The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ronaldo

  • Chievo-Juve 2-3 Ft, Ronaldo on the winning side

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s Serie A career begins with the same result that started his La Liga career – a 3-2 win (against Deportivo La Coruna in 2009).

    Although he did score in that game. Juventus win at the Verona’s Bentegodi stadium.but don’t need Cristiano Ronaldo to chip in with a debut goal.

    The Old Lady spent € 112 million to sign CR7 in the summer transfer window and today the Portuguese star starts from the 1st minute with Paulo Dybala and Douglas Costa.

    ​Juventus have won five of their last six opening Serie A fixtures (L1), keeping a clean sheet in four of these meetings.Chievo manager Lorenzo D’Anna has won each of his three Serie A games in charge (the final three games of the 2017/18 campaign).

    Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has won 13 of his last 15 top-flight games as a manager against Chievo (D2).

    Juventus’ last seven league goals have come in the second half of games, while 10 of Chievo’s last 11 goals have come in the same period.

    Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo scored in each of his last 10 league appearances for Real Madrid, netting 18 goals in total.

    During his spell at Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo had scored six goals on his league debut of the season, only two of which in the last six seasons on his first La Liga appearance (one in 2014/15 and one in 2016/17).

  • Ronaldo scores in first Juve appearance

    Cristiano Ronaldo scored a goal in his first Juventus appearance as the first team defeated the B team, their under-20 squad, 5-0 in the club’s annual friendly at the Agnelli family estate in rural Villar Perosa.

    Ronaldo, who joined Juve from Real Madrid last month, began preseason training on July 30 and did not participate in any of the International Champions Cup games in the United States.

    He scored the opening goal in the eighth minute, taking down a long ball over the top to beat goalkeeper Leonardo Loria, then forced an own goal from Riccardo Capellini 10 minutes later.

    “An exciting day in a special place that tells the winning story of Juventus,” Ronaldo wrote on Twitter after the game. “Thanks to all of the fans for their great support!”

    Paulo Dybala scored in the 31st and 40th minutes, and Claudio Marchisio struck in the 53rd minute to round out the scoring for the first team.

    A pitch invasion from the nearly 5,000 fans in attendance forced the end of the game after only 72 minutes.

    Leonardo Bonucci, who returned to Juve two weeks ago after one season at AC Milan, and Emre Can, who moved from Liverpool, both started the game, with Mario Mandzukic, Sami Khedira and Miralem Pjanic available off the bench.

    Ronaldo will make his first official appearance for Juventus on Saturday when they open their Serie A campaign at Chievo Verona.

  • Ronaldo, Serie A set for debut on GOtv

    When the new Italian league season kicks off on August 19, all eyes would be on Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Portugal and reigning FIFA World Player of the Year, who moved from Real Madrid after nine phenomenally successful years. Serie A, as the Italian league is famously called, will debut on all GOtv packages and is making a return to DStv.

    Serie A’s debut on GOtv grants subscribers unrestricted access to games involving the superstar, as all matches of the prestigious competition will be made available live across all GOtv packages at no extra cost. Currently, all matches of LaLiga are available on GOtv MAX. Subscribers also have an opportunity to watch one live match of the English Premier League weekly.

    Ronaldo’s move to Juventus has increased the popularity of Serie A and will make it one of the most watched leagues in the new season. With its reputation as Europe’s most tactical league, all eyes will be on Ronaldo trying to see if he can repeat the freakish goalscoring ratios he posted in England and Spain with Real Madrid.

    His signing by Juventus, according to campaignlive.co.uk, caused the club’s shares to soar by almost 40 per cent. Italian newspaper, Secolo XIX, also noted that the club’s market valuation rose from 665m euros to 815m euros.

  • Breaking: Ronaldo officially unveiled as Juventus player

    Cristiano Ronaldo has been unveiled by the Serie A club on Monday evening after passing a medical earlier in the day.

    The 33-year-old insisted he remains as ambitious as ever after completing his move to Juventus from Real Madrid.

    “The nine years at Real Madrid were wonderful, but it’s a brand new step in my life, so I thank all the supporters with my heart,” Ronaldo said at a press conference. “But I have to focus on this next step. I’m looking forward to playing. I’m very motivated, concentrated and focused on that.”

