Kylian Mbappe has matched his idol Cristiano Ronaldo's debut-season record for Real Madrid! The French superstar netted a brace in Real Madrid’s thrilling 3-2 win over Leganes, helping Los Blancos go level with Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table. Mbappe now has 33 goals in 44 games this season—the same number Ronaldo scored in his first season with the Spanish giants.

Kylian Mbappe matches Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid record

Al-Nassr star man Cristiano Ronaldo was at it again on Tuesday (Feb 25) as he scored his 925th career goal taking a giant step towards the 1000-goal mark. Playing in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) Ronaldo scored his 17th league goal of the campaign, just days after turning 40. One of the greats of the game, the legendary striker is in his final year of contract with Al-Nassr but has been ageing like a fine wine as he continues to impress.
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That was Cristiano Ronaldo&rsquo;s 17th league goal this season.<a href="https://t.co/f1QiL8mE0I">pic.twitter.com/f1QiL8mE0I</a>
&mdash; Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNassrZone/status/1894449945152786601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Ronaldo at it again <o:p></o:p></h2>
Playing at the King Abdul Aziz Sport City Stadium, Ronaldo has been at his fluent best and scored the opening goal of the match in the 48th minute. On a cross delivered from the flank, Ronaldo diverted a header to score the opening goal and went for his trademark celebration. The Portuguese striker has been going good in the season and had the opportunity to double the tally later in the game. <o:p></o:p>
Al-Nassr received a penalty deep into stoppage time, however, Ronaldo decided to hand over the ball to Sadio Mane. The former Liverpool man had been a tough run having gone nine matches without scoring. The Senegal captain made no mistake and scored the second goal of the match to give a 2-0 win to Al-Nassr.<o:p></o:p>
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The win saw Al-Nassr close the gap on top-placed Al-Ittihad as they now have 47 points from 22 matches. Al- Ittihad lead the standings with 55 points from 21 matches while defending champions Al-Hilal are second with 51 points in 22 matches. Al-Qadisiyah are also in the title hunt in the Saudi Pro League as they too have 47 points from 22 matches. <o:p></o:p>
With 12 rounds of fixtures still to go in the SPL season, it will be interesting to see whether Ronaldo adds one more title to his already impressive trophy cabinet. He has won league titles with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus but is yet to taste glory in the Gulf nation.

Sports, Football: Playing in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 17th league goal of the campaign, just days after turning 40.

Al-Nassr star man Cristiano Ronaldo was at it again on Tuesday (Feb 25) as he scored his 925th career goal taking a giant step towards the 1000-goal mark. Playing in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) Ronaldo scored his 17th league goal of the campaign, just days after turning 40. One of the greats of the game, the legendary striker is in his final year of contract with Al-Nassr but has been ageing like a fine wine as he continues to impress. That was Cristiano Ronaldo’s 17th league goal this season.pic.twitter.com/f1QiL8mE0I — Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) February 25, 2025 Ronaldo at it again Playing at the King Abdul Aziz Sport City Stadium, Ronaldo has been at his fluent best and scored the opening goal of the match in the 48th minute. On a cross delivered from the flank, Ronaldo diverted a header to score the opening goal and went for his trademark celebration. The Portuguese striker has been going good in the season and had the opportunity to double the tally later in the game. Al-Nassr received a penalty deep into stoppage time, however, Ronaldo decided to hand over the ball to Sadio Mane. The former Liverpool man had been a tough run having gone nine matches without scoring. The Senegal captain made no mistake and scored the second goal of the match to give a 2-0 win to Al-Nassr. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy 2025: Over 100 Pakistani policemen dismissed for refusing duty The win saw Al-Nassr close the gap on top-placed Al-Ittihad as they now have 47 points from 22 matches. Al- Ittihad lead the standings with 55 points from 21 matches while defending champions Al-Hilal are second with 51 points in 22 matches. Al-Qadisiyah are also in the title hunt in the Saudi Pro League as they too have 47 points from 22 matches. With 12 rounds of fixtures still to go in the SPL season, it will be interesting to see whether Ronaldo adds one more title to his already impressive trophy cabinet. He has won league titles with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus but is yet to taste glory in the Gulf nation.

Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo scores 925th career goal as Al-Nassr cruise to win in Saudi Pro League

Padel continues to gain international recognition, drawing the attention of legendary athletes from various sports. Most recently, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/cristiano-ronaldo">Cristiano Ronaldo</a> was spotted courtside at the Riyadh Season Premier Padel P1, closely following the action and celebrating the success of his fellow Portuguese players, Miguel and Nuno Deus. The duo delivered an outstanding performance in the final qualifying round, securing their spot in the tournament&rsquo;s main draw.
Ronaldo joins an impressive lineup of global sports figures showing their enthusiasm for Premier Padel. Last year, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/neymar">Neymar Jr.</a> attended the Riyadh event, while football legends such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Esteban Cambiasso, Leandro Paredes, and Paulo Dybala have also been seen at major padel tournaments. Beyond football, combat sports stars like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Ilia Topuria have been drawn to the sport.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/psg-launch-legends-club-to-honour-players-awards-them-unique-black-card-know-all-about-it-8711830">PSG launch 'Legends Club' to honour players, awards them unique Black Card - Know all about it</a>
Even during the Qatar Grand Prix in 2024, an exclusive padel tournament for sporting icons featured renowned athletes like Novak Djokovic, Formula One world champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/max-verstappen" rel="dofollow">Max Verstappen</a>, drivers Lando Norris, George Russell, and Oscar Piastri, along with football greats Luis Figo and Marco Materazzi, and basketball legend Tony Parker.
The Riyadh Season Premier Padel P1 marks the opening tournament of the 2025 season, kicking off an exciting year for the sport. Following a remarkable 2024 campaign that included 24 tournaments across 16 countries, Premier Padel continues its global expansion, bringing elite competition to Saudi Arabia. With top international players competing for crucial ranking points and the season&rsquo;s first title, the event highlights the growing prestige of padel on the world stage.
<h2>What is Padel?</h2>
Padel is a fast-growing racket sport that combines elements of tennis and squash. Played on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court, padel is always played in doubles. The game is known for its fast-paced rallies, strategic play off the walls, and accessibility&mdash;making it enjoyable for both beginners and professionals. Unlike tennis, players serve underhand, and the walls can be used to keep the ball in play, adding an exciting dynamic to the game.
<h2>What are the basic rules?</h2>
Padel follows a set of rules similar to tennis but with some unique differences. The game is played in doubles on an enclosed court with glass walls and mesh fencing. The scoring system is the same as in tennis, following the sequence of 15, 30, 40, and game.
The serve is always underhand and must be hit diagonally into the opponent&rsquo;s service box after bouncing once behind the service line. If the ball hits the net and lands in the correct box, it is considered a let, and the serve is replayed. Players must allow the ball to bounce once before returning it, except for volleys, which are allowed. The ball can also be played off the glass walls after bouncing, similar to squash, but it cannot hit the walls before bouncing on the ground.
Each team is allowed only one bounce before returning the ball, and if the ball bounces twice, the opponent wins the point. Players can hit the ball before or after it touches the walls, but it cannot go directly into the walls without first touching the ground. The match is typically played in best-of-three or best-of-five sets, with a set won by the first team to reach six games with at least a two-game advantage. If the score reaches 6-6, a tiebreaker is played.

Sports, Football: Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted courtside at the Riyadh Season Premier Padel P1, following the action of his fellow Portuguese players

Padel continues to gain international recognition, drawing the attention of legendary athletes from various sports. Most recently, Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted courtside at the Riyadh Season Premier Padel P1, closely following the action and celebrating the success of his fellow Portuguese players, Miguel and Nuno Deus. The duo delivered an outstanding performance in the final qualifying round, securing their spot in the tournament’s main draw. Ronaldo joins an impressive lineup of global sports figures showing their enthusiasm for Premier Padel. Last year, Neymar Jr. attended the Riyadh event, while football legends such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Esteban Cambiasso, Leandro Paredes, and Paulo Dybala have also been seen at major padel tournaments. Beyond football, combat sports stars like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Ilia Topuria have been drawn to the sport. Also Read: PSG launch 'Legends Club' to honour players, awards them unique Black Card - Know all about it Even during the Qatar Grand Prix in 2024, an exclusive padel tournament for sporting icons featured renowned athletes like Novak Djokovic, Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, drivers Lando Norris, George Russell, and Oscar Piastri, along with football greats Luis Figo and Marco Materazzi, and basketball legend Tony Parker. The Riyadh Season Premier Padel P1 marks the opening tournament of the 2025 season, kicking off an exciting year for the sport. Following a remarkable 2024 campaign that included 24 tournaments across 16 countries, Premier Padel continues its global expansion, bringing elite competition to Saudi Arabia. With top international players competing for crucial ranking points and the season’s first title, the event highlights the growing prestige of padel on the world stage. What is Padel? Padel is a fast-growing racket sport that combines elements of tennis and squash. Played on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court, padel is always played in doubles. The game is known for its fast-paced rallies, strategic play off the walls, and accessibility—making it enjoyable for both beginners and professionals. Unlike tennis, players serve underhand, and the walls can be used to keep the ball in play, adding an exciting dynamic to the game. What are the basic rules? Padel follows a set of rules similar to tennis but with some unique differences. The game is played in doubles on an enclosed court with glass walls and mesh fencing. The scoring system is the same as in tennis, following the sequence of 15, 30, 40, and game. The serve is always underhand and must be hit diagonally into the opponent’s service box after bouncing once behind the service line. If the ball hits the net and lands in the correct box, it is considered a let, and the serve is replayed. Players must allow the ball to bounce once before returning it, except for volleys, which are allowed. The ball can also be played off the glass walls after bouncing, similar to squash, but it cannot hit the walls before bouncing on the ground. Each team is allowed only one bounce before returning the ball, and if the ball bounces twice, the opponent wins the point. Players can hit the ball before or after it touches the walls, but it cannot go directly into the walls without first touching the ground. The match is typically played in best-of-three or best-of-five sets, with a set won by the first team to reach six games with at least a two-game advantage. If the score reaches 6-6, a tiebreaker is played.

Cristiano Ronaldo attends premier padel tournament in Riyadh- Know all about the sport

Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has reached an agreement with Al Nassr to extend his contract by another year until June 2026, an official with the Saudi club told AFP on Monday.
<h2>Ronaldo to extend contract?</h2>
The official said the sides have agreed on the renewable extension of Ronaldo's contract, "but it has not been signed yet. An announcement will be made over the coming days".
Ronaldo turned 40 last week with his current contract due to end in June 2025.&nbsp;
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star joined Al Nassr in January 2023 and has since scored 82 goals in 90 matches.&nbsp;
In August, Ronaldo said he would stay with Al Nassr through the end of his professional career, which may be "soon or in two or three years".
"But it'll most likely happen with Al Nassr, in the team that makes me happy... and where I feel good."
The Portuguese great appeared to trade an end-of-career payday for football obscurity when he moved to Riyadh's Al Nassr two years ago in a deal said to be worth $250 million.
But his influence became clear when he was followed by a parade of ageing superstars to the big-spending Saudi Pro League.
Saudi Arabia was then awarded the 2034 World Cup in December, the crowning glory for the oil-rich kingdom's strategy of revamping its image through sports, tourism and culture.
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When Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel in August, he gained one million subscribers in just 90 minutes and 20 million within 24 hours. He currently has 73.5 million.
Although World Cup glory has probably eluded him, unlike his Argentine rival Lionel Messi, records still dangle in front of the five-time Ballon d'Or and Champions League winner.
Despite his prodigious form as he closes in on 1,000 professional goals in official matches, Ronaldo is yet to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, with the Arab Club Champions Cup of 2023 his only triumph with the club.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sports, Football: Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has reached an agreement with Al Nassr to extend his contract by another year until June 2026.

Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has reached an agreement with Al Nassr to extend his contract by another year until June 2026, an official with the Saudi club told AFP on Monday. Ronaldo to extend contract? The official said the sides have agreed on the renewable extension of Ronaldo's contract, "but it has not been signed yet. An announcement will be made over the coming days". Ronaldo turned 40 last week with his current contract due to end in June 2025. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star joined Al Nassr in January 2023 and has since scored 82 goals in 90 matches. In August, Ronaldo said he would stay with Al Nassr through the end of his professional career, which may be "soon or in two or three years". "But it'll most likely happen with Al Nassr, in the team that makes me happy... and where I feel good." The Portuguese great appeared to trade an end-of-career payday for football obscurity when he moved to Riyadh's Al Nassr two years ago in a deal said to be worth $250 million. But his influence became clear when he was followed by a parade of ageing superstars to the big-spending Saudi Pro League. Saudi Arabia was then awarded the 2034 World Cup in December, the crowning glory for the oil-rich kingdom's strategy of revamping its image through sports, tourism and culture. ALSO READ | Champions Trophy 2025: Former cricketer in awe of Rohit Sharma, says 'returning to form was a ...' When Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel in August, he gained one million subscribers in just 90 minutes and 20 million within 24 hours. He currently has 73.5 million. Although World Cup glory has probably eluded him, unlike his Argentine rival Lionel Messi, records still dangle in front of the five-time Ballon d'Or and Champions League winner. Despite his prodigious form as he closes in on 1,000 professional goals in official matches, Ronaldo is yet to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, with the Arab Club Champions Cup of 2023 his only triumph with the club. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo agrees new deal with Saudi club Al Nassr to extend contract - Report

Legendary football striker Cristiano Ronaldo has made a massive claim ahead of his 40th birthday on Wednesday. Ronaldo, currently playing in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) for Al-Nassr, scored a brace on Monday and has claimed he is the &ldquo;most complete player ever&rdquo; to play the sport. Ronaldo also claimed that he has a special place in his heart for Real Madrid where he played for nine years between 2009 and 2018 while winning four Champions League titles.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Ronaldo makes massive claim<o:p></o:p></h2>
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m the most complete player ever. To say that Cristiano isn&rsquo;t complete is a lie. You may prefer Pele, Messi, Maradona, I understand and respect that,&rdquo; Ronaldo said while speaking to Edu Aguirre. <o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;I will always have Madrid in my heart, it was the team where I was happiest. I have done very important things there, very beautiful things and that is why people do not forget. When you leave a legacy and a mark, people do not forget&rdquo;.<o:p></o:p>
Now almost 40, the Portugal star is still doing well, currently playing in the SPL earning a whopping $3mn per week. In his illustrious career, he has won all major football honours at club level while also bagging five Ballon d&rsquo;Or trophies.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
The FIFA World Cup remains the only major honour missing from his trophy cabinet. He won the Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League for Portugal, leading them on both occasions.
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Ronaldo has scored more than 900 goals and could become the first player to reach 1,000 goals.
For now, the attention turns to the AFC Champions League for Ronaldo as he targets another continental success. Al-Nassr took a massive 4-0 lead in the first leg as the Portuguese scored a brace against Al Wasl in the AFC Champions League Elite match. Al-Nassr are also in the hunt for the SPL title and currently sit third in the table with 38 points from 18 matches.<o:p></o:p>

Sports, Football: Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace in the AFC Champions League on Monday and claimed he is the “most complete player ever” to play the sport. 

Legendary football striker Cristiano Ronaldo has made a massive claim ahead of his 40th birthday on Wednesday. Ronaldo, currently playing in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) for Al-Nassr, scored a brace on Monday and has claimed he is the “most complete player ever” to play the sport. Ronaldo also claimed that he has a special place in his heart for Real Madrid where he played for nine years between 2009 and 2018 while winning four Champions League titles. Ronaldo makes massive claim “I’m the most complete player ever. To say that Cristiano isn’t complete is a lie. You may prefer Pele, Messi, Maradona, I understand and respect that,” Ronaldo said while speaking to Edu Aguirre. “I will always have Madrid in my heart, it was the team where I was happiest. I have done very important things there, very beautiful things and that is why people do not forget. When you leave a legacy and a mark, people do not forget”. Now almost 40, the Portugal star is still doing well, currently playing in the SPL earning a whopping $3mn per week. In his illustrious career, he has won all major football honours at club level while also bagging five Ballon d’Or trophies. The FIFA World Cup remains the only major honour missing from his trophy cabinet. He won the Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League for Portugal, leading them on both occasions. ALSO READ | Manchester City spend whopping $224mn in winter transfer window despite financial charges Ronaldo has scored more than 900 goals and could become the first player to reach 1,000 goals. For now, the attention turns to the AFC Champions League for Ronaldo as he targets another continental success. Al-Nassr took a massive 4-0 lead in the first leg as the Portuguese scored a brace against Al Wasl in the AFC Champions League Elite match. Al-Nassr are also in the hunt for the SPL title and currently sit third in the table with 38 points from 18 matches.

