The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cristiano ronaldo

  • Don’t expect much difference from Europe this season – Izamoje

    Adeyinka Akintunde

     

    With the European league season underway, the Chairman Brilla FM, Dr. Larry Izamoje has predicted that there will not be much difference to what happened last season in the various leagues across Europe this term.

    He made this known to The Nation at the National Stadium, Lagos. According to him, it will be a straight fight between Manchester City and Liverpool, as Juventus, with the inclusion of new signing Cristiano Ronaldo, is expected to go a step better than they did last year.

    He said “We may not see too many changes in the European Leagues, except in Germany, because Boateng is dissatisfied in Bayern, and they have offloaded some key players.  In England, Liverpool should be able to keep their top four places like they did last season. I expect a straight fight for the trophy between Manchester City and Liverpool.

    In Spain, it will still be the normal contest between Barcelona and Real Madrid, but I see Atletico Madrid coming into contention. It is good Cristiano Ronaldo is now in Juventus, I want to believe that the Old Lady will solidify what they did last season, with the inclusion of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

    Izamoje, heaping praises on Godwin Dudu-Orumen for his success in the 2018 Cowbell Football Academy Summer Camp, called on government and private bodies to create more academies for other sports, so that kids that will make Nigeria proud in future can also be groomed as it is done annually in the Cowbell Summer Camp.

    Read Also: Izamoje joins call for FIFA reforms

    “If you don’t show them the way early, they intend to miss it later in life. It is said in the UK that if you never held the tennis racket between the ages of 1-7, you may never become a Wimbledon champion. All the stars we know today started early, George Weah is a good example. That is why the efforts of Godwin Dudu-Orumen is commendable in grooming young ones who can later on become future football stars in Nigeria and beyond. This also brings joy to families and help the country stand in the committee if sports.

    “This is commendable, but we find out that many emerging academies are dedicated to football, it will be nice to also have those for other sports like boxing, swimming, table tennis, athletics, badminton and the rest.

    The camp runs annually for three weeks and is sponsored by Cowbell milk, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited. Young football talents between 4 and 18 years of age are usually invited to participate in the camp in different parts of Lagos and beyond.

  • Ronaldo scores 8 minutes into Juventus debut

    Cristiano Ronaldo on Sunday scored a debut goal at Juventus.

    It took eight minutes for the former Real Madrid star to score his first ever Juventus goal

    Ronaldo started his life at Juventus with a bang by netting the opener against their U19 side in a friendly on Sunday.

    Going into the match Juventus fans were all smiles and dancing and were not disappointed as the fans saw what they wanted; Ronaldo’ debut goal.

    Paulo Dybala stole some of Ronaldo’s thunder by adding a quick fire brace before half-time as Juventus went into the break in complete control.

  • Ronaldo pockets N270m on sponsored Instagram post

     

    The social media no doubt has not only become a way of life but has become a platform for the voiceless to have a voice in some places with inhibition and in others without inhibitions.

    It can equally be said that the social media has become a market place where items can be advertised sold and bought.  Even fame can be sold and acquired on the social media. 

    A post can be worth millions depending on the status of the person dishing out the post.  The question probably will be how much is your post worth?  Celebrities and footballers in particular in case you don’t already know earn

    Millions of dollars for their posts especially sponsored instagram posts.  According to GiveMeSport.com, Portugal international and 5-time Balloon d’dor winner Cristiano Ronaldo, could charge as high as $750,000 (about N270 million) for a sponsored Instagram post.

    The former Real Madrid ace who recently moved over to Juventus in another 100 million pounds deal leads four other football stars who are also carting away millions of dollars on   sponsored posts.

    Did I hear you say too much money? I

    f the 33 year old even while in action on the pitch posts five sponsored Instagram post in a year, we are talking about N1.4billion.

    But he is certainly not the only one that carts away millions for sponsored Instalgram posts.

