Ronaldo spoke with the media after his Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia Pro League suffered a 5-0 loss in a friendly game against La Liga’s Celta Vigo. The 38-year-old player was asked whether he would make a switch to MLS and follow the footsteps of Messi, who recently signed with Inter Miami.

“The Saudi league is better than MLS,” Ronaldo responded. “I opened the way to the Saudi league, and now all the players are coming here.”

According to Ronaldo, Saudi Pro League will soon become better than some prominent European leagues.

“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,” he added.

It appears that Ronaldo is also done with playing in Europe, at least at the club level.

“I’m 100 percent sure I won’t return to any European club,” he explained. “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.”

Cristiano Ronaldo was the first big star to come to Saudi Arabia, and others have followed. His former teammate Karim Benzema signed a lucrative deal with Al-Ittihad this summer, while a number of other prominent names followed, including Marcelo Brozovic, Edouard Mendy, N’Golo Kante, and Roberto Firmino.

Messi was also pursued by Saudi Arabia clubs and reportedly had a $1 billion offer on the table to make the switch. However, the Argentina captain ended up deciding to come to MLS and contribute to the popularization of soccer in the United States. 

The post Cristiano Ronaldo: “The Saudi League is Better Than MLS” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Forbes compiled the newest edition of The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes list by combining on-the-field earnings like salaries and bonuses as well as off-the-field income from sponsorship deals, endorsements, and businesses.

Ronaldo tops the list with an estimated $46 million in on-the-field earnings, which were boosted by the $220 million deal he signed with Al Nassr. He also earned $90 million off-the-field, the fourth-most since Forbes started tracking the athletes’ earnings.

Behind Ronaldo are a duo of Paris Saint-Germain stars. Argentine forward Lionel Messi earned $130 million in the past 12 months, while his PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe received $120 million, including an astonishing $100 million in on-the-field earnings. Mbappe is the youngest athlete on the list and the only one younger than 30.

NBA star LeBron James, who recently became the first active athlete to be certified a billionaire, sits at No. 4 with $119.5 million in earnings. Boxer Canelo Álvarez rounds up the Top 5, having earned a total of $110 million.

Also in the Top 10 are pair of golfers Dustin Johnson ($107 million) and Phil Mickelson ($106 million), who sit at No. 6 and No. 7, respectively. Johnson and Mickelson benefited from their lucrative deals with the newly-formed golf tour LIV Golf.

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry is at No. 8 with $100.4 million in earnings, while retired tennis legend Roger Federer ($95.1 million) and Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant ($89.1 million) close out the list.

The post Cristiano Ronaldo Unveiled as the Highest-Paid Athlete in the World appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Ronaldo earned his 196th international cap at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, however, he was unable to break the record at the tournament as his team crashed out in the quarterfinals. He was afforded the opportunity to achieve this feat upon being awarded a place in his national squad’s Euro 2024 qualifying match by new Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.

Prior to the release of Portugal’s lineup for Thursday night’s game, there was mass speculation regarding whether or not Ronaldo would receive a place in the national squad going forward. The 37-year-old was omitted from the starting 11 in each of Portugal’s knockout round games in the World Cup, with his replacement Goncalo Ramos scoring a hat trick during the 6-1 win over Switzerland in the round of 16.

In addition to the all-time appearances record, Ronaldo has also scored the most international goals of all time with 118.

The post Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Record For International Appearances appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Messi scored the first goal of the game for PSG while Ronaldo, who made his first return to football since the World Cup, grabbed the equalizer from the penalty spot.

The game heated up near the end of the first half when PSG defender Juan Bernat was sent off. Despite being a man down, PSG restored their lead through Marquinos after which Neymar missed a penalty. Ronaldo grabbed his second goal of the game before the halftime break after slotting in the rebound after his well-struck header hit the post.

Center back Sergio Ramos put PSG 3-2 up before both Ronaldo and Messi were substituted around the 60th-minute mark, bringing an end to their game. With Ronaldo having departed European football, there is a possibility that this game was the last time that he and Messi would face one another on the same pitch.

PSG began to run away with the game when Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty and Hugo Ekitike handed them a 5-3 lead. While Anderson Talisca pulled one back in the 94th minute, it proved too little too late as PSG held on for the win.