    “I’m going to try to show that I am a top player, as usual. I’m going to work hard in training … I am very ambitious and I like challenges. I don’t like to stay in my comfort zone. After the experiences in Manchester and in Madrid, I’d like to mark the history of Juventus.”

    Ronaldo revealed he had chosen to join Juventus rather than head for one last big pay day in the Middle or Far East. “I’m here because it’s a brand new challenge for my career,” he said.

    “It’s a big club and usually players of my age go to Qatar or to China, with all due respect, so coming to such an important and outstanding club at this point in my career makes me very happy. That’s why I’m very grateful to Juventus for this opportunity.”

    “[Juventus] have won domestic cups and Serie A titles, and they were in the final of the Champions League, so I am so proud to be here, I am so proud that they were interested in me,” Ronaldo added.

    “I hope I can give the best response on the field during matches, that’s what I can do. I hope I can take them to an even higher level.”

  • 10 candidates for football’s 2018 best player award – FIFA

    The 2018 men’s world footballer of the year will be picked from a list of 10 players instead of from a list of 23 as in the past, global ruling body FIFA said on Wednesday.

    The players in question will be selected by a 13-strong panel that includes legends such as Brazil’s Ronaldo and Germany’s Lothar Matthaeus.

    National team captains and coaches, media and fans then elect the best player in a poll between July 23 and August 10. The winner will be crowned at The Best FIFA Football Awards on September 24 in London.

    Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have won the prestigious award – now called The Best FIFA Men’s Player and formerly known as FIFA World Player and Ballon d’Or – five times each over the past 10 years.

    Awards will also be given out for best women’s player, best men’s and women’s coach, best goalkeeper and best goal, and there is also a fair-play prize.

    Read Also:FIFA sanctions hosts Russia, three others, warns Egypt over Salah

    The Newsmen reports that in 2014, Argentina had three nominees in Angel Di Maria, Javier Mascherano and Lionel Messi, while their opponents in Sunday’s final, Germany, have four.

    Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, Phillip Lahm and Thomas Muller are the players nominated from Joachim Low’s side.

    Colombia’s James Rodriguez, Brazil’s Neymar and Arjen Robben of Netherlands complete the 10-man shortlist.

    Fifa has also announced the nominees for the Golden Glove competition, awarded to the best goalkeeper at the World Cup.

    Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas, Germany’s Manuel Neuer and Argentina’s Sergio Romero will compete for the prize.

    Meanwhile, Netherlands’ Memphis Depay and Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane of France were nominated for the best young player at the tournament.

  • Praises galore for Ronaldo

    Some football enthusiasts on Friday said that Cristiano Ronaldo had  set a very high standard at the Russia FIFA World Cup which would be difficult to break for a very long time to come.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Portugal’s irrepressible captain Ronaldo scored a stunning late free kick to complete a  hat-trick and rescue a dramatic 3-3 draw in a thrilling  Group B match against neighbours Spain on Friday.

    By far the best game of the tournament so far, Spain forward Diego Costa notched a brace before Nacho put them 3-2 ahead with a brilliant third only for Ronaldo to snatch a point two minutes to the end of the game.

    Ronaldo became the fourth player to score in four World Cups after Uwe Seeler, Pele and Miroslav Klose. He had also scored in the last four European Championship tournaments.

    A cross section of football enthusiasts who spoke to NAN in separate interviews in Abuja said Ronaldo had set the competition alight so early with his sensational performance, adding that he was arguably the best player in the world

    Musa Talle, the Chairman, FCT Football Association said he lacked words to describe Ronaldo’s performance against Spain.

    “It was indeed an unbelievable display from the one and only Cristiano Ronaldo.

    “There are no words to describe what we witnessed tonight. It was a simply sublime, stunning, spectacular and sensational performance by Ronaldo in Sochi.

    “It left everyone speechless and breathless. To do what he did on that stage; the biggest in world football, tells you the calibre of player he is,” he said.

    Godwin Bamigboye, the Chairman, FCT Football Coaches Association said Ronaldo had indeed replied his critics with an outstanding performance.

    “I have never seen anything as exciting in world football for a very long time. I don’t get excited about football that much, but tonight was probably the most excited I have been in a very long time.

    “What a performance! People who had doubts about Ronaldo saying that his legs have gone and that he isn’t quite the same player,  I bet he has made them have a rethink.