    Others in the top five include Brazil international and PSG forward Neymar. The former Barcelona ace who many say performed below his capacity at the just ended World cup in Russia is said to charge about $600,000 for sponsored Instalgram post.

    Here is the five man list:

    1. Cristiano Ronaldo: $750,000 (N269, 636,597.80)
    2. Neymar: $600,000 (N215, 694,633.43)
    3. Lionel Messi: $500,000 (N179, 745,527.86)
    4. David Beckham: $300,000 (N107, 848,065.25)
    5. Gareth Bale: $185,000(66,551,976.82)

  • Tax fraud Palaver: Ronaldo doles out £12.1m to Spain

     

    In what could pass for ‘let’s bury the hatchet’ step, Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo has doled out £12.1m (about N5.6billion) to the Spanish authorities while accepting two-year suspended prison term as part of the deal to end lingering tax dispute

    The 33-year-old appears to be in a hurry to start his Italy sojourn on a clean slate wasting no time clearing debts and cutting all ties with Madrid and Spain following his transfer from Real to Juve. There are also suggestions he plans to pull his business interests out of the capital.

    Spanish radio station Cadena Cope reported that Ronaldo has deposited the £12.1m and will also pay a further £4.7m in fines and costs. He will never have to serve the prison sentence because first offences for administrative crimes involving terms of two years or less are not custodial in Spain

    For a long time, Spanish fiscal law turned a blind eye to image rights companies being set up by players outside of Spain.

    That enabled players to only pay tax on what they earned in the country with money from image rights designated as foreign income.

    In Ronaldo’s case, his image-rights income was allegedly managed by a company in the British Virgin Islands, a tax haven.

    Spanish tax authorities changed their tune in 2014 and started cracking down on the practice and a raft of investigations began.

    In the last three years, a host of La Liga’s biggest stars have had to face accusations similar to that of Ronaldo, prominent in the list are Argentina international Lionel Messi, Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho, Javier Mascherano, Alex Sanchez and 2018 World Cup Golden Ball winner Luka Modric.

    It is suspected that tax issues featured among the reasons why Ronaldo left Spain and has never hidden his anger after authorities took him to court over tax, and just one week after departure to Italy he has wiped his debt with the treasury.

    He is also understood to have put his £4.8m Madrid mansion in the exclusive ‘La Finca’ neighbourhood on the market and is seriously contemplating closing all his business interests in the Spanish capital.

    It is a dramatic cutting of ties that could include abandoning a hotel project in the city’s emblematic avenue ‘Gran Via’.

    Ronaldo, in a joint venture with Portuguese company Pestana, had gained a building license earlier this year to convert one of Gran Via’s historic buildings into a 160-room luxury hotel with roof-top bar but Portuguese media now say that project could be shelved.

    Ronaldo has always protested his innocence against claims he willfully deceived the Spanish treasury by not declaring image-rights earnings between 2011 and 2014.

     

     

     

  • Ronaldo off to China on CR7 tour

     

    Juventus new signing Cristiano Ronaldo has headed for China in style to observe his Annual CR7 tour. The Portugal international whose breath taking strikes against Spain at the just ended World cup in Russia remains a talking point, has made a frequent event of his CR7 tour in recent years, travelling to Asisa to meet his global fans and further expand his brand.

    The £100million man took to social media on Wednesday, just a few days after completing his move to Seria A side Juve, to alert his Chinese fans that he is on his way.

    Posing with his entourage in front of a plush, Nike-branded jet, Ronaldo was in high spirits while preparing for yet another adventure.

    The 33-year-old is set to be in for a hectic summer with sponsorship commitments before finally getting down to some pre-season training with his new club.

    Ronaldo is likely to miss Juventus’ upcoming pre-season tour of America, and so avoid a very early reunion with Real Madrid who will face the Old Lady at the FedEx Field stadium in Maryland.

    The forward had to cut short a family holiday to Greece, which he had been taking following Portugal’s exit from the World Cup, in order to seal his transfer.

