tee up Ronaldo for his second.

The goal took the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward to four goals in this season’s rebranded competition before he was replaced on 74 minutes.

Al Gharafa did pull one back through Joselu, a former team-mate of Ronaldo at Madrid.

Yet their hopes of an unlikely late rally disappeared when Seydou Sano was sent off six minutes from the end of normal time for a second bookable offence.

The win ensures Al Nassr remain unbeaten through five matches in the Western side of the draw, and move second in the 12-team table.

The Riyadh club now sit behind only Saudi Arabian counterparts Al Ahli, who maintained their 100 percent record thanks to a double from substitute Ivan Toney to see off Asian champions Al Ain 2-1 in the UAE.