Ahead of 40th birthday, Cristiano Ronaldo claims he's the 'most complete player ever'

American boxing legend Floyd Mayweather is among the highest-paid athletes of all time. Mayweather, with an impressive record of 50-0, had career earnings of $1.48 billion before he retired in 2017.
A recent report by the Sport Bible said that Mayweather, 47, was among the top 10 highest-paid sports stars- a list that included Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lebron James.
Jordan topped the list with career earnings of $3.75 billion, followed by Tiger Woods at $2.66 billion, and Ronaldo at $1.92 billion.
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Though Floyd ranked 10th in this list, his career earnings were way more than Brazilian footballing prodigy Neymar and Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton.&nbsp;
<h2>The comparison with top athletes</h2>
Mayweather has earned more money than Neymar, Hamilton, and NFL star Tom Brady.
Neymar's career earnings so far have been around $1.01 billion, Hamilton has earned $880 million while Mike Tyson earned $905 million.
<h2>Floyd Mayweather: The richest boxer of all time</h2>
He might not be the richest athlete across sports, but Mayweather is the richest boxer of all time- ahead of his former arch-rivals Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez and old-school legends such as Mike Tyson and George Foreman.&nbsp;
A list released by Sportico in March 2024 said that Pacquiao had career earnings of $750 million, Canelo at $640 million, Tyson at $950 million, and Foreman at $705 million.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jake-paul-beats-boxing-veteran-mike-tyson-via-unanimous-decision-in-a-lopsided-bout-776626" rel="dofollow">Jake Paul beats boxing veteran Mike Tyson via unanimous decision in a lopsided bout</a>
Despite being insanely wealthy, Floyd Mayweather has always trained as if he were an amateur boxer moving up the ranks in the combat sport.
<h2>From boxing to real estate</h2>
Having amassed a massive wealth from boxing, Mayweather is still making money and expanding his empire.&nbsp;
In a report published in late November 2024, Bein Sports said that Mayweather is continuing to make waves in the world of businesses and investments.
Mayweather recently made a $402 million real estate purchase in New York, but he is taking things even further with a massive $10 billion project.
On October 16, the 47-year-old finalised a deal to acquire over 60 buildings, which will provide more than 1,000 affordable housing units.&nbsp;
This deal, ranked among the largest real estate transactions in New York City for 2024, the report said. 
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Having amassed a massive wealth from boxing, Mayweather is still making money and expanding his empire by making investments in the world of real estate. 

American boxing legend Floyd Mayweather is among the highest-paid athletes of all time. Mayweather, with an impressive record of 50-0, had career earnings of $1.48 billion before he retired in 2017. A recent report by the Sport Bible said that Mayweather, 47, was among the top 10 highest-paid sports stars- a list that included Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lebron James. Jordan topped the list with career earnings of $3.75 billion, followed by Tiger Woods at $2.66 billion, and Ronaldo at $1.92 billion. Also read | 'I don’t take pics with guys with painted nails’: Boxer Floyd Mayweather Though Floyd ranked 10th in this list, his career earnings were way more than Brazilian footballing prodigy Neymar and Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton. The comparison with top athletes Mayweather has earned more money than Neymar, Hamilton, and NFL star Tom Brady. Neymar's career earnings so far have been around $1.01 billion, Hamilton has earned $880 million while Mike Tyson earned $905 million. Floyd Mayweather: The richest boxer of all time He might not be the richest athlete across sports, but Mayweather is the richest boxer of all time- ahead of his former arch-rivals Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez and old-school legends such as Mike Tyson and George Foreman. A list released by Sportico in March 2024 said that Pacquiao had career earnings of $750 million, Canelo at $640 million, Tyson at $950 million, and Foreman at $705 million. Also read | Jake Paul beats boxing veteran Mike Tyson via unanimous decision in a lopsided bout Despite being insanely wealthy, Floyd Mayweather has always trained as if he were an amateur boxer moving up the ranks in the combat sport. From boxing to real estate Having amassed a massive wealth from boxing, Mayweather is still making money and expanding his empire. In a report published in late November 2024, Bein Sports said that Mayweather is continuing to make waves in the world of businesses and investments. Mayweather recently made a $402 million real estate purchase in New York, but he is taking things even further with a massive $10 billion project. On October 16, the 47-year-old finalised a deal to acquire over 60 buildings, which will provide more than 1,000 affordable housing units. This deal, ranked among the largest real estate transactions in New York City for 2024, the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

Floyd Mayweather among highest-paid athletes of all time, made much more than Neymar, Hamilton

Former five-time Ballon d&rsquo;Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo feels Real Madrid and Brazil winger Vinicius Jr should have won the prestigious award this year, where he stood second, with Manchester City midfielder Rodri taking home the coveted trophy. Ronaldo argued that it was unfair for Vinicius to miss out on winning the most prized individual award in football.
At the Globe Soccer Awards on Friday (Dec 27), Ronaldo didn&rsquo;t mince his words in saying that the Brazilian forward was the rightful recipient of the 2024 Ballon d&rsquo;Or.
Meanwhile, the whole Real Madrid contingent, alongside Vinicius Jr, boycotted the award ceremony in Paris to protest Vinicius&rsquo; omission from the top spot.
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For most of the lead-up to the award ceremony, Vinicius was leading the race to win his maiden Ballon d&rsquo;Or; however, on the eve of the event, several reports claimed that Manchester City&rsquo;s Rodri pipped Madrid&rsquo;s superstar, a rumour that became a reality soon after.&nbsp;
The Spanish midfielder was instrumental in Manchester City winning the treble the past season, which included them completing a historic four-peat of league titles.
"In my opinion, he [Vinicius] deserved to win the Golden Ball [Ballon d'Or award]. It was unfair, in my opinion. I say here in front of everybody. They give it to Rodri, he deserved it too, but they should have given it to Vinicius because he won the Champions League and scored in the final,&rdquo; Ronaldo said during the award ceremony.
Despite missing out on winning the Ballon d&rsquo;Or, Vinicius was no short of accolades for his performances this past season, as he earlier won FIFA's Best Men's Player, besides receiving the Best Men's Player prize at the Globe Soccer Awards. On the other hand, Barcelona's Aitana Bonmat bagged the Women's Player of the Year award, maintaining her streak of individual honours.
<h2>&lsquo;The problem is the same&rsquo;</h2>
Ronaldo praised the Globe Soccer Awards for recognising him as the Best Middle East Player of 2024. Since joining Al-Nassr (in 2023) following his unfruitful exit from Premier League club Manchester United, Ronaldo has been in top form, notching up 74 goals in 83 appearances for the Pro-Saudi League club.
He, however, also commented on United&rsquo;s slump, saying it&rsquo;s not the coach but more than that.
"If you have the fish inside and he's sick, and you take him out and you fix the problem, and you put him again in an aquarium, you will be sick again,&rdquo; Ronaldo said.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Manchester City midfielder Rodri emerged as the 2024 Ballon d'Or award winner, with Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr remaining second. Ronaldo disagreed with this decision. 

Former five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo feels Real Madrid and Brazil winger Vinicius Jr should have won the prestigious award this year, where he stood second, with Manchester City midfielder Rodri taking home the coveted trophy. Ronaldo argued that it was unfair for Vinicius to miss out on winning the most prized individual award in football. At the Globe Soccer Awards on Friday (Dec 27), Ronaldo didn’t mince his words in saying that the Brazilian forward was the rightful recipient of the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Meanwhile, the whole Real Madrid contingent, alongside Vinicius Jr, boycotted the award ceremony in Paris to protest Vinicius’ omission from the top spot. ALSO READ: Dani Olmo closer to Barcelona exit after registration request rejected For most of the lead-up to the award ceremony, Vinicius was leading the race to win his maiden Ballon d’Or; however, on the eve of the event, several reports claimed that Manchester City’s Rodri pipped Madrid’s superstar, a rumour that became a reality soon after. The Spanish midfielder was instrumental in Manchester City winning the treble the past season, which included them completing a historic four-peat of league titles. "In my opinion, he [Vinicius] deserved to win the Golden Ball [Ballon d'Or award]. It was unfair, in my opinion. I say here in front of everybody. They give it to Rodri, he deserved it too, but they should have given it to Vinicius because he won the Champions League and scored in the final,” Ronaldo said during the award ceremony. Despite missing out on winning the Ballon d’Or, Vinicius was no short of accolades for his performances this past season, as he earlier won FIFA's Best Men's Player, besides receiving the Best Men's Player prize at the Globe Soccer Awards. On the other hand, Barcelona's Aitana Bonmat bagged the Women's Player of the Year award, maintaining her streak of individual honours. ‘The problem is the same’ Ronaldo praised the Globe Soccer Awards for recognising him as the Best Middle East Player of 2024. Since joining Al-Nassr (in 2023) following his unfruitful exit from Premier League club Manchester United, Ronaldo has been in top form, notching up 74 goals in 83 appearances for the Pro-Saudi League club. He, however, also commented on United’s slump, saying it’s not the coach but more than that. "If you have the fish inside and he's sick, and you take him out and you fix the problem, and you put him again in an aquarium, you will be sick again,” Ronaldo said. (With inputs from agencies)

‘It was unfair,’ Ronaldo on Vinicius Jr not winning 2024 Ballon d’Or

Cristiano Ronaldo watched on from the stands as already-qualified Al Nassr lost for the first time in this year's Asian Champions League Elite as they were beaten 2-1 in injury time by Qatar's Al Sadd on Monday. The Portuguese star, 39, was reportedly rested for the fixture in Riyadh given the Saudi club had secured their place in the knockout stages last week, with three rounds of the group phase remaining.

Ronaldo scored twice against Al Gharafa, another Qatari side, last time out, and then netted a double again in the Saudi Pro League on Friday. However, the Al Nassr captain was omitted from Stefano Pioli's matchday squad for the visit of Al Sadd. Ronaldo, who has 15 goals in 18 appearances for his club this season, was spotted at Al Awwal Park sitting alongside his mother Dolores Aveiro and his partner Georgina Rodriguez.

Al Sadd took the lead eight minutes into the second half through Akram Afif, when the reigning AFC Player of the Year raced from the halfway line onto a long ball.&nbsp;

Afif outpaced defender Mohammed Al Fatil and finishing low past Brazil goalkeeper Bento. Al Nassr drew level on 80 minutes, once Brazilian youngster Wesley's low cross was turned into his own goal by Al Sadd defender Romain Saiss.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/former-rugby-league-chief-todd-greenberg-named-cricket-australia-boss-replaces-nick-hockley-781051">Former rugby league chief Todd Greenberg named Cricket Australia boss, replaces Nick Hockley</a>

However, there would be a huge sting in the tail for Al Nassr, when Afif was tripped inside the hosts' penalty area and substitute Adam Ounas converted from the spot in the 99th minute. With the defeat, Al Nassr stay third in the Western Region group stage, while Al Sadd move fourth to also claim a spot in the last 16. The top eight teams qualify for the knockout stages.

Fellow Saudi side Al Ahli remain top - even if they surrendered their 100 percent record in this year's tournament – thanks to an Ivan Toney double that secured a 2-2 draw with Iran's Esteghlal in Jeddah.

The England striker twice equalised for the hosts from the penalty spot, with the first coming deep into first-half injury time and the second converted in the 86th minute. Esteghlal had Mohammed Hossein Eslami sent off five minutes before.

It represented a second successive Champions League Elite match in which Toney has scored twice following his double last week against Asian champions Al Ain.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo watched on from the stands as already-qualified Al Nassr lost for the first time in this year's Asian Champions League Elite as they were beaten 2-1 in injury time by Qatar's Al Sadd on Monday.

Cristiano Ronaldo watched on from the stands as already-qualified Al Nassr lost for the first time in this year's Asian Champions League Elite as they were beaten 2-1 in injury time by Qatar's Al Sadd on Monday. The Portuguese star, 39, was reportedly rested for the fixture in Riyadh given the Saudi club had secured their place in the knockout stages last week, with three rounds of the group phase remaining. Ronaldo scored twice against Al Gharafa, another Qatari side, last time out, and then netted a double again in the Saudi Pro League on Friday. However, the Al Nassr captain was omitted from Stefano Pioli's matchday squad for the visit of Al Sadd. Ronaldo, who has 15 goals in 18 appearances for his club this season, was spotted at Al Awwal Park sitting alongside his mother Dolores Aveiro and his partner Georgina Rodriguez. Al Sadd took the lead eight minutes into the second half through Akram Afif, when the reigning AFC Player of the Year raced from the halfway line onto a long ball. Afif outpaced defender Mohammed Al Fatil and finishing low past Brazil goalkeeper Bento. Al Nassr drew level on 80 minutes, once Brazilian youngster Wesley's low cross was turned into his own goal by Al Sadd defender Romain Saiss. Also read: Former rugby league chief Todd Greenberg named Cricket Australia boss, replaces Nick Hockley However, there would be a huge sting in the tail for Al Nassr, when Afif was tripped inside the hosts' penalty area and substitute Adam Ounas converted from the spot in the 99th minute. With the defeat, Al Nassr stay third in the Western Region group stage, while Al Sadd move fourth to also claim a spot in the last 16. The top eight teams qualify for the knockout stages. Fellow Saudi side Al Ahli remain top - even if they surrendered their 100 percent record in this year's tournament – thanks to an Ivan Toney double that secured a 2-2 draw with Iran's Esteghlal in Jeddah. The England striker twice equalised for the hosts from the penalty spot, with the first coming deep into first-half injury time and the second converted in the 86th minute. Esteghlal had Mohammed Hossein Eslami sent off five minutes before. It represented a second successive Champions League Elite match in which Toney has scored twice following his double last week against Asian champions Al Ain. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo-less Al Nassr suffer first Asian Champions League loss, go down to Al Sadd

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Poland 5-1 thanks to a rampant second-half display on Friday to reach the Nations League quarter-finals, while already-qualified Spain beat Denmark. Roberto Martinez's Portugal wrapped up top spot in Group A1 with a game to spare, securing their place in the next round in March.

France, Germany and Italy are also already through to the last eight.

Poland were the better side early on but failed to take their chances in Porto and the home side made them pay, netting four times in the last 20 minutes.

"We couldn't impose ourselves on the game in the first half," said Portugal goalscorer Rafael Leao. "(Coach) Roberto Martínez's approach in the locker room was important; it was the key to changing the pressure at half-time."

Ronaldo volleyed over from close range shortly before the interval, as Portugal failed to register a shot on target in the first half.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-ruben-amorim-says-man-utd-is-where-im-supposed-to-be-776516">Premier League: Ruben Amorim says Man Utd is 'where I'm supposed to be'</a>

Dominik Marczuk almost broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, but Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa produced a brilliant fingertip save to deny him.

The hosts broke from the resulting corner to score less than 60 seconds later, as Leao powered forward before finding Nuno Mendes, then continuing his run to meet the Paris Saint-Germain full-back's cross with a powerful header.

Portugal were awarded a penalty when Diogo Dalot's strike flicked off Jakub Kiwior's hand at point-blank range and was saved by Marcin Bulka.

Ronaldo stepped up to dink home a 'Panenka' spot-kick.

That goal ended any hopes Poland had of staging a comeback and Fernandes added a third for Portugal with 10 minutes left, crashing the ball in off the crossbar from just outside the box.

Pedro Neto also got on the scoresheet, collecting Ronaldo's pass and rifling past Bulka at his near post.

There was still time for Ronaldo to double his tally and move onto 135 international goals, acrobatically volleying home Vitinha's cross from close range in the 87th minute.

Marczuk drilled in a consolation for Poland, but they can no longer qualify for the knock-out stages and will be relegated if they lose to Scotland next week.

In the other match in the group, Scotland gave their hopes of avoiding the drop a massive boost as John McGinn scored a late winner in a 1-0 victory over 10-man Croatia.

Petar Sucic was sent off in the first half, but Croatia almost hung on for the point they needed to qualify with Portugal, only for McGinn to strike in the 86th minute.

<h2>Spain roll on</h2>

European champions Spain stayed unbeaten in Group A4 with a 2-1 win over Denmark in Copenhagen.&nbsp;

Luis de la Fuente's visitors started strongly and went close to a 13th-minute opener when the in-form Ayoze Perez rattled the crossbar.

Spain took an early lead after Denmark carelessly gave the ball away on the edge of their own box.

Perez played in Mikel Oyarzabal who took an excellent first touch and slipped the ball past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and in at the near post.

