The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ronaldo

  • Ronaldo is 2016 highest-paid sportsman

    Ronaldo is 2016 highest-paid sportsman

     

     

     

    Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the world’s highest-earning athlete for the first time, becoming only the second individual from a team sport to lead the Forbes rankings since they began in 1990.

    Ronaldo, who turns 32 on Sunday, climbed to the top of the list by earning $88 million in 2016, ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in second place with $81m and NBA star LeBron James in third with $77m.

    Introducing the research, Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes said that Portugal captain Ronaldo had overtaken boxer Floyd Mayweather and golfer Tiger Woods to become the first footballer ever to be named the highest earner across all global sport.

     

    “With Mayweather hanging up his gloves and Woods hampered by injuries, there is an opening at the top. Filling the gap is the biggest star in the biggest sport on the planet,” Badenhausen wrote.

    “This year, soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete, with earnings of $88m over the past 12 months from salary, bonuses and endorsements. Ronaldo is only the second team athlete after Michael Jordan to rank as the top-paid since Forbes began tracking athlete earnings in 1990.”

    According to Forbes, Ronaldo’s total income rose marginally in 2016, up to $88m from $80m the year before. However, the retirement of boxers Mayweather ($300m in 2015) and Manny Pacquiao ($160m in 2015) helped him to take over at the head of the list.

    Other footballers to appear towards the top of the rankings are Barcelona star Neymar in 21st place ($37.5m), Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic at 23 ($37.4m), Madrid’s Gareth Bale at 25 ($35.9m) and Wayne Rooney of United at 49 ($26.1m).

  • Ronaldo marks girlfriend’s birthday in style

    Ronaldo marks girlfriend’s birthday in style

     

     

    Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo has chosen to mark the 22nd birthday of his girlfriend Georgina Rodriquez in romantic style, by enjoying a cosy meal for two out in the Spanish capital.

    The pair headed out to Madrid’s Tatel restaurant to celebrate the milestone occasion with some fine dining, days after Ronaldo helped his team to an emphatic La Liga victory over Real Sociedad.

    Ronaldo played the role of designated driver, taking to the wheel as the couple drove off to the gastronomic eatery.

    The Madrid star appeared in high spirits as he headed off for the evening of romance, while Spanish model Rodriguez was all smiles.

    The 22-year-old recently made a trip to see Ronaldo in action, watching on from the stands in the Santiago Bernabeu as Madrid fell to a shock defeat at the hands of Celta Vigo.

  • Ronaldo takes out drones with strike

    Ronaldo takes out drones with strike

     

     

     

    Cristiano Ronaldo has raised the stakes once more in his ongoing social media battle with NBA star Dwyane Wade.

    The two have been going back and forth in a game of one-upmanship and Wade will be hard pushed to respond to the Real Madrid man’s latest challenge.

    Ronaldo took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a video of himself attempting to knock a pair of drones from the sky with a football.

    After missing with his first attempt, having attempted to strike an audacious volley after juggling the ball, the World Player of the Year took began to take things a little more seriously.

    After picking the ball out of the water feature in front of him the Portuguese, who has been criticised for his deadball struggles, decided to use a different tact and used his set piece practice to hit the target.

    Just like his recent effort against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey, both proceeded to hit the target with his next two efforts.

    And he was clearly delighted, as he quickly showcased his infamous goal celebration.

    The clip is the latest in a series of challenges for Poker Star, which has seen the pair attempt to free-throw an omelette and play keepy ups with an orange

  • Ronaldo has his £260,000 Lamborghini towed

    Ronaldo has his £260,000 Lamborghini towed

     

     

    Cristiano Ronaldo had to ask for an ambulance to help him home after a jinxed trip to a ski resort near Madrid with his girlfriend in his new £260,000 Lamborghini.

    A tow truck is said to have removed his luxury sports car after he had to stop the vehicle because of wrist problems.

    A Spanish showbiz website said he alerted police and a roadside assistance firm before hopping into the ambulance with his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez

    The bizarre incident happened around 6pm on Sunday after Ronaldo, 31, took his shop assistant new squeeze to visit the Navacerrada ski resort near Madrid

    Informalia, quoting ‘well-placed sources’, said sudden wrist pain forced the footballer to park up on a roundabout and call for help.

    There was no immediate reaction from Real Madrid or Ronaldo, who had his right wrist bandaged during Real’s 2-1 win over Malaga on Saturday after suffering an apparent knock in training the day before.

    Police and the local ambulance service were not available to comment on the reports on Wednesday morning, which have been widely picked up by other Spanish media.

    Ronaldo was trolled online after taking to Instagram last October to post a picture of himself standing next to the vehicle with the caption, ‘Bom Dia’ — good morning in English.

  • Madrid to rest Ronaldo against Sevilla

    Madrid to rest Ronaldo against Sevilla

     

    Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane will not use Cristiano Ronaldo in the second leg against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey on Thursday.
    Zidane will also rest Luka Modric when Madrid try to defend a 3-0 win from the first leg.
    Madrid can advance to the quarter-finals even with a two-goal loss at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
    Ronaldo also didn’t play against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. His first match of the year was on Saturday against Granada in the Spanish league, when he scored once in Madrid’s 5-0 win.
    Zidane has also revealed James Rodriguez, who scored twice in the first leg, will not travel because of a calf problem, but defender Sergio Ramos will be back after a long injury layoff.
    Defender Pepe and striker Gareth Bale remain out, but forward Lucas Vazquez and defensive midfielder Mateo Kovacic will make the trip to southern Spain after recovering from injuries, as will Zidane’s son, Enzo.
    Madrid are trying to win the Copa del Rey title for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

