Tag: Cristiano Ronaldo

Eric Nicksick: Cristiano Ronaldo felt like ‘part of the team’ in Francis Ngannou’s locker room before PFL title win

Francis Ngannou had a sporting icon in his locker room ahead of his MMA return.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] had a sport’s icon in his locker room ahead of his MMA return.

Ngannou (18-3) claimed the inaugural superfight heavyweight title by knocking out Renan Ferreira (13-4) in the first round of Saturday’s PFL: Battle of the Giants main event.

Prior to making the walk, Ngannou had [autotag]Cristiano Ronaldo[/autotag] in his locker room. Eric Nicksick says the soccer icon provided Ngannou some comfort and support after going through a similar traumatic experience.

“He’s super down to earth, super cool guy, and he’s actually a huge fight fan,” Nicksick told MMA Junkie. “He had a bunch of questions. He was talking to me about Strickland, he was talking to me about this and whatever fight it was. At one point Francis got up to wrap his hands and Ronaldo was talking about that he could feel Francis’ energy and he’s like, ‘I’m going to give him words of encouragement.’

“He was talking about the loss of one of his children and how he related to things like that. It was pretty cool. I know how big of a star he is, but him sitting next to me and having this very personal conversation – he felt like he was a part of the team right then and there. His son was in there with us and hanging out. It was very much a welcomed energy to have in the room, especially with someone of that stature that understands the highest of pressure. It was cool. He was a great guy. Very down to earth. Very cool.”

Ronaldo, widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time and most well-known celebrities in the world, has been a longtime MMA fan, previously hanging out with the likes of UFC superstar Conor McGregor.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Euro career likely ends with haunting missed game-winning shot for Portugal

If that was the end of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Euro career, it couldn’t have come in more heartbreaking fashion.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s career at the Euro in all likelihood came to an end on Friday in the quarterfinals against France, and if it really was the end, the legend went out in heartbreaking fashion.

With the match still scoreless in the 93rd minute during added time, Ronaldo was served up an excellent opportunity to break the shutout with what almost certainly would have been a game-winner for Portugal.

Instead, Ronaldo’s shot sailed sky-high, and the match went to extra time, where it remained scoreless and necessitated a penalty shootout. Ronaldo did his part, leading Portugal off with a make, but it wasn’t enough as France would make all five of its shots and win the shootout 5-4 to advance to the semifinals.

He squandered a similar opportunity during the Round of 16 win over Portugal, missing a late penalty kick opportunity against Slovenia before redeeming himself during the shootout. This time, things didn’t work out that way.

Ronaldo is 39, and while it would be far from surprising to see him try to push his career until he’s 43, there’s a very good chance Friday’s match was the last we’ll see of him at the Euro.

He made history this year by appearing in a record sixth Euro, but after a Round of 16 finish in 2020, he once again fell short in his quest to lead Portugal to another European championship after he helped the team win its first in 2016.

And barring something surprising, Portugal will have to continue on its quest for another title without its captain.

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Cristiano Ronaldo was so relieved he redeemed himself during Portugal’s penalty shootout at Euro 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo got his redemption as Portugal moves on to the Euro 2024 quarterfinals.

Cristiano Ronaldo came up short with an opportunity to punch Portugal’s ticket to the Euro 2024 quarterfinals.

He was awarded a penalty kick in the 105th minute, but an incredible save from Slovenia’s Jan Oblak kept the match alive. Ronaldo was overcome with emotion after coming up short in that big spot.

However, he earned his shot at redemption.

The Round of 16 contest ultimately went to a penalty shootout as it remained locked in a 0-0 tie at the end of extra time. Ronaldo wouldn’t squander his second chance, and after he started the team off with a make, Portugal ultimately won the shootout 3-0.

He once again became emotional, but this time, it was a look of sheer joy and relief.

Portugal advances to face France, which dispatched Belgium 1-0 with a goal in the 85th minute in its Round of 16 matchup, on Friday in Hamburg. Ronaldo is 39 and playing in his record sixth Euro, and he’s looking to help Portugal capture its second championship after it won Euro 2016.

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Cristiano Ronaldo was in tears after Slovenia’s Jan Oblak saved his extra-time penalty at Euro 2024

Soccer really means everything to Cristiano Ronaldo.

A living legend, Cristiano Ronaldo has accomplished just about everything you could hope for as a professional soccer player. But as he tries to win another Euro championship for his country, it’s abundantly clear the Portuguese superstar is nowhere near satisfied.