Villarreal forward Perez, who only made his international debut in June, doubled Spain's advantage with a low, left-footed finish into the bottom corner after being picked out by Dani Olmo.

Gustav Isaksen pulled one back for Denmark late on, pouncing on a terrible mix-up between Fabian Ruiz and 'keeper David Raya.

"A very, very happy night for me (with a goal and an assist), but the most important thing is going through top of the group," Perez told uefa.com.

The other game in Group A4 saw Switzerland relegated by Aleksa Terzic's late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Serbia.

Romania's Group C2 game against Kosovo in Bucharest was suspended in injury time and then abandoned with the game goalless after the visiting players walked off the pitch following chants of "Serbia" from the home fans.

"The UEFA Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo has been abandoned. UEFA will communicate further information in due course," said governing body UEFA on its website.

In League D, San Marino kept their hopes of an unlikely promotion alive as Nicola Nanni scored an injury-time penalty to grab a 1-1 draw with Gibraltar.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Poland 5-1 thanks to a rampant second-half display on Friday to reach the Nations League quarter-finals, while already-qualified Spain beat Denmark.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Poland 5-1 thanks to a rampant second-half display on Friday to reach the Nations League quarter-finals, while already-qualified Spain beat Denmark. Roberto Martinez's Portugal wrapped up top spot in Group A1 with a game to spare, securing their place in the next round in March. France, Germany and Italy are also already through to the last eight. Poland were the better side early on but failed to take their chances in Porto and the home side made them pay, netting four times in the last 20 minutes. "We couldn't impose ourselves on the game in the first half," said Portugal goalscorer Rafael Leao. "(Coach) Roberto Martínez's approach in the locker room was important; it was the key to changing the pressure at half-time." Ronaldo volleyed over from close range shortly before the interval, as Portugal failed to register a shot on target in the first half. ALSO READ: Premier League: Ruben Amorim says Man Utd is 'where I'm supposed to be' Dominik Marczuk almost broke the deadlock in the 58th minute, but Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa produced a brilliant fingertip save to deny him. The hosts broke from the resulting corner to score less than 60 seconds later, as Leao powered forward before finding Nuno Mendes, then continuing his run to meet the Paris Saint-Germain full-back's cross with a powerful header. Portugal were awarded a penalty when Diogo Dalot's strike flicked off Jakub Kiwior's hand at point-blank range and was saved by Marcin Bulka. Ronaldo stepped up to dink home a 'Panenka' spot-kick. That goal ended any hopes Poland had of staging a comeback and Fernandes added a third for Portugal with 10 minutes left, crashing the ball in off the crossbar from just outside the box. Pedro Neto also got on the scoresheet, collecting Ronaldo's pass and rifling past Bulka at his near post. There was still time for Ronaldo to double his tally and move onto 135 international goals, acrobatically volleying home Vitinha's cross from close range in the 87th minute. Marczuk drilled in a consolation for Poland, but they can no longer qualify for the knock-out stages and will be relegated if they lose to Scotland next week. In the other match in the group, Scotland gave their hopes of avoiding the drop a massive boost as John McGinn scored a late winner in a 1-0 victory over 10-man Croatia. Petar Sucic was sent off in the first half, but Croatia almost hung on for the point they needed to qualify with Portugal, only for McGinn to strike in the 86th minute. Spain roll on European champions Spain stayed unbeaten in Group A4 with a 2-1 win over Denmark in Copenhagen. Luis de la Fuente's visitors started strongly and went close to a 13th-minute opener when the in-form Ayoze Perez rattled the crossbar. Spain took an early lead after Denmark carelessly gave the ball away on the edge of their own box. Perez played in Mikel Oyarzabal who took an excellent first touch and slipped the ball past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and in at the near post. Villarreal forward Perez, who only made his international debut in June, doubled Spain's advantage with a low, left-footed finish into the bottom corner after being picked out by Dani Olmo. Gustav Isaksen pulled one back for Denmark late on, pouncing on a terrible mix-up between Fabian Ruiz and 'keeper David Raya. "A very, very happy night for me (with a goal and an assist), but the most important thing is going through top of the group," Perez told uefa.com. The other game in Group A4 saw Switzerland relegated by Aleksa Terzic's late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Serbia. Romania's Group C2 game against Kosovo in Bucharest was suspended in injury time and then abandoned with the game goalless after the visiting players walked off the pitch following chants of "Serbia" from the home fans. "The UEFA Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo has been abandoned. UEFA will communicate further information in due course," said governing body UEFA on its website. In League D, San Marino kept their hopes of an unlikely promotion alive as Nicola Nanni scored an injury-time penalty to grab a 1-1 draw with Gibraltar. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo hits brace as Portugal thrash Poland to reach Nations League quarters, Spain win

Cristiano&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;helped fire Al Nassr to a crushing 5-1 victory against reigning Asian champions Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday. The Portuguese star, without a goal in his past three appearances for the Saudi Arabian side, netted the second of the hosts' goals at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh.&nbsp; Right on the half hour, Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Essa failed to hold a routine long-range drive from former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, leaving&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;to pounce on the rebound to tap home.

The win maintained Al Nassr's unbeaten start to the rebranded AFC Champions League Elite, lifting them to third in the 12-team West Asia table. Saudi counterparts Al Hilal and Al Ahli sit above them. The top eight reach the knockout phase. &nbsp;

Seeking revenge following last season's quarter-final exit at the hands of Al Ain, Al Nassr burst out of the blocks on Tuesday. Stefano Pioli's side took the lead after five minutes, when Brazilian Anderson Talisca finished low past Essa from the edge of the Al Ain area.

After&nbsp;Ronaldo&nbsp;doubled Al Nassr's advantage, the home team put the result beyond their UAE rivals seven minutes later. Angelo Gabriel, a summer signing from Chelsea, exchanged passes with Mane and sent his shot looping over Essa courtesy of a deflection off Al Ain defender Fabio Cardoso. It was eventually deemed an own goal.

Al Ain pulled one back at the start of the second half, when Park Yong-woo's shot struck the upright and cannoned back off Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento for the game's second own goal.

However, Brazilian teenager Wesley, introduced moments before, curled home eight minutes from time before Talisca rounded off the night deep into stoppage time with his second.

With the loss, Al Ain languish at the bottom of the West Asia standings having taken a solitary point from a possible 12. A third successive defeat ramps up the pressure on manager Hernan Crespo, who in May guided the club to a first Asian crown in 21 years.

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<h2>- Vissel go top in East -</h2>

Meanwhile, in East Asia, domestic title-holders Vissel Kobe beat South Korea's Gwangju FC 2-0 at the top of their group stage on a good night for Japanese teams.

Kawasaki Frontale scored three times in the first half at home on the way to a 3-1 victory over newly crowned Chinese champions Shanghai Port. Akihiro Ienaga, Yusuke Segawa and Sai van Wermeskerken were on the scoresheet.

In Kobe, the hosts and J. League champions triumphed through a Taisei Miyashiro penalty and a Daiju Sasaki header. The victory left Vissel top of the 12 teams in the East zone at the halfway point, while Gwangju dropped to second.&nbsp;

Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim moved up to third with a 3-0 home victory over South Korea's Ulsan, who are rooted to the bottom without a point.&nbsp;

Central Coast Mariners scored deep in injury time as they roared back to grab a 2-2 home draw with Shanghai Shenhua to finally get a point on the board.

Bailey Brandtman poked home for the Australians in the 95th minute after the hosts had been 2-0 down. That left Shenhua fourth in the group while the Mariners are one off the bottom.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo helped fire Al Nassr to a crushing 5-1 victory against reigning Asian champions Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday. The Portuguese star, without a goal in his past three appearances for the Saudi Arabian side, netted the second of the hosts' goals at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh.

Cristiano Ronaldo helped fire Al Nassr to a crushing 5-1 victory against reigning Asian champions Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday. The Portuguese star, without a goal in his past three appearances for the Saudi Arabian side, netted the second of the hosts' goals at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh. Right on the half hour, Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Essa failed to hold a routine long-range drive from former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, leaving Ronaldo to pounce on the rebound to tap home. The win maintained Al Nassr's unbeaten start to the rebranded AFC Champions League Elite, lifting them to third in the 12-team West Asia table. Saudi counterparts Al Hilal and Al Ahli sit above them. The top eight reach the knockout phase. Seeking revenge following last season's quarter-final exit at the hands of Al Ain, Al Nassr burst out of the blocks on Tuesday. Stefano Pioli's side took the lead after five minutes, when Brazilian Anderson Talisca finished low past Essa from the edge of the Al Ain area. After Ronaldo doubled Al Nassr's advantage, the home team put the result beyond their UAE rivals seven minutes later. Angelo Gabriel, a summer signing from Chelsea, exchanged passes with Mane and sent his shot looping over Essa courtesy of a deflection off Al Ain defender Fabio Cardoso. It was eventually deemed an own goal. Al Ain pulled one back at the start of the second half, when Park Yong-woo's shot struck the upright and cannoned back off Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento for the game's second own goal. However, Brazilian teenager Wesley, introduced moments before, curled home eight minutes from time before Talisca rounded off the night deep into stoppage time with his second. With the loss, Al Ain languish at the bottom of the West Asia standings having taken a solitary point from a possible 12. A third successive defeat ramps up the pressure on manager Hernan Crespo, who in May guided the club to a first Asian crown in 21 years. Also read: UEFA Champions League: Sporting stun Man City in Champions League as Liverpool, Milan claim fine wins - Vissel go top in East - Meanwhile, in East Asia, domestic title-holders Vissel Kobe beat South Korea's Gwangju FC 2-0 at the top of their group stage on a good night for Japanese teams. Kawasaki Frontale scored three times in the first half at home on the way to a 3-1 victory over newly crowned Chinese champions Shanghai Port. Akihiro Ienaga, Yusuke Segawa and Sai van Wermeskerken were on the scoresheet. In Kobe, the hosts and J. League champions triumphed through a Taisei Miyashiro penalty and a Daiju Sasaki header. The victory left Vissel top of the 12 teams in the East zone at the halfway point, while Gwangju dropped to second. Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim moved up to third with a 3-0 home victory over South Korea's Ulsan, who are rooted to the bottom without a point. Central Coast Mariners scored deep in injury time as they roared back to grab a 2-2 home draw with Shanghai Shenhua to finally get a point on the board. Bailey Brandtman poked home for the Australians in the 95th minute after the hosts had been 2-0 down. That left Shenhua fourth in the group while the Mariners are one off the bottom. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo strikes as Al Nassr thrash Al Ain in AFC Champions League

Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo hit the headlines within 24 hours after the Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony concluded in Paris on Monday (Oct 28). While he was not on the list of probable winners, it was his miss in the 96th minute of the King Cup that took the spotlight. Playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi FA Cup (King Cup), Ronaldo missed the penalty as his side crashed out of the competition. The miss was a subject of social media attention with fans slamming the former Real Madrid star.

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You know Ronaldo is finished when he can't even score a penalty<a href="https://t.co/4i1D9y3Pa9">pic.twitter.com/4i1D9y3Pa9</a>
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrollFootball/status/1851349791881769058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Ronaldo misses penalty</h2>

Playing in the King Cup in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (Oct 29), Ronaldo’s side was trailing 0-1 against Al-Taawoun after defender Waleed Al-Ahmed gave his side a precious lead. While the match looked done and dusted, Ronaldo and Co got a penalty in the dying moments of the clash, meaning they could have taken the match into extra time by scoring. However, that was not the case as the 39-year-old missed the spot kick from 12 yards. Ronaldo was unhappy with the situation as he suffered the heartbreak of yet another exit from a cup competition.

Earlier in , his Portugal side missed out on a place in the semifinal at Euro 2024 after a shootout failure against France.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/serie-a-napoli-extend-lead-at-top-with-2-0-win-at-ac-milan-771850">Serie A: Napoli extend lead at top with 2-0 win at AC Milan</a>

This is not the first time Ronaldo has missed a penalty on a big stage, doing so in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow. He missed in the shootout but was later bailed out after John Terrt’s miss, handing Manchester United the Champions League.

<h2>No Ronaldo, Messi in Ballon d’Or</h2>

The cup exit took place just hours after the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris where Rodri became the latest big name to join the roster. Ronaldo, a five-time winner of the prestigious honour was not nominated this year while Lionel Messi’s failure to make the cut also meant that for the first time since 2003, either of those two players were not on the nomination list.

Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo hit the headlines within 24 hours after the Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony concluded in Paris on Monday (Oct 28). While he was not on the list of probable winners, it was his miss in the 96th minute of the King Cup that took the spotlight.

Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo hit the headlines within 24 hours after the Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony concluded in Paris on Monday (Oct 28). While he was not on the list of probable winners, it was his miss in the 96th minute of the King Cup that took the spotlight. Playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi FA Cup (King Cup), Ronaldo missed the penalty as his side crashed out of the competition. The miss was a subject of social media attention with fans slamming the former Real Madrid star. You know Ronaldo is finished when he can't even score a penaltypic.twitter.com/4i1D9y3Pa9 — Troll Football (@TrollFootball) October 29, 2024 × Ronaldo misses penalty Playing in the King Cup in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (Oct 29), Ronaldo’s side was trailing 0-1 against Al-Taawoun after defender Waleed Al-Ahmed gave his side a precious lead. While the match looked done and dusted, Ronaldo and Co got a penalty in the dying moments of the clash, meaning they could have taken the match into extra time by scoring. However, that was not the case as the 39-year-old missed the spot kick from 12 yards. Ronaldo was unhappy with the situation as he suffered the heartbreak of yet another exit from a cup competition. Earlier in , his Portugal side missed out on a place in the semifinal at Euro 2024 after a shootout failure against France. ALSO READ | Serie A: Napoli extend lead at top with 2-0 win at AC Milan This is not the first time Ronaldo has missed a penalty on a big stage, doing so in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow. He missed in the shootout but was later bailed out after John Terrt’s miss, handing Manchester United the Champions League. No Ronaldo, Messi in Ballon d’Or The cup exit took place just hours after the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris where Rodri became the latest big name to join the roster. Ronaldo, a five-time winner of the prestigious honour was not nominated this year while Lionel Messi’s failure to make the cut also meant that for the first time since 2003, either of those two players were not on the nomination list.

WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo misses 96th minute penalty as Al-Nassr crash out of King Cup

Lionel Messi made the headlines in Argentina's 6-0 thumping over Bolivia in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers match&nbsp;on Tuesday (Oct 15). In&nbsp;his second international appearance since recovering from an injury sustained at the Copa America in July, Messi was on a roll as he scored a hat-trick to lead Argentina to a big win. Courtesy of his heroics, Messi also equalled&nbsp;arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo&nbsp;for the most number of international hat-tricks. Both Ronaldo and Messi now have&nbsp;as many as 10 hat-tricks, with Iran’s Ali Daei at 9.

Here is the third goal from Messi, which led to him equalling with CR7:

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MESSI SCORESSS A HATTRICK OH MY GOD!!!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/oeLvQJYAJn">pic.twitter.com/oeLvQJYAJn</a>
— Wedge (@Wxdge10) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wxdge10/status/1846368333542588857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Ronaldo-starrer Portugal, on the other hand, had a frustrating outing versus Scotland in the Nations League clash, which ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/lionel-messis-hat-trick-leads-argentina-to-6-0-win-over-bolivia-in-fifa-wc-qualifiers-767854">Lionel Messi's hat-trick leads Argentina to 6-0 win over Bolivia in FIFA WC qualifiers</a>

Talking about the clash, Argentina dominated it from the word go. Messi opened his side's account by finding the back of the net on the 19th minute. Before the break, Argentina was already 3-0 up with&nbsp;Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez adding a goal each. In the second half, substitute Thiago Almanda scored in the 69th minute before Messi made it worse for Bolivia with two fine strikes before the end of the clash.

Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra made a couple of fine saves to prevent&nbsp;hosts Argentina from extending their lead, however, he still couldn't prevent his side's mauling at the hands of the current world champions.

Copa America winners Argentina are at the top of the standings, with 22 points, three ahead of Colombia. The 2026 WC will be held in&nbsp;the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Lionel Messi made the headlines in Argentina's 6-0 thumping over Bolivia in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers match on Tuesday (Oct 15). In his second international appearance since recovering from an injury sustained at the Copa America in July, Messi was on a roll as he scored a hat-trick to lead Argentina to a big win.