  • FIFA Best Player: How Mikel shared his 10 point vote

    FIFA Best Player: How Mikel shared his 10 point vote

    Contrary to permutations that virtually all the national captains will vote for Ronaldo and Messi before others, Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel had no vote for the Barcelona ace even as Ronaldo claimed the award with flourish on Monday in Zurich. Mikel who few days ago finally made a decision to leave Stamford Bridge and head for China for good, handed Ronald 5 points, gave Athletic Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann 3 points while the remaining 2 points went to Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Interestingly if captain of the Brazilian national team Alves DaSilva had his way, the three musketeers of Barcelona would have lined up as first second and third respectively. Alves who had no vote for Ronaldo allocated 5 points to Messi, 3 points to Neymay and the remaining 2 points to Luis Suarez who form the popular attacking force otherwise dubbed MSN in Camp Nou.

  • Ronaldo is FIFA player of the year

    Ronaldo is FIFA player of the year

    Christiano Ronaldo won FIFA’s rebranded player of the year award yesterday, beating his old rival Lionel Messi.
    Messi was pulled out of the ceremony only a few hours earlier by his club Barcelona.
    Ronaldo, 31, was rewarded for a year in which he won the Champions League with his club Real Madrid and the Euro 2016 with Portugal.
    Argentine Messi was second in the vote and Frenchman Antoine Griezmann third.
    I’m very happy and I can say that 2016 was the best year of my career”, said Ronaldo as he was presented the award by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
    “With the aim of prioritising preparations for Wednesday’s game against Athletic Club, FC Barcelona have decided that the players recognised in the awards will not be travelling to Switzerland for the ceremony,” said the club in a statement.
    Ronaldo also won the France Football’s Ballon d’Or, the other major international award for the sport, last month.
    Ronaldo also won the old FIFA award once in 2008 and also in 2013 and 2014 when it was organised jointly with France Football magazine.

  • Three injured in Abakaliki over Ronaldo, Messi superiority argument

    Three football fans were injured in a free-for-all in a bar in Abakaliki on Saturday night over an argument about who is a better player between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

    A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who witnessed the melee, reports that the incident occurred at the Kpirikpiri area of the town during the EURO 2016 second round match between Portugal and Croatia.

    Portugal won the match 1-0 courtesy of a Ricardo Quaresma 114th minute-extra time goal that sent them into the competition’s quarter-finals.

    Trouble started when a Ronaldo supporter identified as “Marshal’’ celebrated widely as the Real Madrid star’s shot was parried into Quaresma’s path for the goal to the consternation of the Messi’s supporter named Obinna.

    The duo had argued all night over the better player between both mega stars.

    Immediately Quaresma scored, Marshal rushed to Obinna and mocked him, chanting “I told you, I told you Ronaldo is the best’’.

    Obinna, who apparently was reeling with anger, pushed Marshal and a fight ensued which made others inside the bar to intervene.

    Matters, however, went out of hand when Marshal’s friends felt that Obinna’s friends were indirectly aiding him in the fight, thus making the fight instantly a free-for-all.

    The bar owner, identified simply as Simon, rushed outside to invite people within the compound as those inside couldn’t control the situation.

    However, calm was eventually restored but three persons, including Obinna were seriously wounded, while Simon immediately closed before the match could end.

    On the development, Simon said that both fans always argued on the issue of Real Madrid and Barcelona superiority.

    “I banned them from coming to my shop but this is their first visit since the commencement of the competition.

    “It took the intervention of others inside the shop for me to allow them, as I was sure that their acrimony toward each other goes beyond Ronaldo and Messi supremacy,’’ he said.

    Dr Obiora Ike, a youth activist, decried the level of fanaticism being displayed by young soccer fans in the state, especially over foreign clubs and players.

    “This sort of incident occurs regularly and one wonders why people should fight and disturb themselves over clubs and footballers who do not even know that they exist.”

  • Ighalo better than Messi, Ronaldo

    Ighalo better than Messi, Ronaldo

    Statistically, Odion Ighalo is better than Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi and Real Madrid icon Ronaldo in 2015.

    The Watford striker has notched 13 league goals since the start of this year, more than any other footballer playing in England and the top divisions in Germany, Italy and Spain.

    Messi and Ronaldo have netted 13 La Liga goals between them this year, the same number Odion Ighalo has scored for The Hornets.

    According to Watford Observer, the former Nigeria youth international has averaged a goal in every 77 minutes.

    The 25 – year – old is the second leading marksman in the Championship with 17 goals.

  • Figo defends ‘Ronaldo party’

    Figo defends ‘Ronaldo party’

    Portugal legend Luis Figo has leapt to the defence of Cristiano Ronaldo following the furore surrounding his decision to throw a 30th birthday party after Real Madrid’s 4-0 defeat at the hands of city rivals Atletico.

    Ronaldo had already planned to celebrate the milestone on Saturday evening, but has been criticised by supporters and sections of the media who have questioned his professionalism.

    However, Figo, who is one of four candidates challenging Fifa president Sepp Blatter to become head of the game’s governing body, hit back at critics of his compatriot on Twitter.

    He said: “Anyone who doubts Cristiano Ronaldo’s passion for professionalism and that of Real Madrid’s is completely without knowledge of their history and character.”

    Figo’s words of support come after Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, offered his backing to his client on Monday, claiming the player’s friends and family had already arrived in Madrid prior to the game.

    Photos of the party surfaced on the internet, with the images showing Madrid team-mates Fabio Coentrao, Marcelo, Keylor Navas, James Rodriguez and Luka Modric among 150 revellers at an exclusive venue situated in the outskirts of Madrid.