    It is unknown how long the player and his party will be spending in China, though Ronaldo is likely to visit several occasions for public visits and Nike-organised events.

    Once his heavy summer dies down, Ronaldo is in line to make his first appearance in the famous black and white stripes of Juventus on the first weekend of the Serie season.

    The fixtures for the Italian top flight are to be announced on Friday, where Ronaldo will learn who are set to be his first opponents.

     

     

     

     

  • Juventus fans rush for CR7 Jersey ahead unveiling

     

    Juventus supporters have declared operation acquire a CR7 jersey ahead of the Monday’s unveiling of former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

    Delighted fans were seen posing outside Juventus’ official club store on Wednesday with ‘Ronaldo 7’ shirts.

    Ronaldo, who originally wore the No 9 shirt at Real Madrid before taking the No 7 following Raul’s departure in 2010, would have demanded the shirt number to continue his CR7 brand.

    Juan Cuadrado is without a shirt number following Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival at Juventus. The Colombia star, who originally joined the club on loan from Chelsea in 2015, originally wore the No 16 before switching to No 7 in 2016.

    The former Manchester United star has clothing ranges and hotels in Lisbon and Madeira under CR7 branding.

    Juventus announced the stunning £100million deal for Ronaldo with the Portugal captain in his usual celebration stance with ‘Cristiano’ accompanying the image.

    However, they used the No 7 in his name to confirm his new shirt number.

    Ronaldo’s astonishing £100m transfer from Real Madrid to Juventus will lead to a £10.6m payday for his agent, the Serie A club have confirmed.

    Jorge Mendes made a proposal to Juve when selling them full back Joao Cancelo from Valencia last month – and the club subsequently made a £88m offer to Real.

    In addition to the agent’s fee, Ronaldo’s former clubs Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United will share a total of £4.4m, making the deal worth more than £100m.

    Sponsors Fiat agreed to shoulder the burden of his £26.6m-a-year wages, helping to ease money fears but the total cost to club will be £310m over four years.

    Ronaldo met club president Andrea Agnelli on Tuesday afternoon in a hotel in Greece before agreeing the four-year deal worth £500,000 a week. He is expected to be officially unveiled on Monday.

    A member the left-wing union that represents hundreds of thousands of Italian employees Sindacale di Base queried the rationale behind paying millions to one man when many earn take home that can hardly get to the middle of the month.

    “Is this fair? Is it normal for one person to earn millions, while thousands of families can’t even get to the middle of the month?” he asked

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Madrid confirms Ronaldo’s £88m move to Juve

     

    Cristiano Ronaldo has made an astonishing £88m move to Juventus after Real Madrid granted him permission to leave Santiago Bernabeu.

    Ronaldo met Juventus club president Andrea Agnelli on Tuesday afternoon in a hotel in Greece before agreeing an estimated £500,000-a-week deal

    It is believed that the transfer was finalised at the meeting with Ronaldo surrounded by his girlfriend and family, who is currently on holiday with him.

    Real Madrid confirmed the transfer late on Tuesday afternoon.

    In a statement, the club admitted that they had granted Ronaldo with his wish to leave the club.

    It read: ‘Today, Real Madrid wants to express its gratitude to a player who has proved to be the best in the world and who has marked one of the brightest times in the history of our club and world football.’

    Ronaldo won four Champions League titles during his nine-year stay at Real Madrid.

    ‘Beyond the conquered titles, the trophies achieved and the triumphs achieved in the playing fields during these nine years, Cristiano Ronaldo has been an example of dedication, work, responsibility, talent and improvement,’ the statement added.

    Ronaldo thanked Real Madrid for making his time at the club ‘possibly the happiest of my life’, but added that he felt it was the right decision to move on.

    He said: ‘I believe that the time has come to open a new stage in my life and that is why I have asked the club to accept transferring me. I feel that way and I ask everyone, and especially our followers, to please understand me.’