Lionel Messi made the headlines in Argentina's 6-0 thumping over Bolivia in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers match on Tuesday (Oct 15). In his second international appearance since recovering from an injury sustained at the Copa America in July, Messi was on a roll as he scored a hat-trick to lead Argentina to a big win. Courtesy of his heroics, Messi also equalled arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo for the most number of international hat-tricks. Both Ronaldo and Messi now have as many as 10 hat-tricks, with Iran’s Ali Daei at 9. Here is the third goal from Messi, which led to him equalling with CR7: MESSI SCORESSS A HATTRICK OH MY GOD!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/oeLvQJYAJn — Wedge (@Wxdge10) October 16, 2024 × Ronaldo-starrer Portugal, on the other hand, had a frustrating outing versus Scotland in the Nations League clash, which ended in a 0-0 stalemate. Also read: Lionel Messi's hat-trick leads Argentina to 6-0 win over Bolivia in FIFA WC qualifiers Talking about the clash, Argentina dominated it from the word go. Messi opened his side's account by finding the back of the net on the 19th minute. Before the break, Argentina was already 3-0 up with Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez adding a goal each. In the second half, substitute Thiago Almanda scored in the 69th minute before Messi made it worse for Bolivia with two fine strikes before the end of the clash. Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra made a couple of fine saves to prevent hosts Argentina from extending their lead, however, he still couldn't prevent his side's mauling at the hands of the current world champions. Copa America winners Argentina are at the top of the standings, with 22 points, three ahead of Colombia. The 2026 WC will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Messi equals arch-rival Ronaldo’s int'l hat-trick record during Argentina vs Bolivia WCQ tie - Watch

Portugal's Bernardo Silva and Cristiano Ronaldo scored first-half goals in a comfortable 3-1 win away to Poland in the Nations League on Saturday as the Group A1 leaders continued their perfect start to the competition with three wins.

Silva put Portugal in front after 26 minutes, netting from Bruno Fernandes' headed assist, before captain Ronaldo got his 133rd international goal when he doubled the lead 11 minutes later with a first-time shot after Rafael Leao hit the post.

Piotr Zielinski pulled a goal back for Poland in the 78th with a powerful strike into the roof of the net before home defender Jan Bednarek netted an own goal in the dying minutes.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-korean-court-slaps-fine-on-son-heung-mins-father-over-football-school-abuse-766836">South Korean court slaps fine on Son Heung-min’s father over football school abuse</a>

Portugal continue to set the pace in League A Group One with nine points, three points clear of Croatia who came from behind to beat visitors Scotland 2-1 earlier on Saturday.

Poland, who beat Scotland 3-2 on the road in their opener before losing 1-0 in Croatia, are third with three points while the Scots have none so far.

The Poles started on the front foot and leading striker Robert Lewandowski came close to netting an early opener when he was inches from getting his head to a cross as Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa beat him to the ball.

Portugal, however, were quick to grow into the match and Poland keeper Lukasz Skorupski was put to work early when he blocked Diogo Dalot's effort from close range.

Ronaldo then hit the bottom of the bar as Portugal continued to enjoy the bulk of possession and their chances kept coming.

Fernandes put Skorupski to the test again with a curled shot from just outside the box in the 14th minute and the keeper had to stretch to tip the ball away.

<h2>Portugal Strike</h2>

Poland's vulnerable back line eventually capitulated when Silva struck before Ronaldo made it 2-0 with a calm finish.

Leao had recovered the ball near the halfway line and slalomed past four defenders before striking the post from inside the box leaving Ronaldo to slot home the rebound.

The 39-year-old Al-Nassr forward, who helped Portugal to 2-1 wins against Scotland and Croatia with a goal in each match, scored his 11th of the season for club and country.

He could have added a third after the restart but hesitated to finish from inside the area and instead found Fernandes, who sent the ball flying over the bar.

Poland got a glimmer of hope when Lewandowski had a chance a minute later as he climbed highest in the box to connect with a cross but sent his header narrowly wide of the left post.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez continued to manage Ronaldo's playing time, with Diogo Jota replacing him in the 63rd minute.

After playing practically every minute of every game at this year's Euros, Ronaldo was replaced by Jota late in the game with Croatia and only started in the second half against Scotland.

Zielinski's strike injected some life into the hosts but Poland lacked clear chances to equalise before Bednarek's own goal confirmed the end of their two-year unbeaten home run.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Portugal's Bernardo Silva and Cristiano Ronaldo scored first-half goals in a comfortable 3-1 win away to Poland in the Nations League on Saturday as the Group A1 leaders continued their perfect start to the competition with three wins.

Portugal's Bernardo Silva and Cristiano Ronaldo scored first-half goals in a comfortable 3-1 win away to Poland in the Nations League on Saturday as the Group A1 leaders continued their perfect start to the competition with three wins. Silva put Portugal in front after 26 minutes, netting from Bruno Fernandes' headed assist, before captain Ronaldo got his 133rd international goal when he doubled the lead 11 minutes later with a first-time shot after Rafael Leao hit the post. Piotr Zielinski pulled a goal back for Poland in the 78th with a powerful strike into the roof of the net before home defender Jan Bednarek netted an own goal in the dying minutes. ALSO READ: South Korean court slaps fine on Son Heung-min’s father over football school abuse Portugal continue to set the pace in League A Group One with nine points, three points clear of Croatia who came from behind to beat visitors Scotland 2-1 earlier on Saturday. Poland, who beat Scotland 3-2 on the road in their opener before losing 1-0 in Croatia, are third with three points while the Scots have none so far. The Poles started on the front foot and leading striker Robert Lewandowski came close to netting an early opener when he was inches from getting his head to a cross as Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa beat him to the ball. Portugal, however, were quick to grow into the match and Poland keeper Lukasz Skorupski was put to work early when he blocked Diogo Dalot's effort from close range. Ronaldo then hit the bottom of the bar as Portugal continued to enjoy the bulk of possession and their chances kept coming. Fernandes put Skorupski to the test again with a curled shot from just outside the box in the 14th minute and the keeper had to stretch to tip the ball away. Portugal Strike Poland's vulnerable back line eventually capitulated when Silva struck before Ronaldo made it 2-0 with a calm finish. Leao had recovered the ball near the halfway line and slalomed past four defenders before striking the post from inside the box leaving Ronaldo to slot home the rebound. The 39-year-old Al-Nassr forward, who helped Portugal to 2-1 wins against Scotland and Croatia with a goal in each match, scored his 11th of the season for club and country. He could have added a third after the restart but hesitated to finish from inside the area and instead found Fernandes, who sent the ball flying over the bar. Poland got a glimmer of hope when Lewandowski had a chance a minute later as he climbed highest in the box to connect with a cross but sent his header narrowly wide of the left post. Portugal coach Roberto Martinez continued to manage Ronaldo's playing time, with Diogo Jota replacing him in the 63rd minute. After playing practically every minute of every game at this year's Euros, Ronaldo was replaced by Jota late in the game with Croatia and only started in the second half against Scotland. Zielinski's strike injected some life into the hosts but Poland lacked clear chances to equalise before Bednarek's own goal confirmed the end of their two-year unbeaten home run. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Ronaldo, Silva on scoresheet as Portugal beat Poland to maintain lead at top in Nations League

Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute&nbsp;to legendary tennis star Rafael Nadal after the Spaniard announced his retirement from the sport on Thursday (Oct 10). Nadal, a supporter of Ronaldo’s former side Real Madrid, called time on his career after winning 22 Grand Slam titles. According to Ronaldo, it was an honour to witness the incredible journey that&nbsp;saw him become one of the finest athletes in the history of sports.

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Mil gracias a todos 
Many thanks to all 
Merci beaucoup à tous 
Grazie mille à tutti 
谢谢大家 
شكرا لكم جميعا 
תודה לכולכם 
Obrigado a todos 
Vielen Dank euch allen 
Tack alla 
Хвала свима 
Gràcies a tots <a href="https://t.co/7yPRs7QrOi">pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi</a>
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) <a href="https://twitter.com/RafaelNadal/status/1844308861492318594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Ronaldo pays tribute</h2>

"Rafa, what an incredible career you've had! Your dedication, passion and incredible talent have inspired millions around the world. It has been an honour to witness your journey and be able to call you a friend. Congratulations on an amazing career! Enjoy your retirement,” Ronaldo wrote in his tribute to Nadal.

After an incredible journey, Nadal will officially hang his racket after the upcoming Davis Cup. The tournament in November will be his last as a professional and he will go down as one of the finest tennis players in the history of the game. During his more than two-decade-long career, Nadal won 22 Grand Slam titles, including 14 French Open titles.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-rafael-nadal-retires-roger-federer-novak-djokovic-pay-tribute-to-king-of-clay-766396">Rafael Nadal Retires: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic pay tribute to King of Clay</a>

He also won two Wimbledon and two Australia Open titles in his prime which saw him become one of the finest players in the history of sports. Nadal also won four US Open titles despite the hard court not being his favourite surface.

Nadal’s dominance on the clay courts of the French Open was highlighted by his impressive record in Paris. In 116 matches at the court, he won 112 and only ended on the losing side four times. Djokovic was the only tennis star to beat him twice at the Roland Garros.

To add to his illustrious tally, Nadal also won the Olympic gold medal in men’s singles at the Beijing Games in 2008. However, he failed to win the ATP World Tour finals in his two-decade-long career.

Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to legendary tennis star Rafael Nadal after the Spaniard announced his retirement from the sport on Thursday (Oct 10). Nadal, a supporter of Ronaldo’s former side Real Madrid, called time on his career after winning 22 Grand Slam titles.

Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to legendary tennis star Rafael Nadal after the Spaniard announced his retirement from the sport on Thursday (Oct 10). Nadal, a supporter of Ronaldo’s former side Real Madrid, called time on his career after winning 22 Grand Slam titles. According to Ronaldo, it was an honour to witness the incredible journey that saw him become one of the finest athletes in the history of sports. Mil gracias a todos Many thanks to all Merci beaucoup à tous Grazie mille à tutti 谢谢大家 شكرا لكم جميعا תודה לכולכם Obrigado a todos Vielen Dank euch allen Tack alla Хвала свима Gràcies a tots pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi — Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 10, 2024 × Ronaldo pays tribute "Rafa, what an incredible career you've had! Your dedication, passion and incredible talent have inspired millions around the world. It has been an honour to witness your journey and be able to call you a friend. Congratulations on an amazing career! Enjoy your retirement,” Ronaldo wrote in his tribute to Nadal. After an incredible journey, Nadal will officially hang his racket after the upcoming Davis Cup. The tournament in November will be his last as a professional and he will go down as one of the finest tennis players in the history of the game. During his more than two-decade-long career, Nadal won 22 Grand Slam titles, including 14 French Open titles. ALSO READ | Rafael Nadal Retires: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic pay tribute to King of Clay He also won two Wimbledon and two Australia Open titles in his prime which saw him become one of the finest players in the history of sports. Nadal also won four US Open titles despite the hard court not being his favourite surface. Nadal’s dominance on the clay courts of the French Open was highlighted by his impressive record in Paris. In 116 matches at the court, he won 112 and only ended on the losing side four times. Djokovic was the only tennis star to beat him twice at the Roland Garros. To add to his illustrious tally, Nadal also won the Olympic gold medal in men’s singles at the Beijing Games in 2008. However, he failed to win the ATP World Tour finals in his two-decade-long career.

Cristiano Ronaldo pens heartfelt tribute to Rafael Nadal, says 'it has been an honour to witness your journey'

Al Nassr struggled in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence on Monday, when the Saudi club kicked off the revamped Asian Champions League with a 1-1 draw against Al Shorta in Iraq. Al Nassr captain Ronaldo did not travel with the squad for the match in Baghdad, with the club issuing a statement a day before stating that the Portuguese superstar had been diagnosed with a viral infection.

Al Nassr, who were knocked out of last season's Asian Champions League in the quarter-finals by eventual champions Al Ain, were given a dream start in the Iraqi capital, when full-back Sultan Al Ghannam met Otavio's astute, first-time pass on 14 minutes to finish low past Al Shorta goalkeeper Ahmed Basil.

However, the hosts drew level 10 minutes later. A mix-up at the back between new signings Salem Al Najdi and former RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan allowed Al Shorta forward Mohammed Dawood to steal in and send a superb effort high past Bento in the Al Nassr goal.

Meanwhile, fellow Saudi side Al Ahli eked to a 1-0 victory at home to Iran's Persepolis in Jeddah, with new recruit Ivan Toney making his Asian football debut. Ivory Coast international Franck Kessie set the home side on their way in the second minute, rifling home from Riyad Mahrez's assist.

Persepolis were awarded a penalty four minutes before half-time, when Merih Demiral was deemed to have committed a foul inside the area, however the decision was overturned following a VAR review. In the second half, Toney won Al Ahli a spot-kick of their own –- he was felled by rival defender Hossein Kanani -- only for Mahrez's penalty to be saved well by Persepolis goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-champions-manchester-city-fight-against-expulsion-as-trial-begins-for-financial-breaches-759204">Premier League: Champions Manchester City fight against expulsion as trial begins for financial breaches</a>

England international Toney, a high-profile signing late last month from Premier League club Brentford, missed a golden opportunity to open his account five minutes from time, but dragged his shot wide. He had made his debut for Al Ahli last Friday.

Elsewhere, Al Ain began their title defence with a 1-1 draw at home to Qatar's Al Sadd. Akram Afif, 2019 Asian Football of the Year and player of the tournament at the Asian Cup earlier this year, opened the scoring at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on the hour.

But Al Ain earned a point 10 minutes from time, through Argentine Matias Palacios.

In Monday's other match, Iran's Esteghlal saw off Qatari side Al Gharafa 3-0. The new format features 24 teams -– 12 from West Asia and 12 from East Asia.&nbsp;With each club playing four matches at home and four away, the top eight in each side of the draw progress to the knockout stages early next year.

(Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Al Nassr struggled in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence on Monday, when the Saudi club kicked off the revamped Asian Champions League with a 1-1 draw against Al Shorta in Iraq.

Al Nassr struggled in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence on Monday, when the Saudi club kicked off the revamped Asian Champions League with a 1-1 draw against Al Shorta in Iraq. Al Nassr captain Ronaldo did not travel with the squad for the match in Baghdad, with the club issuing a statement a day before stating that the Portuguese superstar had been diagnosed with a viral infection. Al Nassr, who were knocked out of last season's Asian Champions League in the quarter-finals by eventual champions Al Ain, were given a dream start in the Iraqi capital, when full-back Sultan Al Ghannam met Otavio's astute, first-time pass on 14 minutes to finish low past Al Shorta goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. However, the hosts drew level 10 minutes later. A mix-up at the back between new signings Salem Al Najdi and former RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan allowed Al Shorta forward Mohammed Dawood to steal in and send a superb effort high past Bento in the Al Nassr goal. Meanwhile, fellow Saudi side Al Ahli eked to a 1-0 victory at home to Iran's Persepolis in Jeddah, with new recruit Ivan Toney making his Asian football debut. Ivory Coast international Franck Kessie set the home side on their way in the second minute, rifling home from Riyad Mahrez's assist. Persepolis were awarded a penalty four minutes before half-time, when Merih Demiral was deemed to have committed a foul inside the area, however the decision was overturned following a VAR review. In the second half, Toney won Al Ahli a spot-kick of their own –- he was felled by rival defender Hossein Kanani -- only for Mahrez's penalty to be saved well by Persepolis goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz. Also read: Premier League: Champions Manchester City fight against expulsion as trial begins for financial breaches England international Toney, a high-profile signing late last month from Premier League club Brentford, missed a golden opportunity to open his account five minutes from time, but dragged his shot wide. He had made his debut for Al Ahli last Friday. Elsewhere, Al Ain began their title defence with a 1-1 draw at home to Qatar's Al Sadd. Akram Afif, 2019 Asian Football of the Year and player of the tournament at the Asian Cup earlier this year, opened the scoring at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on the hour. But Al Ain earned a point 10 minutes from time, through Argentine Matias Palacios. In Monday's other match, Iran's Esteghlal saw off Qatari side Al Gharafa 3-0. The new format features 24 teams -– 12 from West Asia and 12 from East Asia. With each club playing four matches at home and four away, the top eight in each side of the draw progress to the knockout stages early next year. (Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Cristiano Ronaldo misses Al Nassr's 1-1 draw vs Al Shorta in Asian Champions League opener for THIS reason

On Sep 13 (Friday), Portugal and Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo made history, becoming the first-ever individual to hit the 1-billion followers mark&nbsp;across all&nbsp;platforms on social media.&nbsp;The 39-year-old veteran already&nbsp;has the highest Instagram following (over 600 million) and created multiple YouTube records after recently opening his channel ‘UR. Cristiano.’ Notably, the channel hit&nbsp;50 million subscribers in less than a week,&nbsp;a record for the platform as per reports. In addition, it took a little over 90 minutes to break 1 million subscribers when the first video came out&nbsp;on Aug&nbsp;21. Moreover, the legendary footballer ran a live counter on his YouTube channel, leading to the coveted 1-billion mark.