In the late stages of extra time during Portugal’s Round of 16 matchup with Slovenia at Euro 2024, Ronaldo had a golden opportunity to seal a likely victory. He had a chip-shot penalty kick that probably would’ve sealed the deal against the upstart Slovenians.

There was one not-so-small problem. Ronaldo had to score against Jan Oblak, one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

Oblak wound up making an incredible save on a Ronaldo shot that both had pace and height:

In the aftermath, Ronaldo couldn’t help himself. He was overcome with emotion and started crying as his Portuguese teammates comforted him over his miss.

For Ronaldo, it’s pretty clear that ball is (still) life.

Featured image courtesy of Fox Sports

Ronaldo breaks all-time Saudi record for goals in single season

Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals against Al Ittihad on Monday, breaking the Saudi Pro League record for goals in a season.

Cristiano Ronaldo may be nearing the end of his career, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still setting new records.

The Al Nassr star scored two goals against Al Ittihad on Monday, his 34th and 35th of the season.

Ronaldo’s second goal, a towering header off a corner kick in the 69th minute, broke the all-time Saudi Pro League record for goals in a single season.

The 39-year-old reached the mark in just 31 league games, also tallying 11 league assists for Al Nassr in a standout campaign. Overall, Ronaldo has 50 goals in the 2023-24 season.

The record was previously held by Abderrazak Hamdallah, who scored 34 goals in the the 2018-19 season for Al Nassr as well.

Ronaldo set the record in Al Nassr’s final league game of the season, with the club guaranteed to finish second behind Al Hilal.

Al Nassr will have a chance to get some revenge on Friday when it faces Al Hilal in the King Cup final.

Watch Ronaldo’s record-setting goal

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Al Nassr 2024-25 kit leaks as Ronaldo spotted wearing new shirt

The Saudi club will switch to Adidas ahead of next season

The new Al Nassr home kit has leaked, with the Saudi club’s star Cristiano Ronaldo spotted wearing the shirt.

On X, @Nawaf_STATS shared a picture of Ronaldo along with teammates Marcelo Brozović and Otávio wearing the club’s Adidas home kit for 2024-25. Additionally, a

In February, Al Nassr and Adidas announced a three-year partnership starting next season, with the German apparel giant set to take over from current kit manufacturer Nike.

The team’s new home shirt will feature its traditional color scheme of a yellow backdrop with blue accents. The jersey will have a v-neck collar and the iconic Adidas three-stripe design on the shoulders.

 

Al Nassr will be looking to end a run of back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Saudi Pro League in 2024-25. Ronaldo’s side finished second to Al Ittihad last term and has already sealed second place this season, with Al Hilal clinching the title.

Ronaldo has had an incredible campaign even after turning 39 in February. The Portugal star has 33 league goals and 48 in all competitions — his best tally since the 2015-16 season.

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Ilia Topuria vows to surpass Cristiano Ronaldo as highest-paid athlete in 2025: ‘I have no doubt, really’

UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has big aspirations – and maybe they’re even a little too big.

UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] has big aspirations – and maybe they’re even a little too big.

Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) emerged as a big star after he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to win the 145-pound title at UFC 298 in February.

Topuria’s victory tour included taking the honorary kickoff at Real Madrid FC’s game against Sevilla in their home stadium, the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, meeting soccer icon Lionel Messi, and the promise of Spanish citizenship by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

When asked how much money he thinks he’ll make in 2025, Topuria made a bold prediction.

“Look, I can tell you I have no doubt that in 2025, I will be the highest-paid athlete in the world,” Topuria said in Spanish on the “Webpositer Podcast.”

According to Forbes, [autotag]Cristiano Ronaldo[/autotag] was 2023’s highest-paid athlete, making $136 million.

“I’ll be there. I have no doubt,” Topuria said. “I mean, I’d be surprised if I didn’t do it. If I did, I have no doubt, really.”

It may not be an entirely impossible feat for Topuria, who has someone to point to as an example in MMA. In 2021, Conor McGregor hit the No. 1 spot on Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes list when he earned $180 million. Messi came in at No. 2 with $130 million, followed by Ronaldo at No. 3 with $120 million.

Topuria’s rise has gotten the UFC interested in making it’s debut in Spain. The 27-year-old is yet to zero in on his first title defense but has the likes of Max Holloway, Volkanovski and Brian Ortega as options.