    “This guy has been outstanding from the word go and has indeed set a very high standard at the World Cup which will be difficult to beat for a very long time to come,” said.

    Babatunde Bada, a renowned football pundit said that the game was a perfect stage for Ronaldo to further prove his worth to the world.

    “He is a talisman, he is the man that sets the benchmark.

    “The game itself presented a perfect opportunity for him to set the records straight about who the best footballer in the world is and I think he has left no one in doubt that he truly is the best.

    “The intensity of the game was electrifying and the game had everything about a football match one could possibly think of,” he said.

    “Everything you want to see in a game so early in a competition was dished out to billions of football fans all over the world tonight,” he said”

    Paul Aigbogun, the Head Coach of Enyimba International Footballl Club of Aba said Ronaldo was focused and delivered when it mattered most, adding that his performance could be compared to that of the legendary Diego Maradona.

    “It was a marvellous spectacle and Ronaldo won our hearts. He had the eye of the tiger and looked really focused tonight.

    “I have watched Ronaldo in recent times playing for Real Madrid in the Champions league, where it seems like he was coasting a little bit but tonight he was really sharp and fully focused as if he really had a point to prove.

    “You could see that he was alive from the beginning, during the warm up and from his first few touches at the start of the game.

    “I have to say this is probably one of the most complete performances I have ever experienced in a World Cup, maybe comparable to Maradona’s performance against England.

    “This was unbelievable in every aspect,” he said.

    Garba Lawal, an ex-international said Ronaldo was a perfectionist and knew when and how to deliver at the biggest stage.

    “You know what is incredible about Ronaldo is that he has the ability to deliver at a big stage. The bigger the stage, the more he produces outstanding performances.

    “We all felt it, especially from the last goal he scored from 30 yards out. He got over the ball, tucked his shorts up, took few steps backward and a deep breathe. Everyone knew he meant business.

    “To deliver that perfection at that stage, this level, is just beyond words” he said.

    The 2018 FIFA World Cup which kicked off on June 14 is expected to end on July 15 in Russia. (NAN)

  • Ronaldo nets hat-trick in thriller against Spain

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s late free kick has earned Portugal a point in their opening 2018 World Cup fixture, as the European champions played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Spain in Sochi on Friday night.

    The Real Madrid forward had already netted two first-half goals to put his side ahead, only for Diego Costa to score either side and Nacho – at fault for the Selecao‘s opener – to complete the stunning turnaround.

    On his 36th outing at a major international tournament, however, Ronaldo sent a free kick up and over the wall to beat David de Gea for a third time, meaning that the Group B spoils were shared at the Fisht Olympic Stadium.

    Prior to that late twist, Spain had hit back twice to put themselves on course for a positive end to a difficult week, with this classic coming just two days after the sacking of manager Julen Lopetegui.

    The big selection call made by the stand-in boss was to field Nacho at right-back in place of the half-fit Dani Carvajal, despite Alvaro Odriozola filling in for the warm-up matches.

    That would prove a big call as, after just two minutes of an action-packed first half, Nacho stuck out a leg and Cristiano Ronaldo took full advantage of the contact inside the box.

    In response, David Silva sent a couple of chances wide as Spain took control of possession, patiently probing away for an opening.

  • From bronze to ice: Another funny Ronaldo in Russia!

    From bronze to ice: Another funny Ronaldo in Russia!

     

    A new Ronaldo sculpture has been unveiled at the ongoing Ledovaya Moskva festival in Russia.

    40 statues have been put up in Russia to represent the countries that will be featuring in this year’s World Cup.

    Unfortunately Ronaldo’s sculpture has generated a lot of controversy as it shares striking similarities with the disastrous bust that was put up in his honour at Madeira airport last year.

    The unveiling of the statue in Portugal last year sent fans into frenzy and a new artist was called in to produce a new model.

    One person likened the original statue to Bowser from the Super Mario Brothers film while another said it reminded them of the talking head from the ITV show Art Attack.

    Spanish sculptor Jose Antonio Navarro Arteaga, 52, was called in to redeem the errors made my mocked artist Emanuel Santos.