Ronaldo shared a lengthy note sharing the huge development with one and all on X, formerly Twitter (where he has over 100 million followers). He wrote, "We’ve made history — 1 BILLION followers! This is more than just a number - it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond. From the streets of Madeira to the biggest stages in the world, I’ve always played for my family and for you, and now 1 billion of us stand together. You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey, and together, we’ve shown that there are no limits to what we can achieve. Thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life. The best is yet to come, and we’ll keep pushing, winning, and making history together."

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We’ve made history — 1 BILLION followers! This is more than just a number - it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond. 
 
From the streets of Madeira to the biggest stages in the world, I’ve always played for my family and for you, and now 1… <a href="https://t.co/kZKo803rJo">pic.twitter.com/kZKo803rJo</a>
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano/status/1834345123695538499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-he-had-to-lewis-hamilton-reacts-to-adrian-neweys-decision-to-join-aston-martin-next-year-758257">He had to...: Lewis Hamilton reacts to Adrian Newey's decision to join Aston Martin next year</a>

At 39, Ronaldo remains one of the top names in football. Recently, the Portugal captain also became the first-ever to surpass 900 career goals.&nbsp;He attained this landmark&nbsp;by netting the decisive goal in Portugal's UEFA Nations League clash versus Croatia.

In addition, CR7&nbsp;remains a regular in the Al-Nassr camp in the Saudi Arabia league. Thus, he continues to make heads turn both on and off the field in what is the last lap of his glorious footballing career.

On Sep 13 (Friday), Portugal and Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo made history, becoming the first-ever individual to hit the 1-billion followers mark across all platforms on social media.

On Sep 13 (Friday), Portugal and Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo made history, becoming the first-ever individual to hit the 1-billion followers mark across all platforms on social media. The 39-year-old veteran already has the highest Instagram following (over 600 million) and created multiple YouTube records after recently opening his channel ‘UR. Cristiano.’ Notably, the channel hit 50 million subscribers in less than a week, a record for the platform as per reports. In addition, it took a little over 90 minutes to break 1 million subscribers when the first video came out on Aug 21. Moreover, the legendary footballer ran a live counter on his YouTube channel, leading to the coveted 1-billion mark. Ronaldo shared a lengthy note sharing the huge development with one and all on X, formerly Twitter (where he has over 100 million followers). He wrote, "We’ve made history — 1 BILLION followers! This is more than just a number - it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond. From the streets of Madeira to the biggest stages in the world, I’ve always played for my family and for you, and now 1 billion of us stand together. You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey, and together, we’ve shown that there are no limits to what we can achieve. Thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life. The best is yet to come, and we’ll keep pushing, winning, and making history together." We’ve made history — 1 BILLION followers! This is more than just a number - it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond. From the streets of Madeira to the biggest stages in the world, I’ve always played for my family and for you, and now 1… pic.twitter.com/kZKo803rJo — Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) September 12, 2024 × Also read: He had to...: Lewis Hamilton reacts to Adrian Newey's decision to join Aston Martin next year At 39, Ronaldo remains one of the top names in football. Recently, the Portugal captain also became the first-ever to surpass 900 career goals. He attained this landmark by netting the decisive goal in Portugal's UEFA Nations League clash versus Croatia. In addition, CR7 remains a regular in the Al-Nassr camp in the Saudi Arabia league. Thus, he continues to make heads turn both on and off the field in what is the last lap of his glorious footballing career.

HISTORY MADE! Ronaldo becomes first individual to hit 1 billion followers across all social media platforms

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag&nbsp;reacted to the criticism levied on him by former Red Devils' forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal captain, who recently surpassed 900 career goals during the international break, slammed Ten Hag for being too negative for a club of United's stature. Ronaldo was pointing out at the United manager's recent remark where he admitted that the club is 'long way away' from winning the Premier League.

Now, Ten Hag&nbsp;reacted to Ronaldo's comments and stated that he is entitled to his opinion. At a press conference, on Thursday (Sep 12), the United manager said, "He (CR7) said that Manchester United can't win the Premier League." He reiterated, "No, he said this if you read the article very well. So, he's far away in Saudi, far from Manchester. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion. It's OK."

He further added, "It doesn't impact me (Ronaldo's remark). I know in the process where we are, what we have to do, where we are going. I have said before we are still in a transition period. We have to integrate a lot of young players also in the team.

"We are still dealing with injuries, we have to bring the injuries back in the team. Before anyone thinks about excuses, no, we have to win every game. I know that, the team knows this and it doesn't matter who is available. We will focus on every game and have in every game the mindset that we have to win."

Under Ten Hag, United lifted the League Cup and FA Cup&nbsp;over the past two seasons.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/history-made-ronaldo-becomes-first-individual-to-hit-1-billion-followers-across-all-social-media-platforms-758276">HISTORY MADE! Ronaldo becomes first individual to hit 1 billion followers across all social media platforms</a>

Ronaldo, in an episode of the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, slammed Ten Hag and stated, "Manchester, they need to rebuild everything, in my opinion. The coach, they say they cannot compete to win the league and Champions League. Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the league or Champions League.

"You have to be, to mentally say, listen, maybe we don't have that potential, but I cannot say that. We're going to try. You have to try," he added.

Ronaldo joined United, on Alex Ferguson's insistence, for a second stint in mid-2021, which didn't yield fruitful results. In late 2022, he left the club, to join his current one Al-Nassr in Saudi, after a fallout with Ten Hag. Under the Dutchman, Ronaldo had fallen out of favour and wasn't a regular in the starting XI.

At present, United are at the 14th spot in the 2024/25 Premier League standings, with one win and two thrashings in the new season.

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag reacted to the criticism levied on him by former Red Devils' forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal captain, who recently surpassed 900 career goals during the international break, slammed Ten Hag for being too negative for a club of United's stature.

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag reacted to the criticism levied on him by former Red Devils' forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal captain, who recently surpassed 900 career goals during the international break, slammed Ten Hag for being too negative for a club of United's stature. Ronaldo was pointing out at the United manager's recent remark where he admitted that the club is 'long way away' from winning the Premier League. Now, Ten Hag reacted to Ronaldo's comments and stated that he is entitled to his opinion. At a press conference, on Thursday (Sep 12), the United manager said, "He (CR7) said that Manchester United can't win the Premier League." He reiterated, "No, he said this if you read the article very well. So, he's far away in Saudi, far from Manchester. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion. It's OK." He further added, "It doesn't impact me (Ronaldo's remark). I know in the process where we are, what we have to do, where we are going. I have said before we are still in a transition period. We have to integrate a lot of young players also in the team. "We are still dealing with injuries, we have to bring the injuries back in the team. Before anyone thinks about excuses, no, we have to win every game. I know that, the team knows this and it doesn't matter who is available. We will focus on every game and have in every game the mindset that we have to win." Under Ten Hag, United lifted the League Cup and FA Cup over the past two seasons. Also read: HISTORY MADE! Ronaldo becomes first individual to hit 1 billion followers across all social media platforms Ronaldo, in an episode of the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, slammed Ten Hag and stated, "Manchester, they need to rebuild everything, in my opinion. The coach, they say they cannot compete to win the league and Champions League. Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the league or Champions League. "You have to be, to mentally say, listen, maybe we don't have that potential, but I cannot say that. We're going to try. You have to try," he added. Ronaldo joined United, on Alex Ferguson's insistence, for a second stint in mid-2021, which didn't yield fruitful results. In late 2022, he left the club, to join his current one Al-Nassr in Saudi, after a fallout with Ten Hag. Under the Dutchman, Ronaldo had fallen out of favour and wasn't a regular in the starting XI. At present, United are at the 14th spot in the 2024/25 Premier League standings, with one win and two thrashings in the new season.

'Doesn't affect me, he is far from Manchester': Erik Ten Hag hits back at criticism from Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo says Erik ten Hag's attitude is too negative, urging the Manchester United manager to target the Premier League title even though the club need to "rebuild from the bottom".

The Portugal star, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, fell out with Ten Hag before his second spell at Old Trafford ended late in 2022.

Ronaldo believes his former club needs sweeping changes but that Ten Hag should not rule out winning major trophies in the meantime.

The Dutchman has said he is "quite confident" of claiming more silverware this campaign after lifting the League Cup and FA Cup over the past two seasons.

But he said in July his team are a "long way away" from being ready to win the Premier League, which they have not won since Alex Ferguson's final season in charge in 2013.

"Manchester, they need to rebuild everything, in my opinion," Ronaldo said in an episode of the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, due to be released on Thursday. "The coach, they say they cannot compete to win the league and Champions League. Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the league or Champions League.

"You have to be, to mentally say, listen, maybe we don't have that potential, but I cannot say that. We're going to try. You have to try."

United upset Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May but they endured their worst Premier League campaign last term, finishing eighth, and the 20-time English champions have lost two of their opening three matches this season.

"This club needs time to rebuild because it's still one of the best clubs in the world, but they need to change," Ronaldo said. "They understand that. This is the only way. This is why they show, they start to change again, the structure of the club, the president, the infrastructures and everything. The owners of the club."

<h2>'Bright future'</h2>

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe completed his purchase of a minority stake in the club in February and has since overseen major changes in the club hierarchy after taking control of football operations.

"I believe that the future will be bright," said Ronaldo. "I believe, but they don't depend only on the talents. It's more than that. It's all club, all, not only players, club, everything as a unit, united.

"They have to rebuild from the bottom. If not, they cannot compete. It will be impossible."

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo, who spent six seasons with United earlier in his career, scored 27 goals in 54 appearances during his second spell at Old Trafford after signing from Juventus in 2021.

Following his exit just over a year later, he claimed he felt "betrayed", while saying of Ten Hag: "I don't have respect for him because he doesn't show respect for me."

However, the 39-year-old said he still loves the club.

"I'm not happy the way it all happened but, in the same way, we cannot control some points of our life sometimes, but it's done, already done," he said. "To prove that I'm right or wrong, this is not my issue any more. I say what I have to say and for me it's done."

He added: "I love that club. I'm not that kind of guy that forgot the past."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cristiano Ronaldo says Erik ten Hag's attitude is too negative, urging the Manchester United manager to target the Premier League title even though the club need to "rebuild from the bottom".

Cristiano Ronaldo says Erik ten Hag's attitude is too negative, urging the Manchester United manager to target the Premier League title even though the club need to "rebuild from the bottom". The Portugal star, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, fell out with Ten Hag before his second spell at Old Trafford ended late in 2022. Ronaldo believes his former club needs sweeping changes but that Ten Hag should not rule out winning major trophies in the meantime. The Dutchman has said he is "quite confident" of claiming more silverware this campaign after lifting the League Cup and FA Cup over the past two seasons. But he said in July his team are a "long way away" from being ready to win the Premier League, which they have not won since Alex Ferguson's final season in charge in 2013. "Manchester, they need to rebuild everything, in my opinion," Ronaldo said in an episode of the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, due to be released on Thursday. "The coach, they say they cannot compete to win the league and Champions League. Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the league or Champions League. "You have to be, to mentally say, listen, maybe we don't have that potential, but I cannot say that. We're going to try. You have to try." United upset Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May but they endured their worst Premier League campaign last term, finishing eighth, and the 20-time English champions have lost two of their opening three matches this season. "This club needs time to rebuild because it's still one of the best clubs in the world, but they need to change," Ronaldo said. "They understand that. This is the only way. This is why they show, they start to change again, the structure of the club, the president, the infrastructures and everything. The owners of the club." 'Bright future' British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe completed his purchase of a minority stake in the club in February and has since overseen major changes in the club hierarchy after taking control of football operations. "I believe that the future will be bright," said Ronaldo. "I believe, but they don't depend only on the talents. It's more than that. It's all club, all, not only players, club, everything as a unit, united. "They have to rebuild from the bottom. If not, they cannot compete. It will be impossible." Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo, who spent six seasons with United earlier in his career, scored 27 goals in 54 appearances during his second spell at Old Trafford after signing from Juventus in 2021. Following his exit just over a year later, he claimed he felt "betrayed", while saying of Ten Hag: "I don't have respect for him because he doesn't show respect for me." However, the 39-year-old said he still loves the club. "I'm not happy the way it all happened but, in the same way, we cannot control some points of our life sometimes, but it's done, already done," he said. "To prove that I'm right or wrong, this is not my issue any more. I say what I have to say and for me it's done." He added: "I love that club. I'm not that kind of guy that forgot the past." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Manchester United great Cristiano Ronaldo bashes Ten Hag for 'negative mindset', urges club for overhaul

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo has backed current Real Madrid star and Frenchman Kylian Mbappe&nbsp; to win the Ballon d’Or in the future. Speaking on his newly launched YouTube channel on Tuesday (Sep 10), Ronaldo backed the 2018 World Cup winner to be a success at the Spanish club. While Mbappe is nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo missed out on nomination for the first time since 2006 after an announcement was made last week.

<h2>Ronaldo backs Mabppe to win Ballon d’Or</h2>

"I think [Mbappé] will do well. The structure of the club ... it's nice, it's good," Ronaldo said on his newly-launched YouTube channel.

"They have a great coach and the president, Florentino [Pérez], who has been there many many years. I think it won't be a big problem because of his talent. Mbappé can be the next golden ball [Ballon d'Or] winner. Him, [Erling] Haaland, [Jude] Bellingham, Lamine [Yamal]," he added.

The 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or was released last week with Ronaldo and Lionel Messi missing out on nomination for the first time since 2003. The Portugal star, now playing in Saudi Pro League (SPL) has backed Mbappe to shine having made a summer move to Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain.

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While he failed to score in his opening two La Liga matches, the striker has since scored for Los Blancos. He scored on his club debut against Atalanta in August in the UEFA Super Cup.

While Ronaldo predicts Mbappe to win the Ballon d’Or, it is hard to make a case this season with a host of star names in the running. As things stand, Mbappe’s Real teammate Vinicius Jr is the front-runner to win the prestigious prize while Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham are also in the mix. The likes of Toni Kroos, Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric remain other players from Madrid to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or.

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo has backed current Real Madrid star and Frenchman Kylian Mbappe to win the Ballon d’Or in the future. Speaking on his newly launched YouTube channel on Tuesday (Sep 10), Ronaldo backed the 2018 World Cup winner to be a success at the Spanish club.

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo has backed current Real Madrid star and Frenchman Kylian Mbappe to win the Ballon d’Or in the future. Speaking on his newly launched YouTube channel on Tuesday (Sep 10), Ronaldo backed the 2018 World Cup winner to be a success at the Spanish club. While Mbappe is nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo missed out on nomination for the first time since 2006 after an announcement was made last week. Ronaldo backs Mabppe to win Ballon d’Or "I think [Mbappé] will do well. The structure of the club ... it's nice, it's good," Ronaldo said on his newly-launched YouTube channel. "They have a great coach and the president, Florentino [Pérez], who has been there many many years. I think it won't be a big problem because of his talent. Mbappé can be the next golden ball [Ballon d'Or] winner. Him, [Erling] Haaland, [Jude] Bellingham, Lamine [Yamal]," he added. The 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or was released last week with Ronaldo and Lionel Messi missing out on nomination for the first time since 2003. The Portugal star, now playing in Saudi Pro League (SPL) has backed Mbappe to shine having made a summer move to Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain. ALSO READ | England announce Ben Stokes-led 16-member squad for upcoming Pakistan Test series While he failed to score in his opening two La Liga matches, the striker has since scored for Los Blancos. He scored on his club debut against Atalanta in August in the UEFA Super Cup. While Ronaldo predicts Mbappe to win the Ballon d’Or, it is hard to make a case this season with a host of star names in the running. As things stand, Mbappe’s Real teammate Vinicius Jr is the front-runner to win the prestigious prize while Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham are also in the mix. The likes of Toni Kroos, Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric remain other players from Madrid to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or.

'Mbappé can be the next Ballon d'Or winner': Cristiano Ronaldo backs French star to shine at Real Madrid

Portugal substitute Cristiano Ronaldo struck a late winner as his side came from a goal down to beat Scotland 2-1 and continue their strong start to the Nations League on Sunday. After Bruno Fernandes had fired in Portugal's equaliser, Ronaldo pounced in the 88th minute for his 901st career goal.

Scotland were given hope of a first win against Portugal since 1980 as they took a shock lead through Scott McTominay's bullet header in the seventh minute.

