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Ronaldo, Neymar and Benzema set sights on Asian Champions League title

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Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema have won a combined total of 11 UEFA Champions League titles and, starting Monday, they lead the Saudi Arabian challenge in the Asian edition.

Neymar, who last week surpassed Pele’s international goal tally for Brazil, arrived at Al-Hilal in August and made his league debut on Friday as the four-time Asian champion thrashed Abha 6-1. Hilal lost the final to Urawa Reds of Japan last May.

Since then, Saudi Arabian clubs have spent around $950 million on some of the biggest stars in the world. The spending is being fueled by a move by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund to take a majority ownership stake in four of the country’s top clubs, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr.

As well as Neymar, Al-Hilal has signed English Premier League stars Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly and Aleksandar Mitrovic as well as Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, Brazilian winger Malcom and Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

Mumbai City has been placed in the same group and the Indians are looking forward to a chance to take on Hilal and especially its Brazilian superstar.

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“I think anyone that’s seen the movement in some of these teams, and Neymar being the latest to arrive there, it’s exciting,” Mumbai’s coach Des Buckingham said. “They’re bringing that caliber and quality of player to India, which is going to be extremely exciting for us and for our club but also for the fans of India.”

In total, there are four Saudi Arabian representatives among the 40 in the group stage with the ten group winners and the six-best second -placed teams progressing to the second round.

After years of games between Saudi Arabia and Iran being played in neutral venues, Ronaldo will lead Al-Nassr to Tehran on Tuesday to take on Persepolis. The visitor has never lifted the Asian trophy.

Persepolis president Reza Darvish told local television earlier this month that Al-Nassr will be provided with full access to the internet, unlike the general public in the country.

“I have spoken with the CEO of Irancell, and I told him we want to give players and personnel Irancell SIM cards with unrestricted internet so they can use it from the time they enter Iran till the time they leave,” Darvish said.

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Al-Ittihad is Saudi Arabian champion and, as well as Benzema, has brought in past European winners such as N’Golo Kante from Chelsea and Fabinho from Liverpool. The two-time Asian champion starts against AGMK of Uzbekistan in Jeddah.

Al-Fayha completes the Saudi quartet but is not owned, like the other three, by the Public Investment Fund and does not have the same star power. The team starts with a tough trip to Uzbekistan to take on Pakhtakor.

The tournament is not all about the Saudi Arabian teams as it is split into geographic zones until the final, ensuring a representative from the eastern half of the continent next May.

Japan’s Urawa Reds is the current champion and Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i of South Korea lifted the trophy in 2020.

“We know that Saudi Arabian teams will provide strong opposition but the standard is rising all across Asia,” Ulsan coach Hong Myong-bo said. “We have to focus first on doing as well as we can .”

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-AP

 

 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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At age 40, Ronaldo extends Al Nassr contract until 2027

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Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring a goal REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a two-year contract extension with Al Nassr, the Saudi Pro League side said on Thursday, which will keep the Portugal forward at the club past his 42nd birthday.

Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr in 2022 after leaving Manchester United to become a free agent, has scored 93 goals in 105 appearances for them in all competitions.

“”A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together,” Ronaldo said in a post on X.

Ronaldo arrived in Al Nassr on a two-and-a-half-year contract soon after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

That made him the highest-paid athlete in the world and he has topped the list for the last three years, according to Forbes.

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At the age of 40, Ronaldo’s estimated total earnings are around $275 million.

He has shown few signs of slowing down, with the forward leading Portugal to a second UEFA Nations League title this month when they beat neighbours Spain in the final.

Ronaldo is also eyeing the 1,000-goal milestone in his career. He has scored 794 goals in club football and 138 for Portugal to take his tally to 932.

His arrival in Saudi Arabia opened the floodgates for several high-profile players based in Europe to make the switch to the SPL, such as Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema.

Although Ronaldo has won the Arab Club Champions Cup with Al Nassr, he has been unable to guide them to the SPL title, with their best finish being runners-up in 2022-23 and 2023-24. They finished third last season.

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-Reuters

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Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, announces that Al-Nassr chapter is ‘over’

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Ronaldo In Trouble In Saudi For Obscene Gesture -

Cristiano Ronaldo indicated on May 26 that he could leave Al-Nassr, after declaring that a “chapter is over” hours after the conclusion of the Saudi Pro League season.

The 40-year-old Portuguese striker joined Al-Nassr in 2022 from Manchester United and his contract with the Saudi club ends this summer.

A special transfer window runs from June 1 to 10 to allow the 32 clubs involved in the Club World Cup to sign players. Al-Nassr are not at the Club World Cup unlike fellow Saudi side Al-Hilal.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino last week said “there are discussions” over the former United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Sporting Lisbon star playing at the expanded tournament in the United States starting on June 14.

This could mean that he could sign for a new club before then.

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“This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all,” Ronaldo cryptically said on social media with a photo of him in an Al-Nassr shirt.

According to Arab news outlet Al-Yaum, Al-Nassr had reportedly offered him a new contract that would slash salary by more than half – Ronaldo currently holds the world’s highest football salary at around €200 million (S$292 million) annually.

Al-Yaum reported that Al-Nassr’s new proposal includes a 52 per cent pay cut, reducing his annual earnings to €96 million. In exchange, the club offered Ronaldo a 5 per cent ownership stake in the team, along with additional investment benefits in Saudi Arabia.

The team lost in the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League in April to Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale and finished third in the Saudi Pro League.

Ronaldo is the league’s top scorer with 25 goals.

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In 2024, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said he could end his career with Al-Nassr.

Meanwhile, his great rival Lionel Messi will play at the Club World Cup with Inter Miami.

During a recent interview with YouTuber and streamer IShowSpeed, Infantino said: “And Ronaldo might play for one of the teams as well at the Club World Cup.

“There are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup… who knows, who knows.”

It remains to be seen where Ronaldo’s future lies.

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Just last week, a source close to Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca said they are not in talks to sign him. Spanish outlet Marca reported that Wydad were hoping to sign the forward to lead their attack at the Club World Cup.

“It was just a friendly talk between Wydad’s president and an agent close to Ronaldo, without going beyond informal discussions,” the source told Reuters.

-Reuters/AFP

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Ronaldo reaches deal with Saudi club Al Nassr to extend contract

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Ronaldo Suspended For One Match For Obscene Gesture In Saudi League Game -

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 has told AFP.

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”.

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“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.

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.

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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.

-AFP

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