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Cristiano Ronaldo chose the pettiest time to endorse the Saudi League over MLS after Lionel Messi’s move

What an absolutely insecure comment.

In the primes of their career, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had one of the greatest rivalries in soccer history as members of Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively. To this day, both are primary subjects of a Men’s GOAT soccer debate, one that, by now, Messi has won handily with seven Ballon d’Or trophies to Ronaldo’s five and one World Cup trophy to Ronaldo’s zero.

But that hasn’t stopped Ronaldo from taking apparent potshots at Messi here and there, showing he’s probably a little bitter that Messi will have left behind a better legacy when all is said and done.

The latest example comes from Ronaldo’s strange comparative endorsement of the Saudi Pro League during a press conference. After a high-profile transfer from Manchester United, the superstar joined the league in January 2023. And at literally any time since January, Ronaldo could’ve endorsed the overall quality of his new league. At any time, he could’ve professed how much it apparently pushes him as an athlete.

Instead, he chose to talk up the Saudi League while bashing the MLS just days after Messi officially joined Inter Miami and began practicing with them. Hmm, curious timing!

Ronaldo can endorse his own decision to take $220 million to play wherever he wants. That is his prerogative.

But it is impossible to see his juxtaposition as anything but a passive-aggressive shot at Messi joining the MLS, given the timing. Even after definitively losing the all-time battle, the man clearly hasn’t quite let go of his rivalry with the fellow all-time Argentinian great.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Saudi league is better than MLS

After Messi’s move to MLS, Ronaldo unsurprisingly had some thoughts

After his longtime rival Lionel Messi completed a move to MLS, Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t help but offer his assessment of the North American top flight.

In comments that will surprise no one, the Al Nassr striker said he believes the Saudi Pro League is superior to the league Messi now calls home.

“The Saudi league is better than MLS,” Ronaldo told a press conference after he was asked about the chance of following Messi to North America.

Speaking after Al Nassr fell 5-0 to Celta Vigo in a preseason friendly, Ronaldo claimed some credit for being the first of what now seems to be a constant stream of big-name players moving to the Saudi league.

“I opened the way to the Saudi league, and now all the players are coming here,” the Portugal star said.

He added: “In one year, more and more top players will come to Saudi. In a year the Saudi league will overtake the Turkish league and Dutch league.”

While he ruled out the possibility of moving to MLS, Ronaldo also emphasized that after a record-filled run with Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, he will not be returning to Europe.

“I’m 100 percent sure I won’t return to any European club,” Ronaldo said. “I’m 38 years old. And European football has lost a lot of quality. The only valid one and still doing good is the Premier League. They’re way ahead of all the other leagues.”

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Ahead of spending spree, Saudi fund takes over four teams

In its pursuit of big names, Saudi Arabia will aim to overwhelm the competition financially

Four of the biggest clubs in Saudi Arabia have been taken over by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the country’s sovereign wealth fund.

PIF, which also owns Newcastle United, will take a 75 percent stake in Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Nassr. The remaining 25 percent of those clubs will be held by non-profit foundations.

“Four Saudi clubs … have been transformed into companies, each of which is owned by PIF and non-profit foundations for each club,” a statement said.

“The transfer of the four clubs will unleash various commercial opportunities, including investment, partnership and sponsorships across numerous sports.”

Saudi Arabia has been aiming to turn its league into a destination for some of the world’s top talent. In order to sign some of the biggest stars, the PIF has undertaken the same strategy that its nascent LIV Golf tour has: offer more money than anybody else could dream.

Cristiano Ronaldo became the world’s highest-paid athlete after his move to Al Nassr, according to Forbes, with an annual compensation of an estimated $136 million.

Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema is set to join Al Ittihad and will be paid a reported $643 million over a three-year deal.

The crown jewel, of course, is Lionel Messi, who is already a paid spokesman for Saudi Arabia’s tourism bureau. The Argentine superstar has left PSG as a free agent, and has reportedly been offered somewhere between $375 to $642 million per year to join Al Hilal.

Messi’s father Jorge said on Monday that the 35-year-old “would love to return to Barcelona,” but it remains to be seen if the Blaugrana have the capability to even make an offer amid the club’s ongoing financial difficulties.

Inter Miami is also pushing to make Messi one of the biggest signings in MLS history. But Miami, like Barcelona and every other club, will be well aware that if a team in Saudi Arabia really wants a player now, they won’t be outspent.

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