But the visitors ended up with nothing to show for their efforts as 39-year-old Ronaldo again delivered for his country.

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"The influence is always the same, regardless of whether he starts on the bench or not," Fernandes, who played his 600th career game, said of his former Manchester United teammate.

"Everyone who came on made the difference. Cristiano has a goal, today he scored 901 and now he's on his way to a thousand, which is what he wants."

Portugal lead League A Group 1 with six points after they started with a victory over Croatia, who are second on three following a 1-0 win against Poland on Sunday. Scotland have suffered two defeats, both of them to late goals.

<h2>McTominay Strikes</h2>

The Scots arrived in Lisbon still stinging from a 3-2 home defeat by Poland but the travelling Tartan Army were soon in full voice in the Estadio da Luz as former Manchester United midfielder McTominay arrived at the back post to power home a superb cross by Kenny McLean.

Portugal responded to lay siege to Scotland's goal but keeper Angus Gunn made a string of saves, one a world-class effort to keep out Rafael Leao's low drive.

The hosts had 15 goal attempts before the break but were left frustrated as Scotland dug deep to protect their lead.

Gunn was beaten in the 54th minute though as the ball was pulled back to Fernandes whose shot was well-struck but probably should have been kept out by the Scotland keeper.

Portugal seemed to have run out of steam but found another gear late on with Joao Felix twice being denied by superb Gunn saves and Ronaldo heading against the inside of the post.

Inevitably, however, Ronaldo stole the limelight with a simple tap-in from a wicked delivery by Nuno Mendes.

Scotland looked crestfallen as they soaked up another late disappointment in a winless run of eight competitive matches.

What is more, they have conceded in the 85th minute or later in five of their last six games in all competitions.

"Obviously disappointed -- it looked for a long period that we'd get something from the game," Scotland manager Steve Clarke said. "The effort and the quality the players put in, they deserved to get something."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Portugal substitute Cristiano Ronaldo struck a late winner as his side came from a goal down to beat Scotland 2-1 and continue their strong start to the Nations League on Sunday.

Portugal substitute Cristiano Ronaldo struck a late winner as his side came from a goal down to beat Scotland 2-1 and continue their strong start to the Nations League on Sunday. After Bruno Fernandes had fired in Portugal's equaliser, Ronaldo pounced in the 88th minute for his 901st career goal. Scotland were given hope of a first win against Portugal since 1980 as they took a shock lead through Scott McTominay's bullet header in the seventh minute. But the visitors ended up with nothing to show for their efforts as 39-year-old Ronaldo again delivered for his country. ALSO READ: Tennis: Jannik Sinner crashes Taylor Fritz's American party to win US Open 2024 "The influence is always the same, regardless of whether he starts on the bench or not," Fernandes, who played his 600th career game, said of his former Manchester United teammate. "Everyone who came on made the difference. Cristiano has a goal, today he scored 901 and now he's on his way to a thousand, which is what he wants." Portugal lead League A Group 1 with six points after they started with a victory over Croatia, who are second on three following a 1-0 win against Poland on Sunday. Scotland have suffered two defeats, both of them to late goals. McTominay Strikes The Scots arrived in Lisbon still stinging from a 3-2 home defeat by Poland but the travelling Tartan Army were soon in full voice in the Estadio da Luz as former Manchester United midfielder McTominay arrived at the back post to power home a superb cross by Kenny McLean. Portugal responded to lay siege to Scotland's goal but keeper Angus Gunn made a string of saves, one a world-class effort to keep out Rafael Leao's low drive. The hosts had 15 goal attempts before the break but were left frustrated as Scotland dug deep to protect their lead. Gunn was beaten in the 54th minute though as the ball was pulled back to Fernandes whose shot was well-struck but probably should have been kept out by the Scotland keeper. Portugal seemed to have run out of steam but found another gear late on with Joao Felix twice being denied by superb Gunn saves and Ronaldo heading against the inside of the post. Inevitably, however, Ronaldo stole the limelight with a simple tap-in from a wicked delivery by Nuno Mendes. Scotland looked crestfallen as they soaked up another late disappointment in a winless run of eight competitive matches. What is more, they have conceded in the 85th minute or later in five of their last six games in all competitions. "Obviously disappointed -- it looked for a long period that we'd get something from the game," Scotland manager Steve Clarke said. "The effort and the quality the players put in, they deserved to get something." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nations League: Cristiano Ronaldo's 901st career goal sees Portugal through vs Scotland

Spain were held by Serbia in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday in their first game since winning Euro 2024, while Cristiano Ronaldo reached another milestone by scoring his 900th career goal as Portugal beat Croatia. Eight of Spain's starting line-up in their Euro 2024 final victory over England almost two months ago were on the field at kick-off against Serbia in Belgrade.

Among them was Lamine Yamal, with the Barcelona prodigy just one of the Spain players to be denied by home goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic. Luis de la Fuente's team are also the reigning Nations League champions having won the most recent edition of the tournament last year.

They will now hope to register their first victory in League A, Group 4 when they travel to face Switzerland in Geneva on Sunday. The Swiss lost 2-0 to Denmark on Thursday, with Patrick Dorgu and captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scoring late goals for the home side in Copenhagen.

Switzerland finished the match with nine men as both Nico Elvedi and Granit Xhaka were sent off in the second half. In Lisbon, Ronaldo's 900th career goal proved to be the winner as 2019 Nations League champions Portugal edged Croatia 2-1 in Group A1.

Ronaldo, 39, put behind him a disappointing Euro 2024 in which he failed to score as he turned in a Nuno Mendes cross in the 34th minute at the Estadio da Luz to reach the landmark. He appeared emotional as he celebrated the goal, his 131st in a Portugal shirt. Half of his goals were scored for Real Madrid, with the remainder spread across his spells at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United and current club Al-Nassr.

Diogo Dalot's goal had put Portugal in front early on before Ronaldo netted, with a Dalot own-goal reducing the deficit before the break.

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<h2>- Scotland lose to Poland -</h2>

Portugal next host Scotland, who lost 3-2 to Poland at Hampden Park, with the visitors grabbing the victory thanks to a 97th-minute Nicola Zalewski penalty. Poland had been 2-0 up as Sebastian Szymanski gave them an early lead and captain Robert Lewandowski added a penalty just before the break.

However, Billy Gilmour pulled one back for League A newcomers Scotland moments after the restart, and Scott McTominay equalised before Roma's Zalewski sneaked his spot-kick under Angus Gunn deep into stoppage time.

Elsewhere, there were wins for Slovakia and Northern Ireland in League C, while Sweden -- now being coached by Jon Dahl Tomasson -- beat Azerbaijan 3-1 away in Baku with Newcastle United's Alexander Isak netting twice.

History was made in League D as San Marino, the world's worst team according to the FIFA rankings, beat Liechtenstein 1-0 to claim their first ever competitive win.

The tiny country of barely 30,000 people, surrounded by Italy, came into the match at their San Marino Stadium looking for a first win of any sort since beating Liechtenstein in a friendly in 2004.

Liechtenstein had a goal disallowed for a tight offside in the first half before San Marino pounced on a defensive error to grab the winner in the 53rd minute through Nicko Sensoli.

Aged 19, he had not been born when the team who sit 210th and last in the world rankings last won a game. Friday's Nations League action includes France hosting Italy in Paris.

Spain were held by Serbia in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday in their first game since winning Euro 2024, while Cristiano Ronaldo reached another milestone by scoring his 900th career goal as Portugal beat Croatia.

Spain were held by Serbia in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday in their first game since winning Euro 2024, while Cristiano Ronaldo reached another milestone by scoring his 900th career goal as Portugal beat Croatia. Eight of Spain's starting line-up in their Euro 2024 final victory over England almost two months ago were on the field at kick-off against Serbia in Belgrade. Among them was Lamine Yamal, with the Barcelona prodigy just one of the Spain players to be denied by home goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic. Luis de la Fuente's team are also the reigning Nations League champions having won the most recent edition of the tournament last year. They will now hope to register their first victory in League A, Group 4 when they travel to face Switzerland in Geneva on Sunday. The Swiss lost 2-0 to Denmark on Thursday, with Patrick Dorgu and captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scoring late goals for the home side in Copenhagen. Switzerland finished the match with nine men as both Nico Elvedi and Granit Xhaka were sent off in the second half. In Lisbon, Ronaldo's 900th career goal proved to be the winner as 2019 Nations League champions Portugal edged Croatia 2-1 in Group A1. Ronaldo, 39, put behind him a disappointing Euro 2024 in which he failed to score as he turned in a Nuno Mendes cross in the 34th minute at the Estadio da Luz to reach the landmark. He appeared emotional as he celebrated the goal, his 131st in a Portugal shirt. Half of his goals were scored for Real Madrid, with the remainder spread across his spells at Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United and current club Al-Nassr. Diogo Dalot's goal had put Portugal in front early on before Ronaldo netted, with a Dalot own-goal reducing the deficit before the break. Also read: Vinicius Jr wants Spain to be stripped from hosting 2030 FIFA World Cup unless racism declines - Scotland lose to Poland - Portugal next host Scotland, who lost 3-2 to Poland at Hampden Park, with the visitors grabbing the victory thanks to a 97th-minute Nicola Zalewski penalty. Poland had been 2-0 up as Sebastian Szymanski gave them an early lead and captain Robert Lewandowski added a penalty just before the break. However, Billy Gilmour pulled one back for League A newcomers Scotland moments after the restart, and Scott McTominay equalised before Roma's Zalewski sneaked his spot-kick under Angus Gunn deep into stoppage time. Elsewhere, there were wins for Slovakia and Northern Ireland in League C, while Sweden -- now being coached by Jon Dahl Tomasson -- beat Azerbaijan 3-1 away in Baku with Newcastle United's Alexander Isak netting twice. History was made in League D as San Marino, the world's worst team according to the FIFA rankings, beat Liechtenstein 1-0 to claim their first ever competitive win. The tiny country of barely 30,000 people, surrounded by Italy, came into the match at their San Marino Stadium looking for a first win of any sort since beating Liechtenstein in a friendly in 2004. Liechtenstein had a goal disallowed for a tight offside in the first half before San Marino pounced on a defensive error to grab the winner in the 53rd minute through Nicko Sensoli. Aged 19, he had not been born when the team who sit 210th and last in the world rankings last won a game. Friday's Nations League action includes France hosting Italy in Paris.

Euro winners Spain held in Nations League, Ronaldo scores 900th goal during Portugal's win over Croatia

Portugal’s legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo had yet another record-clinching evening on Thursday (Sep 5) after he scored his 900th career goal against Croatia in a 2-1 win. While the evening belonged to his 900th goal landmark, Ronaldo also spoke on his achievement and stated that winning the Euro 2016 was equivalent to winning the FIFA World Cup. The Portugal international has never won the World Cup while his opposite number from Argentina – Lionel Messi has won both the World Cup and the Copa America.

<h2>Ronaldo makes bold statement</h2>

“I don't need to win the World Cup. Winning the Euro with my country is like winning the World Cup. I have already won two titles with the national team,” Ronaldo said after scoring his 900th career goal on Thursday.

The night saw the 38-year-old score his 900th career goal spanning a career for over two decades. He scored the second goal in the 2-1 win over Croatia in the Nations League opener. The Portugal star who now plays in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) is yet to win the FIFA World Cup in his career having reached the semifinals of the tournament in 2006.

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Ronaldo added: “Scoring 900 goals seems like any other milestone, but only I know how hard it is to work every day to score your 900th goal.

“It’s a unique milestone in my career.

“I don’t break records… they haunt me!”

On the other hand, Messi has won the Copa America twice and has twice been runners-up. In addition, Messi also won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar while he was runner-up in the 2014 tournament.

Interestingly, while Messi has completed football with all titles Ronaldo can add the World Cup in case he continues to play until the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Portugal’s legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo had yet another record-clinching evening on Thursday (Sep 5) after he scored his 900th career goal against Croatia in a 2-1 win.

Portugal’s legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo had yet another record-clinching evening on Thursday (Sep 5) after he scored his 900th career goal against Croatia in a 2-1 win. While the evening belonged to his 900th goal landmark, Ronaldo also spoke on his achievement and stated that winning the Euro 2016 was equivalent to winning the FIFA World Cup. The Portugal international has never won the World Cup while his opposite number from Argentina – Lionel Messi has won both the World Cup and the Copa America. Ronaldo makes bold statement “I don't need to win the World Cup. Winning the Euro with my country is like winning the World Cup. I have already won two titles with the national team,” Ronaldo said after scoring his 900th career goal on Thursday. The night saw the 38-year-old score his 900th career goal spanning a career for over two decades. He scored the second goal in the 2-1 win over Croatia in the Nations League opener. The Portugal star who now plays in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) is yet to win the FIFA World Cup in his career having reached the semifinals of the tournament in 2006. ALSO READ | Indian javelin hero Neeraj Chopra qualifies for Diamond League Final 2024 in Brussels Ronaldo added: “Scoring 900 goals seems like any other milestone, but only I know how hard it is to work every day to score your 900th goal. “It’s a unique milestone in my career. “I don’t break records… they haunt me!” On the other hand, Messi has won the Copa America twice and has twice been runners-up. In addition, Messi also won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar while he was runner-up in the 2014 tournament. Interestingly, while Messi has completed football with all titles Ronaldo can add the World Cup in case he continues to play until the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

'Winning Euros with Portugal is like winning the WC': Cristiano Ronaldo makes bold revelation after 900th goal

Lionel Messi will not win another Ballon d'Or this year after being left out of the nominees revealed by organisers on Wednesday, as stars of Spain's Euro 2024-winning team and Real Madrid's Champions League victors feature heavily. Messi claimed the eighth Ballon d'Or of his glittering career last year. Now aged 37, he is not among the 30 contenders this time despite winning another title with Argentina at the Copa America in July.

The former Barcelona supestar, now playing club football in MLS for Inter Miami, was also missing from the nominees in 2022 when Karim Benzema took the honours. However, he returned to win last year after leading Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Qatar.

The most prestigious individual award in football is voted for by a jury of journalists from each of the top 100 countries in FIFA's world ranking.

Brazil forward Vinicius Junior is among the favourites and is one of six members of the Madrid team that won La Liga and the Champions League last season to be nominated.

Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, Antonio Ruediger and Fede Valverde are the others, while Kylian Mbappe -- who left Paris Saint-Germain for Real over the close season -- features too.

Carvajal is among the contenders from the victorious Spain team alongside Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri, Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal.

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Manchester City's Norwegian star Erling Haaland and England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane are on the list as well, but there is no place for five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, now 39. Xabi Alonso, who won the Bundesliga in an unbeaten season with Bayer Leverkusen, is among the favourites for best coach.

His rivals include Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti and Spain's Luis de la Fuente. Meanwhile, Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona and Spain will hope to retain the women's Ballon d'Or.

Former winners Ada Hegerberg and Alexia Putellas are also nominated, along with five members of the United States' Olympic gold medal-winning team in Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, Lindsey Horan and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

The Ballon d'Or ceremony is due to take place in Paris on October 28.

Lionel Messi will not win another Ballon d'Or this year after being left out of the nominees revealed by organisers on Wednesday, as stars of Spain's Euro 2024-winning team and Real Madrid's Champions League victors feature heavily.

Lionel Messi will not win another Ballon d'Or this year after being left out of the nominees revealed by organisers on Wednesday, as stars of Spain's Euro 2024-winning team and Real Madrid's Champions League victors feature heavily. Messi claimed the eighth Ballon d'Or of his glittering career last year. Now aged 37, he is not among the 30 contenders this time despite winning another title with Argentina at the Copa America in July. The former Barcelona supestar, now playing club football in MLS for Inter Miami, was also missing from the nominees in 2022 when Karim Benzema took the honours. However, he returned to win last year after leading Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Qatar. The most prestigious individual award in football is voted for by a jury of journalists from each of the top 100 countries in FIFA's world ranking. Brazil forward Vinicius Junior is among the favourites and is one of six members of the Madrid team that won La Liga and the Champions League last season to be nominated. Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, Antonio Ruediger and Fede Valverde are the others, while Kylian Mbappe -- who left Paris Saint-Germain for Real over the close season -- features too. Carvajal is among the contenders from the victorious Spain team alongside Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri, Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal. Also read: 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: 'We remember...,' Japan captain Endo promises to erase Asian Cup frustration Manchester City's Norwegian star Erling Haaland and England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane are on the list as well, but there is no place for five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, now 39. Xabi Alonso, who won the Bundesliga in an unbeaten season with Bayer Leverkusen, is among the favourites for best coach. His rivals include Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti and Spain's Luis de la Fuente. Meanwhile, Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona and Spain will hope to retain the women's Ballon d'Or. Former winners Ada Hegerberg and Alexia Putellas are also nominated, along with five members of the United States' Olympic gold medal-winning team in Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, Lindsey Horan and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. The Ballon d'Or ceremony is due to take place in Paris on October 28.