    Ronaldo leaves a legacy behind at Real Madrid littered with smashed records and trophies.

    He is the Spanish club’s all-time top scorer with 451 goals in all competitions and won two La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies with them.

    ‘For Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo will always be one of its greatest symbols and a unique reference for the generations to come,’ Real Madrid’s statement added.

    ‘Real Madrid will always be his home’.

    Ronaldo’s first game for Juventus could come against his former club when the two meet in the International Champions Cup. The two play each other on August 4 at the FedEx Field in Washington.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Expect no less than before at Russia 2018 as quarter-finals get underway

    The 2018 FIFA World Cup enters the quarter-finals stage on Friday, with the France versus Uruguay fixture at Nizhny Novgorod kicking off a two-day line-up of four potentially-explosive matches.

    The quarter-finals have come with the usual expectations and surprise element of any tournament of this nature, yet they have not come without a trace of the unexpected.

    The first round/group phase did not do so much to shock us, other than see off title-holders Germany, world number 10 Poland and the five African sides.

    However, the Round of 16 has lived up to expectations, not just with the exit of 2010 champions Spain, two-times champions Argentina and Portugal, but the teams’ star players.

    Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Andres Iniesta, Isco, Diego Costa, Angel Di Maria,Gonzalo Higuain, Ricardo Quaresma, Sergio Ramos and Javier Mascherano are now watching the competition from their homes.

    They joined the likes of Tony Kroos, Thomas Muller, Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Manuel Neuer and Robert Lewandowski who had been on the sidelines pretty much earlier.

    Their situation, very much unfavoured, is what the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, as well as Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe will now try to avoid.

    France with their array of megastars such as Pogba, Mbappe, Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and N’Golo Kante will be wary of what Suarez and Cavani can do upfront.

    But the Uruguayan defence line should worry them much more, with the Atletico Madrid defensive pair of Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez at the centre of affairs.

    Read Also: World Cup: Germany arrive home to angry supporters

    Later on Friday, Belgium who made an incredible comeback from two goals down to win 3-2 will face Brazil at Kazan and knowing that a confrontation with Brazil or Belgium awaits.

    Brazil should rather be wary of Belgium, with Eden Hazard and Romelo Lukaku, have gone 23 games unbeaten and have the best record at this tournament so far.

    They have won all their matches so far, scoring 12 and conceding four goals, but the grittiness which saw them through against Japan is something Brazil will need much of.

    Brazil have struggled to survive against Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia, in spite of Neymar, Willian, Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Casemiro, Gabriel Jesus and Marcelo not looking out of form.

    However, the fact that they have not conceded again since the only goal against Switzerland in their opening match is something Belgium will have to think a lot about.

    England have been thinking so much that they now have a good chance of another World Cup win since 1966, with the tournament draw being good to them.

    They do not to have to face the likes of France, Uruguay, Brazil or Belgium until July 15, and they feel Sweden may not be too much headache.

    But when they face off on Saturday in Samara, they will have to contend with a side which has shown so much resilience, even in the absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

    They beat The Netherlands and Italy in qualifying for Russia, made life difficult for Germany and beat South Korea and Mexico in Russia, and eliminated Switzerland in the Round of 16.

    Usually a quiet side, Sweden can bring down England if they keep under check Harry Kane and Jesse Lingard, as well as likely substitutes Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy.

    The good thing for the Swedes is that, in spite of Kane’s leading goalscorer status, England do not have what they do not have, and this makes the game balanced.

    Russia have not disappointed so far, and it is a good preview for them as they head to Fisht Stadium in Sochi to host Croatia on Saturday.

    It is a likely quiet and not-extraordinary game, with Russia being the lowest FIFA-ranked team at the tournament.

    While Russian hopes have risen since the penalty kicks shootout defeat of Spain, it may just serve the hosts well not to count their chickens b efore they are hatched.

    Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic have provided the needed midfield inspiration, while Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Perisic have spearheaded offensive runs which have produced not goals but team game stability.

    The Croats are aware of their capability and Modric, while speaking at their pre-match press conference on Wednesday, said team compatibility is a weapon they would use to great effect.

    “We know it is going to be tough against Russia, especially as they are the hosts, but we know ourselves and what we can do. We will do it as expected,’’ he said.

    However, will they be able to reenact the performance that led them to the 1998 semi-finals in France, having to play against a team and its expectant nation of 144 million?

    It is however Russia’s best World Cup run since the 1966 semi-finals appearance, and they will want to go further than this quarter-finals stage not just because they are the hosts.

    They have shown good strength of character with the way they overcame Spain, and swung their compatriots who never believed in them before behind them.

    While they can shock the Croats, and which can happen, it may just be one other shock in a tournament that is still capable of bringing up more shocks.

    NAN

  • Real Madrid denies 272m Euros Mbappe deal

    European champions Real Madrid have denied reports of a world-record 272 million Euros (316 million dollars) deal with Paris Saint-Germain to sign forward Kylian Mbappe.

    Mbappe has been one of the standout performers for France at the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

    He joined PSG in 2017, on an initial loan deal that will become permanent this summer in a transfer that will see him become the second most expensive player in history.

    However, Madrid has been closely linked with the 19-year-old attacker.

    It has been claimed in France that he is on his way to the Spanish capital this summer to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, who is reportedly set to join Juventus after his shock revelation that he wants to leave.

    Read Also: Marco Asensio ,Dua Lipa on the Podium!

    The Spanish club, however, insisted on Wednesday that no such deal was in place, though, said the reports were simply false.

    “Given the information published in the last few hours referring to an alleged agreement between Real Madrid and PSG for player Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid says they are flatly false,” a statement on the club’s website read.

    “Real Madrid has not made any offers to PSG or the player and regrets the dissemination of this type of information that is not contrasted with the parties.”

    Madrid has been closely monitoring Mbappe since his days at Monaco and the principality club’s vice-president had said they made an offer worth 180 million Euros only to be knocked back as he opted to return to Boyhood Club PSG.

    Mbappe scored 21 times in 44 games for the French club in his first season and had played a key role for the national team at the World Cup, having netted three times in four games.

    The statement comes just a day after the Champions League holders made an announcement to clarify that talk of another world record deal with PSG had been struck.

    This was after it was reported that they were set to sign Neymar this summer for 310 million Euros (360 million dollars).

    NAN also reports that just like Mbappe, the Brazilian is continually being linked to the Santiago Bernabeu outfit since arriving at the Parc des Princes team.

    NAN

  • Juve Move: Ronaldo begins search for house in Turin

     

    Rumours that Real Madrid talisman and Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo will be pitching tent with Italian side Juventus got more credence Wednesday as the 5-time Balloon d’Or winner is said to be seeking accommodation in Turin.

    The supposed move to Juventus is rumoured to be in the region of 100-120 million Euros.

    Juventus have been a dominant force in Italy for some time now. However, one prize that they have been unable to claim for over a decade is the Champions League.

    The Italian giants have not won the Champions League since 1996 and as a result are looking to sign top stars that can help them earn the most coveted prize in club football and there is no doubt Ronaldo would be one of those top stars.

    Juventus and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi has also had his say on Ronaldo’s potential move to Italy.

    In a press conference earlier today he stated,“Ronaldo? That would be nice; it would be great to have him at Juve. “We are like a family — we are all together.

    Ronaldo who was in superlative form for Portugal in the Group stage of the world cup in Russia scored all the three goals as Portugal played out a 3-3 draw with Spain. Portugal’s desire to go past the round of 16 however hit the rocks after they were edged out by Uruguay, following a 2-1 defeat.

    Ronaldo’s arch rival and Argentina forward Lionel Messi and his teammates equally failed to make it beyond the round of 16 after losing to 4-3 to France.