    Ronaldo is however not the only footballer to has been comically represented by a statue. Former Argentina international Diego Maradona and recently former Chelsea ace Micheal Essien have had their fair share of the trend. Maradona had his erected in India while Essien had his erected back home in Ghana

    As regards the sculptures in Russia, Moscow Times revealed that 2,000 tons of ice from Lake Baikal and other lakes nearby were used to make 40 football-related statues.

    The sculptures are featuring symbols from the 32 participating countries, including ice replicas of their architectural gems, football stars and literary characters. They will reportedly include England’s Sherlock Holmes, Germany’s Baron Munchausen and Sweden’s Karlsson.

    The Portugal international will hope to make a major impact when his Country drawn in Group B face Spain, Morocco and Iran. Portugal who made their first appearance at the world cup in 1966 crashing out in the Group stage will be making their sixth appearance at the world cup in Russia. Their best outing has been fourth place finish at the 2006 edition in Germany followed by Group of 16 finish at the first Africa hosted World cup in South Africa in 2010. One of their remarkable matches in the 2010 outing was the 7-0 demolition of North Korea in the Group stage with Meireles, Simão, Almeida, Tiago, Liédson and Ronaldo on target.

  • Real Reason for Ronaldo’s Poor La Liga Form Revealed

    Real Reason for Ronaldo’s Poor La Liga Form Revealed

    Age is catching up with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid says Craig Burley.

    That is according to pundit and former Chelsea and Scotland midfielder Craig Burley.

    Ronaldo has scored just four goals in La Liga this season in 11 appearances.

    He has recovered his form slightly in recent weeks, netting five in his last five in all competitions.

    But he failed to have a positive influence on the first El Clasico of the season today, as Barcelona ran out 3-0 winners.

    Following Saturday’s El Clasico 2-0 defeate at Benarbeu Burley was asked the reason behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s struggles.

    ESPN presenter Kevin Negandhi said: “Real quick, you mentioned he wasn’t sharp, he hasn’t been sharp. What’s wrong with Ronaldo?”

    Burley believes the answer is simple, saying age is catching up with the 32-year-old.

    “Something that comes to us all Kevin,” Burley

    “It’s called age. It slows us all down, it catches up.

    “Mother Nature, you can never beat it.”

    Real Madrid are now 14 points behind Barcelona in La Liga but do have a game in hand on Ernesto Valverde’s side.

  • I prefer Ronaldo to Messi – Disu

    I prefer Ronaldo to Messi – Disu

    Tunde Disu, a former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says he prefers Cristiano Ronaldo to his Ballon d’Or rival, Lionel Messi.

    Disu made the disclosure in an interview on Friday in Lagos after Ronaldo emerged winner of the 2017 Ballon d’Or award.

    Ronaldo emerged winner of the prestigious award for the fifth time to draw level with Messi. The Portuguese was honoured at a gala night at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

    It was a back-to-back win for the 32-year-old, who helped his country to win the UEFA European Championship in 2016.

    The fast-paced striker also scored 12 UEFA Champions league goals and 25 goals in the Spanish La Liga.

    He had previously won the Ballon d’Or in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018 to make it the fifth time.

    “Watching both players on the field is something you will ever enjoy, especially their dedication and efforts at bringing success to their various clubs.

    “For me, I see Ronaldo as a more complete player and I will go for him anytime because he is dangerous on air and can use both legs effectively.

    “Ronaldo on the field will always show signs of eagerness; he wants victory and is ready to play. He has that exceptional drive needed in every player.

    “Dedicated players in the mould of Ronaldo and Messi are not common at all. Although we have someone like Neymar of Brazil but his time has not come.’’

    Read also: Lagos J-League proud of Ndidi’s success at Leicester – Disu

    Disu advised other players to take up the challenge from Ronaldo and Messi to help their clubs attain the height which both players had achieved.

    “I am not surprised at their dominance in football for 10 years now. They merit all the awards and they are undisputable. Who has come closer to what they have achieved individually?

    “For both players, they helped their clubs achieve a great deal. See their commitment on the field of play and their goals which have helped their clubs win laurels.

    “Both players are world-class which we may not be able to replace now, it is a challenge other players must rise up to. They need to be on their level.

    “I expect other players to be game changers just like Ronaldo and Messi, let them help their clubs win their local league and champions’ league.  Players like Hazard should also step up,’’ said Disu.

    NAN