Ballon d'Or nominees list: No Messi and Ronaldo for first time since 2003, Spanish stars dominate

Cristiano Ronaldo has ruled out any immediate thought of retirement from international football as he believes he still has plenty to give Portugal, he told a press conference on Monday.&nbsp;

"When the time comes, I'll move on. It won't be a difficult decision to make," the 39-year-old said ahead of Thursday's Nations League clash with Croatia in Lisbon.&nbsp;

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/feel-a-lot-worse-englands-ollie-pope-on-criticism-as-stand-in-skipper-by-former-players-755311">&nbsp;'Feel a lot worse...,' England's Ollie Pope on criticism as stand-in skipper by former players</a>

"If I feel like I'm no longer contributing anything, I'll be the first to leave," he added, citing the example of his former team-mate Pepe, "who left through the front door" after announcing his retirement from the game last August at the age of 41.&nbsp;

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who has been playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia for almost two years now, failed to score as he appeared at a record sixth European Championship this year, with Portugal exiting in the quarter-finals.

In spite of the criticism he received in the press Ronaldo &nbsp;said he "never considered leaving the national team" and he has retained the backing of coach Roberto Martinez.

"People's expectations of the national team were too high," said Ronaldo, adding that the bad times in a footballer's life "allow you to evolve".&nbsp;

After Thursday's meeting with Croatia, Portugal remain in Lisbon to face Scotland on Sunday.

(Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Cristiano Ronaldo has ruled out any immediate thought of retirement from international football as he believes he still has plenty to give Portugal, he told a press conference on Monday.

Cristiano Ronaldo has ruled out any immediate thought of retirement from international football as he believes he still has plenty to give Portugal, he told a press conference on Monday. "When the time comes, I'll move on. It won't be a difficult decision to make," the 39-year-old said ahead of Thursday's Nations League clash with Croatia in Lisbon. Also Read: 'Feel a lot worse...,' England's Ollie Pope on criticism as stand-in skipper by former players "If I feel like I'm no longer contributing anything, I'll be the first to leave," he added, citing the example of his former team-mate Pepe, "who left through the front door" after announcing his retirement from the game last August at the age of 41. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who has been playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia for almost two years now, failed to score as he appeared at a record sixth European Championship this year, with Portugal exiting in the quarter-finals. In spite of the criticism he received in the press Ronaldo said he "never considered leaving the national team" and he has retained the backing of coach Roberto Martinez. "People's expectations of the national team were too high," said Ronaldo, adding that the bad times in a footballer's life "allow you to evolve". After Thursday's meeting with Croatia, Portugal remain in Lisbon to face Scotland on Sunday. (Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

'Feels like I'm no longer contributing...,' Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo offers BIG update on retirement

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was honoured with a special Champions League&nbsp;all-time leading goal-scorer award by the UEFA on Thursday (Aug 29). He received the special award by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin for&nbsp;his remarkable achievements and enduring legacy in the European club football. Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr striker, was handed&nbsp;the special award during the inaugural 2024/25 UEFA Champions League 36-team league phase draw ceremony, which was held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday.

Ronaldo has had an incredible run in the Champions League history. With more&nbsp;than 18 years, the 39-year-old superstar has scored as many as 140 goals, in 183 appearances, which adds to his legendary status. His overall appearances have come&nbsp;across spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, leaving a mark&nbsp;in the competition with every club he has represented.&nbsp;

Notably, Ronaldo became the first player to score in three finals, displaying his ability to perform under&nbsp;pressure. Additionally, his feat of scoring in as many as&nbsp;11 consecutive Champions League matches is a record that would take some doing to be broken.

Here is the video of him receiving the special award by the UEFA President:

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140 goals 🔥🔥🔥 
 
Cristiano Ronaldo recieves his Champions League's all-time top goal scorer award 🥇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLdraw?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCLdraw</a> <a href="https://t.co/iSmDHquNPL">pic.twitter.com/iSmDHquNPL</a>
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) <a href="https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1829193217226494146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/champions-league-draw-bayern-barcelona-real-madrid-liverpool-to-meet-in-revamped-league-phase-format-754438">Champions League Draw: Bayern-Barcelona, Real Madrid-Liverpool to meet in revamped league phase format</a>

The UEFA President lauded Ronaldo and said, "Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the brightest stars in the UEFA Champions League constellation. His extraordinary goalscoring achievements in the competition seem destined to stand the test of time, posing a remarkable challenge for future generations to surpass. His sustained excellence at the highest level is a testament to his relentless pursuit of both team and individual honours. Over more than two decades, he has continuously evolved and refined his game while preserving a youthful passion for scoring and celebrating goals. His professionalism, work ethic, dedication and ability to shine on the grandest stage are qualities that football players everywhere should aspire to emulate."

A five-time winner of the Champions League, Ronaldo's legacy at the European competition remains unmatched.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was honoured with a special Champions League all-time leading goal-scorer award by the UEFA on Thursday (Aug 29). He received the special award by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin for his remarkable achievements and enduring legacy in the European club football.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was honoured with a special Champions League all-time leading goal-scorer award by the UEFA on Thursday (Aug 29). He received the special award by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin for his remarkable achievements and enduring legacy in the European club football. Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr striker, was handed the special award during the inaugural 2024/25 UEFA Champions League 36-team league phase draw ceremony, which was held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday. Ronaldo has had an incredible run in the Champions League history. With more than 18 years, the 39-year-old superstar has scored as many as 140 goals, in 183 appearances, which adds to his legendary status. His overall appearances have come across spells with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, leaving a mark in the competition with every club he has represented. Notably, Ronaldo became the first player to score in three finals, displaying his ability to perform under pressure. Additionally, his feat of scoring in as many as 11 consecutive Champions League matches is a record that would take some doing to be broken. Here is the video of him receiving the special award by the UEFA President: 140 goals 🔥🔥🔥 Cristiano Ronaldo recieves his Champions League's all-time top goal scorer award 🥇#UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/iSmDHquNPL — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 29, 2024 × Also read: Champions League Draw: Bayern-Barcelona, Real Madrid-Liverpool to meet in revamped league phase format The UEFA President lauded Ronaldo and said, "Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the brightest stars in the UEFA Champions League constellation. His extraordinary goalscoring achievements in the competition seem destined to stand the test of time, posing a remarkable challenge for future generations to surpass. His sustained excellence at the highest level is a testament to his relentless pursuit of both team and individual honours. Over more than two decades, he has continuously evolved and refined his game while preserving a youthful passion for scoring and celebrating goals. His professionalism, work ethic, dedication and ability to shine on the grandest stage are qualities that football players everywhere should aspire to emulate." A five-time winner of the Champions League, Ronaldo's legacy at the European competition remains unmatched.

WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo receives special Champions League top goal-scorer award by UEFA

Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo scored a magnificent freekick goal during Saudi Pro League&nbsp;match between Al Nassr and Al-Feiha on Tuesday (Aug 27). Freekicks are not Ronaldo's strongest suit while scoring goal and this was his 65th career freekick goal.

Ronaldo decided not to take a couple of steps backwards as he usually does while taking a freekick but instead relied on the precision of his kick and angle. The football went past everyone and straight into the net on the top right side. Have a look at the goal below:

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Make sure you share this Freekick goal everywhere same way you shared his misses. 
 
Cristiano Ronaldo, the Greatest to ever kick a ball! 🐐 <a href="https://t.co/cnlvP7Uoub">pic.twitter.com/cnlvP7Uoub</a>
— LERRY (@_AsiwajuLerry) <a href="https://twitter.com/_AsiwajuLerry/status/1828512363420758133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
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This was Ronaldo's 899th career goal including 130 in the international football - the highest for any player in the history. Recently, Ronaldo was asked about reaching the historic 1000-goal mark.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/uganda-footballer-juan-izquierdo-27-dies-days-after-collapsing-on-pitch-during-match-753887">Uganda footballer Juan Izquierdo, 27, dies days after collapsing on pitch during match</a>

"It's going to be pretty tough, but it's about seeing how I am mentally, my motivation. If, physically, my legs treat me as well as I treat them? We'll see, they are small stages. Until I get to 1,000, first I have to get to 900. I think I'll get there," Ronaldo had said about the record and now he stands one shy of 900 career goals

"If you look at my career for the last 20 years, my level is high. If you are top for 20 years, it's unbelievable. I do that and I continue to do that. For me, it's a big achievement," he had added.

Fears mount over migrants' welfare as Saudi Arabia prepares for FIFA World Cup

Unpaid wages, shoddy housing and hours of toil in life-threatening heat are already common grievances for migrant workers in Saudi Arabia -- some of whom say recruiters lied to them about the jobs they would be doing and how much they would make.

The world's biggest crude oil exporter says strengthening workers' rights is a priority under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 economic and social reform agenda, which aims to lay the groundwork for a prosperous post-oil future.

Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo scored a magnificent freekick goal during Saudi Pro League match between Al Nassr and Al-Feiha on Tuesday (Aug 27). Freekicks are not Ronaldo's strongest suit while scoring goal and this was his 65th career freekick goal.

Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo scored a magnificent freekick goal during Saudi Pro League match between Al Nassr and Al-Feiha on Tuesday (Aug 27). Freekicks are not Ronaldo's strongest suit while scoring goal and this was his 65th career freekick goal. Ronaldo decided not to take a couple of steps backwards as he usually does while taking a freekick but instead relied on the precision of his kick and angle. The football went past everyone and straight into the net on the top right side. Have a look at the goal below: Make sure you share this Freekick goal everywhere same way you shared his misses. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Greatest to ever kick a ball! 🐐 pic.twitter.com/cnlvP7Uoub — LERRY (@_AsiwajuLerry) August 27, 2024 × This was Ronaldo's 899th career goal including 130 in the international football - the highest for any player in the history. Recently, Ronaldo was asked about reaching the historic 1000-goal mark. Also Read: Uganda footballer Juan Izquierdo, 27, dies days after collapsing on pitch during match "It's going to be pretty tough, but it's about seeing how I am mentally, my motivation. If, physically, my legs treat me as well as I treat them? We'll see, they are small stages. Until I get to 1,000, first I have to get to 900. I think I'll get there," Ronaldo had said about the record and now he stands one shy of 900 career goals "If you look at my career for the last 20 years, my level is high. If you are top for 20 years, it's unbelievable. I do that and I continue to do that. For me, it's a big achievement," he had added. Fears mount over migrants' welfare as Saudi Arabia prepares for FIFA World Cup Unpaid wages, shoddy housing and hours of toil in life-threatening heat are already common grievances for migrant workers in Saudi Arabia -- some of whom say recruiters lied to them about the jobs they would be doing and how much they would make. The world's biggest crude oil exporter says strengthening workers' rights is a priority under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 economic and social reform agenda, which aims to lay the groundwork for a prosperous post-oil future.

Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo scores freekick goal with laser-like precision - WATCH

Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup Final: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr is all set to lock horns with Al-Hilal in the final game of the Saudi Super Cup. Ronaldo concluded his Saudi Super Cup duck in the last match and will continue his scoring streak at the final match. Al-Hilal will be playing the final match without their star player Neymar as he continues to recover from an ACL injury.&nbsp;

Al-Hilal defeated Al-Nassr to claim the Saudi Pro League last season, and it would be the perfect opportunity for Ronaldo to turn the tables.&nbsp;

<h2>Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup Final Live Streaming&nbsp;</h2>

<h2>When will the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match take place?</h2>

The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will be held on&nbsp;Saturday, August 17, 2024.&nbsp;

<h2>Where will the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match take place?</h2>

The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will take place at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium, Abha.&nbsp;

<h2>When will the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match start?</h2>

The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will begin at 9:45 pm&nbsp;IST.&nbsp;

<h2>How to watch the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match on TV?</h2>

The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will be telecasted live on Sony Sports Network in India.&nbsp;

<h2>How to live-stream the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match online?</h2>

The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will be streamed live on the Sony LIV app and website.

<h2>All you need to know about the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match&nbsp;</h2>

Date:&nbsp;August&nbsp;17, 2024 
Time: 9:45 pm&nbsp;IST 
Venue: Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium, Abha 
Telecast and live-stream: Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV app and website 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup Final: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr is all set to lock horns with Al-Hilal in the final game of the Saudi Super Cup. Ronaldo concluded his Saudi Super Cup duck in the last match and will continue his scoring streak at the final match.

Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup Final: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr is all set to lock horns with Al-Hilal in the final game of the Saudi Super Cup. Ronaldo concluded his Saudi Super Cup duck in the last match and will continue his scoring streak at the final match. Al-Hilal will be playing the final match without their star player Neymar as he continues to recover from an ACL injury. Al-Hilal defeated Al-Nassr to claim the Saudi Pro League last season, and it would be the perfect opportunity for Ronaldo to turn the tables. Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup Final Live Streaming When will the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match take place? The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will be held on Saturday, August 17, 2024. Where will the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match take place? The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will take place at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium, Abha. When will the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match start? The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will begin at 9:45 pm IST. How to watch the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match on TV? The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will be telecasted live on Sony Sports Network in India. How to live-stream the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match online? The Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match will be streamed live on the Sony LIV app and website. All you need to know about the Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup final match Date: August 17, 2024 Time: 9:45 pm IST Venue: Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium, Abha Telecast and live-stream: Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV app and website (With inputs from agencies)

Al-Nassr vs Al-Hilal Saudi Super Cup Final: How to watch Cristiano Ronaldo live in India?

Portugal veteran Pepe announced on Thursday in a video on social media he was retiring from football aged 41.

"I would like to thank you all," said the centre-back as he cited the clubs he represented, as well as the Portuguese national team and his family.

"Everyone gave me the support I needed to leave with my mind at ease."

Pepe joined Portuguese side Maritimo at the age of 18 and went on to play for Porto, Spanish giants Real Madrid and Turkish club Besiktas.

He spent a trophy-laden 10 years with Madrid, where he won three Champions Leagues, two Club World Cups and three Spanish league titles.

He also enjoyed two stints at Porto, between 2004-2007 and 2019-2024, winning a total of four Portuguese championships and five Portuguese Cups.

Former Madrid and Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo paid homage to Pepe in a post on Instagram: "There are no words to express what you mean to me, my friend.

"We won everything there was to win on the pitch, but the biggest triumph is the friendship and the respect I have for you. You're unique, my brother.

"Thank you for so much."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-pr-sreejesh-stars-in-farewell-game-as-indian-men%E2%80%99s-hockey-team-win-bronze-social-media-reacts-748489">Paris Olympics: PR Sreejesh stars in farewell game as Indian men’s hockey team win bronze, social media reacts</a>

Although born in Brazil, the centre-back made his international debut for his adopted country of Portugal in 2007 and went on to earn 141 caps, winning the their first piece of major silverware at Euro 2016, as well as the Nations League three years later.

Pepe set a new record as the oldest player to ever play at a European Championship when he started Portugal's opening game at Euro 2024, aged 41.

Portugal's elimination on penalties at the quarter-final stage of the tournament against France turned out to be the final game of Pepe's 22-year career at the top level of the game.

Portuguese football federation president Fernando Gomes labelled the defender "one of the greatest players of all time" and thanked him for his "extraordinary professionalism, dedication... and passion for football".

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Portugal veteran Pepe announced on Thursday in a video on social media he was retiring from football aged 41. "I would like to thank you all," said the centre-back as he cited the clubs he represented, as well as the Portuguese national team and his family.

Portugal veteran Pepe announced on Thursday in a video on social media he was retiring from football aged 41. "I would like to thank you all," said the centre-back as he cited the clubs he represented, as well as the Portuguese national team and his family. "Everyone gave me the support I needed to leave with my mind at ease." Pepe joined Portuguese side Maritimo at the age of 18 and went on to play for Porto, Spanish giants Real Madrid and Turkish club Besiktas. He spent a trophy-laden 10 years with Madrid, where he won three Champions Leagues, two Club World Cups and three Spanish league titles. He also enjoyed two stints at Porto, between 2004-2007 and 2019-2024, winning a total of four Portuguese championships and five Portuguese Cups. Former Madrid and Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo paid homage to Pepe in a post on Instagram: "There are no words to express what you mean to me, my friend. "We won everything there was to win on the pitch, but the biggest triumph is the friendship and the respect I have for you. You're unique, my brother. "Thank you for so much." ALSO READ | Paris Olympics: PR Sreejesh stars in farewell game as Indian men’s hockey team win bronze, social media reacts Although born in Brazil, the centre-back made his international debut for his adopted country of Portugal in 2007 and went on to earn 141 caps, winning the their first piece of major silverware at Euro 2016, as well as the Nations League three years later. Pepe set a new record as the oldest player to ever play at a European Championship when he started Portugal's opening game at Euro 2024, aged 41. Portugal's elimination on penalties at the quarter-final stage of the tournament against France turned out to be the final game of Pepe's 22-year career at the top level of the game. Portuguese football federation president Fernando Gomes labelled the defender "one of the greatest players of all time" and thanked him for his "extraordinary professionalism, dedication... and passion for football". Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Legendary Portugal defender Pepe announces retirement at 41

Theo Hernandez scored the winning kick as Kylian Mbappe's France edged a tense Euro 2024 quarter-final clash with Portugal 5-3 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes on Friday in what will likely be remembered as Cristiano Ronaldo's last-ever match at the tournament.

France were successful with all their penalties as they advance to a last-four showdown with Spain, while Portugal's Joao Felix was the only player to miss, sending his team's third kick against the post.

It was overdue success in a shoot-out for France after they lost the 2022 World Cup final on penalties to Argentina and went out of the last Euros three years ago in the same way, against Switzerland in the last 16.

They also lost on penalties in the last major tournament in Germany, going down to Italy in the final of the 2006 World Cup.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/euro-2024-spain-continue-flawless-run-to-knockout-hosts-germany-kroos-drops-curtains-on-illustrious-career-738377">Euro 2024: Spain continue flawless run to knockout hosts Germany; Kroos drops curtains on illustrious career</a>

Mbappe, who missed the crucial kick against the Swiss, was already off the pitch by the time this shoot-out came around, having been replaced by Bradley Barcola midway through extra time.

Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Youssouf Fofana and Jules Kounde also scored from the spot for France.

"I am proud of my players. Even if we are not doing everything perfectly, we don't give up," said France coach Didier Deschamps. "Once again we are in the semi-finals. I will savour this a little even if we have another game coming up."

Mbappe endured a frustrating evening as he continues to search for his best form in the competition but appears inhibited while wearing a mask to protect the nose he broke against Austria in France's opening game.

At least he will get another chance to star in the semi-final, while Ronaldo, at 39, appears to have played at a Euros for the last time.

This has been his sixth European Championship, but he failed to add to his tournament record tally of 14 goals in Germany after misfiring in all of Portugal's five matches.

He scored his penalty, Portugal's first, but Roberto Martinez's team go out having failed to find the net in over six hours of football.

They beat Slovenia on penalties in the last 16 after a goalless draw, but this time fell short in what was a disappointing game in Hamburg.

"In the same way that it was maybe cruel for Slovenia in the last 16, today it was cruel for us. That's football," Bernardo Silva told CNN.

Neither of these teams had played anywhere close to their potential in their previous games at the tournament, but especially France, who have got this far without any of their players scoring a goal in open play.

<h2>Frustrating night for Mbappe</h2>

Randal Kolo Muani and Eduardo Camavinga came into the France line-up, while Antoine Griezmann was deployed as a number 10 behind the attackers.

France have been happy to sit off teams and rely on an excellent defence, while also struggling to play with any real intensity when in possession.

They had less of the ball in this game, a contest which never caught fire but did briefly come to life in the second half.

Portugal began to cause problems with runners getting into the box from midfield, first when Bruno Fernandes had a shot saved by Mike Maignan just after the hour mark.

Vitinha was next to try his luck moments later as he got on the end of Rafael Leao's low centre. Maignan, determined not to concede a first goal in open play at the competition, saved his shot and reacted quickly to stop Ronaldo back-heeling the ball in from close range.

France responded as Kolo Muani played a one-two with Kounde and went for goal, only for a vital Ruben Dias interception to save Portugal.

Deschamps then withdrew Griezmann and sent on Dembele, who wasted no time in setting up a golden chance for Camavinga which the midfielder put wide.

After that, the game drifted inevitably towards extra time, in which Ronaldo squandered a good opportunity from substitute Francisco Conceicao's cutback.

That was more than Mbappe managed, and France's captain watched the end of extra time from the bench, as Maignan denied Nuno Mendes at the very end of 120 minutes and penalties followed.

The shoot-out unfolded at the Portugal end of the Volksparkstadion, with Maignan not managing to make a save but not needing to.

Portugal's Diogo Costa saved three Slovenia penalties in the last round, but could not stop any this time.

Theo Hernandez scored the winning kick as Kylian Mbappe's France edged a tense Euro 2024 quarter-final clash with Portugal 5-3 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes on Friday in what will likely be remembered as Cristiano Ronaldo's last-ever match at the tournament.

Theo Hernandez scored the winning kick as Kylian Mbappe's France edged a tense Euro 2024 quarter-final clash with Portugal 5-3 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes on Friday in what will likely be remembered as Cristiano Ronaldo's last-ever match at the tournament. France were successful with all their penalties as they advance to a last-four showdown with Spain, while Portugal's Joao Felix was the only player to miss, sending his team's third kick against the post. It was overdue success in a shoot-out for France after they lost the 2022 World Cup final on penalties to Argentina and went out of the last Euros three years ago in the same way, against Switzerland in the last 16. They also lost on penalties in the last major tournament in Germany, going down to Italy in the final of the 2006 World Cup. ALSO READ: Euro 2024: Spain continue flawless run to knockout hosts Germany; Kroos drops curtains on illustrious career Mbappe, who missed the crucial kick against the Swiss, was already off the pitch by the time this shoot-out came around, having been replaced by Bradley Barcola midway through extra time. Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Youssouf Fofana and Jules Kounde also scored from the spot for France. "I am proud of my players. Even if we are not doing everything perfectly, we don't give up," said France coach Didier Deschamps. "Once again we are in the semi-finals. I will savour this a little even if we have another game coming up." Mbappe endured a frustrating evening as he continues to search for his best form in the competition but appears inhibited while wearing a mask to protect the nose he broke against Austria in France's opening game. At least he will get another chance to star in the semi-final, while Ronaldo, at 39, appears to have played at a Euros for the last time. This has been his sixth European Championship, but he failed to add to his tournament record tally of 14 goals in Germany after misfiring in all of Portugal's five matches. He scored his penalty, Portugal's first, but Roberto Martinez's team go out having failed to find the net in over six hours of football. They beat Slovenia on penalties in the last 16 after a goalless draw, but this time fell short in what was a disappointing game in Hamburg. "In the same way that it was maybe cruel for Slovenia in the last 16, today it was cruel for us. That's football," Bernardo Silva told CNN. Neither of these teams had played anywhere close to their potential in their previous games at the tournament, but especially France, who have got this far without any of their players scoring a goal in open play. Frustrating night for Mbappe Randal Kolo Muani and Eduardo Camavinga came into the France line-up, while Antoine Griezmann was deployed as a number 10 behind the attackers. France have been happy to sit off teams and rely on an excellent defence, while also struggling to play with any real intensity when in possession. They had less of the ball in this game, a contest which never caught fire but did briefly come to life in the second half. Portugal began to cause problems with runners getting into the box from midfield, first when Bruno Fernandes had a shot saved by Mike Maignan just after the hour mark. Vitinha was next to try his luck moments later as he got on the end of Rafael Leao's low centre. Maignan, determined not to concede a first goal in open play at the competition, saved his shot and reacted quickly to stop Ronaldo back-heeling the ball in from close range. France responded as Kolo Muani played a one-two with Kounde and went for goal, only for a vital Ruben Dias interception to save Portugal. Deschamps then withdrew Griezmann and sent on Dembele, who wasted no time in setting up a golden chance for Camavinga which the midfielder put wide. After that, the game drifted inevitably towards extra time, in which Ronaldo squandered a good opportunity from substitute Francisco Conceicao's cutback. That was more than Mbappe managed, and France's captain watched the end of extra time from the bench, as Maignan denied Nuno Mendes at the very end of 120 minutes and penalties followed. The shoot-out unfolded at the Portugal end of the Volksparkstadion, with Maignan not managing to make a save but not needing to. Portugal's Diogo Costa saved three Slovenia penalties in the last round, but could not stop any this time.

Euro 2024: France beat Portugal in penalties to set up semis clash with Spain

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said his team lost with "pride" against France in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals on Friday, pledging they would come back stronger.

The Spaniard said his team put in their best performance of the tournament in Hamburg as France gained revenge for their 2016 final defeat with a 5-3 penalty triumph following a goalless draw after extra time.

"(We showed we are) a team that can suffer, but wants to win for the fans," Martinez told SportTV. "We lost, but with pride, in the Portuguese style of giving everything."

Martinez said the team's younger players would improve as a result of the tense clash at the Volksparkstadion.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/france-to-face-spain-in-semis-as-cristiano-ronaldos-portugal-exit-euro-2024-738391">France to face Spain in semis as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal exit Euro 2024</a>

"Our players will grow a lot from this experience," continued Martinez. "The personality, the chances, how we created danger in the final third.

"It was a performance that makes us look to the future with great pride."

The coach praised 41-year-old defender Pepe, the oldest player in the tournament's history, who appeared in tears at the end of the match.

"He was a warrior... what Pepe did today and in the tournament was exemplary," added Martinez.

Pepe said he would talk about his future with the national team at a later juncture.

"I'll have time to talk about my future, we have to get over this huge pain, we had the ability to win the competition, and now we have to lift our heads up," said the centre-back.

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, failed to score in five appearances and has now gone nine major tournament games without finding the net.

Ronaldo was playing in a record-extending sixth Euros and is the competition's all-time top goalscorer with 14 strikes.

Asked if this was the Al Nassr forward's last game for his country, Martinez said it was too soon to think about that.

"We just finished the game, everything is still too raw, we're suffering a defeat as a team, there's no individual decisions at this point," Martinez told reporters.

The former Everton and Wigan coach said his team "deserved to win" against the 2018 World Cup winners.

"Today was a great game, an amazing performance," he added. "Tonight is not the night to look at errors, the only mistake is that the ball did not go in."

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said his team lost with "pride" against France in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals on Friday, pledging they would come back stronger.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said his team lost with "pride" against France in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals on Friday, pledging they would come back stronger. The Spaniard said his team put in their best performance of the tournament in Hamburg as France gained revenge for their 2016 final defeat with a 5-3 penalty triumph following a goalless draw after extra time. "(We showed we are) a team that can suffer, but wants to win for the fans," Martinez told SportTV. "We lost, but with pride, in the Portuguese style of giving everything." Martinez said the team's younger players would improve as a result of the tense clash at the Volksparkstadion. ALSO READ: France to face Spain in semis as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal exit Euro 2024 "Our players will grow a lot from this experience," continued Martinez. "The personality, the chances, how we created danger in the final third. "It was a performance that makes us look to the future with great pride." The coach praised 41-year-old defender Pepe, the oldest player in the tournament's history, who appeared in tears at the end of the match. "He was a warrior... what Pepe did today and in the tournament was exemplary," added Martinez. Pepe said he would talk about his future with the national team at a later juncture. "I'll have time to talk about my future, we have to get over this huge pain, we had the ability to win the competition, and now we have to lift our heads up," said the centre-back. Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, failed to score in five appearances and has now gone nine major tournament games without finding the net. Ronaldo was playing in a record-extending sixth Euros and is the competition's all-time top goalscorer with 14 strikes. Asked if this was the Al Nassr forward's last game for his country, Martinez said it was too soon to think about that. "We just finished the game, everything is still too raw, we're suffering a defeat as a team, there's no individual decisions at this point," Martinez told reporters. The former Everton and Wigan coach said his team "deserved to win" against the 2018 World Cup winners. "Today was a great game, an amazing performance," he added. "Tonight is not the night to look at errors, the only mistake is that the ball did not go in."

Is Ronaldo’s international career over after Portugal's Euro 2024 exit? Martinez comments

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted in tears during his side’s penalty shootout win over Slovenia in the Euro 2024 on Monday (July 1). Ronaldo, playing in his sixth European championship was handed a golden opportunity to score in his sixth Euro tournament but missed a 103rd-minute penalty as Portugal were denied the chance to win the match in extra time before goalkeeper Diogo Costa’s heroics saved their day in the penalty shootout.

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Cristiano Ronaldo está llorando por el fallo del penal. Está cerca de comenzar el segundo tiempo extra. Estoy muy roto. 💔 
 
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<h2>Ronaldo in tears</h2>

After seeing the match move into extra time as both Portugal and Slovenia could not score in normal time, Ronaldo was presented with an opportunity to win the match. In the 103rd minute, Vanja Drkusic's challenge on Diego Jota saw Portugal awarded a penalty which was taken by Ronaldo. However, presented the opportunity, the 39-year-old missed his penalty with Slovenia captain and goalkeeper Jan Oblak guessing the right way.

After the penalty incident, soon the half-time whistle arrived in extra time and Ronaldo was seen in tears. He was agitated by the penalty miss with teammates surrounding him and consoling. Manchester United defender, who did not play in the match and was an unused substitute came to Ronaldo and consoled him with a kiss on the head.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/euro-2024-france-edge-past-belgium-in-tight-round-of-16-match-to-ender-quarterfinals-736902">Euro 2024: France edge past Belgium in tight Round of 16 match to enter quarterfinals</a>

<h2>Ronaldo has redemption</h2>

While Ronaldo’s penalty miss in extra time saw him miss out on scoring in six consecutive Euro’s he did get his redemption soon. With the match heading into a penalty shootout, Ronaldo took the opportunity to score Portugal’s second penalty. This time he got the better of Oblak and converted to give Portugal a 2-0 lead in the shootout. They would eventually win the shootout 3-0 with Diogo Costa saving all three of Slovenia’s penalties.

However, despite the shootout goal, Ronaldo is not technically registered to have scored a goal at the Euro 2024 as shootout goals are not counted. Therefore, the Portugal captain will have to wait for Saturday’s clash against France where he could become the first player to score at six Euros. The penalty miss also sees him stranded at 14 goals in the competition’s history.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted in tears during his side’s penalty shootout win over Slovenia in the Euro 2024 on Monday (July 1). Ronaldo, playing in his sixth European championship was handed a golden opportunity to score in his sixth Euro tournament but missed a 103rd-minute penalty as Portugal were denied the chance to win the match in extra time before goalkeeper Diogo Costa’s heroics saved their day in the penalty shootout.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted in tears during his side’s penalty shootout win over Slovenia in the Euro 2024 on Monday (July 1). Ronaldo, playing in his sixth European championship was handed a golden opportunity to score in his sixth Euro tournament but missed a 103rd-minute penalty as Portugal were denied the chance to win the match in extra time before goalkeeper Diogo Costa’s heroics saved their day in the penalty shootout. Cristiano Ronaldo está llorando por el fallo del penal. Está cerca de comenzar el segundo tiempo extra. Estoy muy roto. 💔 pic.twitter.com/JiyTntHIbW — MT2 (@madrid_total2) July 1, 2024 × Ronaldo in tears After seeing the match move into extra time as both Portugal and Slovenia could not score in normal time, Ronaldo was presented with an opportunity to win the match. In the 103rd minute, Vanja Drkusic's challenge on Diego Jota saw Portugal awarded a penalty which was taken by Ronaldo. However, presented the opportunity, the 39-year-old missed his penalty with Slovenia captain and goalkeeper Jan Oblak guessing the right way. After the penalty incident, soon the half-time whistle arrived in extra time and Ronaldo was seen in tears. He was agitated by the penalty miss with teammates surrounding him and consoling. Manchester United defender, who did not play in the match and was an unused substitute came to Ronaldo and consoled him with a kiss on the head. ALSO READ | Euro 2024: France edge past Belgium in tight Round of 16 match to enter quarterfinals Ronaldo has redemption While Ronaldo’s penalty miss in extra time saw him miss out on scoring in six consecutive Euro’s he did get his redemption soon. With the match heading into a penalty shootout, Ronaldo took the opportunity to score Portugal’s second penalty. This time he got the better of Oblak and converted to give Portugal a 2-0 lead in the shootout. They would eventually win the shootout 3-0 with Diogo Costa saving all three of Slovenia’s penalties. However, despite the shootout goal, Ronaldo is not technically registered to have scored a goal at the Euro 2024 as shootout goals are not counted. Therefore, the Portugal captain will have to wait for Saturday’s clash against France where he could become the first player to score at six Euros. The penalty miss also sees him stranded at 14 goals in the competition’s history.

WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo in tears after star striker misses extra time penalty in Euro 2024 against Slovenia

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