The post Ronaldo and Messi Score in 5-4 Thriller appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to reports, Ronaldo will play 45 minutes as he looks to get some game time under his belt ahead of his Al-Nassr debut on Sunday. The Portuguese forward missed the first two games since signing for the club due to serving a two-game ban handed to him by the English Football Association.

Highly anticipated due to being the potential final showdown between Messi and Ronaldo, more than two million online ticket requests have been submitted for the game. Bidding for a VIP “Beyond Imagination” ticket for the game has already gotten underway with over $2.66 million worth of bids being submitted in an auction set to end on Tuesday.

Following the PSG exhibition game, Ronaldo is expected to make his Al-Nassr debut in Sunday’s Saudi Pro League game against Al Ettifaq.

The post Ronaldo Named Captain of Saudi Team to Face PSG and Messi appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Media reports have been circulating in which it has been suggested that the Portuguese forward, who signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Al-Nassr last month, will be obligated to support the Saudi World Cup bid as per a binding contractual clause. The reports added that Ronaldo would be paid another €200 million in exchange.

“Al Nassr FC would like to clarify that contrary to news reports, Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract with Al Nassr does not entail commitments to any World Cup bids,” the club stated in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Currently, Saudi Arabia is in the midst of working on its bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. While bids officially opened last year, the winning bid will be selected at the FIFA Congress in 2024.

The post No Saudi World Cup Bid Clause in Ronaldo’s Contract, Al-Nassr Confirms appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Santos, Ronaldo’s availability for the South Korea game is dependent on whether or not he is able to partake in team practice on Thursday and if he shows that he is in good condition.

Ronaldo missed out on team training on Wednesday, instead opting to remain at the gym and focus on recovery and other specific exercises. Considering that his team has already qualified for the knockout stages, the Portugal captain could be rested even if he is considered fit for the clash.

Portugal defeated Ghana 3-2 in their opening group game after which they beat Uruguay 2-0. Currently, on top of the Group H standings, Portugal is guaranteed a top-two finish and thus progression to the Round of 16.

Santos expressed confidence in his players’ abilities while acknowledging the tough schedule they face with a game roughly every four days. PSG defender Nuno Mendes will miss the rest of the World Cup after sustaining a thigh injury during the Uruguay game.

The post Ronaldo “50-50” to Face South Korea, Portugal Coach Reveals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“In the match between Portugal and Uruguay, using the Connected Ball Technology housed in Adidas’ Al Rihla Official Match Ball, we are able to definitively show no contact on the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo for the opening goal in the game,” a statement from FIFA on behalf of ball manufacturer Adidas read.

The 54th-minute goal came about when Bruno Fernandes crossed the ball into the box. While Ronaldo claimed to have touched it before it went into the Uruguayan net, neither Fernandes nor Portugal coach Fernando Santos could confirm that Ronaldo made contact with the ball.

FIFA remains adamant that its technology has made the correct call, claiming that the 500Hz IMU sensor contained within the ball enables a highly accurate analysis.

The technology within the World Cup’s official match balls provides real-time data to match officials, namely every touch that players make with the ball. This assists the officials to make more accurate refereeing decisions while also improving the speed and quality of VAR decisions.

The post Ronaldo Did Not Score Against Uruguay, FIFA Confirms appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“I think he likes to work under that criticism from everyone, so I pray all of you to keep doing that because he gets the best of himself when you guys do that,” Fernandes told the press. He added that playing alongside Ronaldo in the national team has been a “dream come true”.

Earlier this week, Ronaldo’s contract with Manchester United was terminated by mutual consent. Despite the controversy surrounding his departure from the club, the 37-year-old insisted that he remains fully focused on performing for Portugal at the World Cup. Asked about his performance, Ronaldo stated that the most important thing was that Portugal won what he considered to be a crucial match.

Portugal is now top of Group H and will next face Uruguay on Monday after which they will play South Korea on Friday.

The post Bruno Fernandes Hits Out at Ronaldo’s Critics Following Portugal Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“Manchester United has this morning initiated appropriate steps in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent media interview. We will not be making further comment until this process reaches its conclusion.” the club announced in a public statement.

According to reports, the club has appointed lawyers to explore to possibility of suing Ronaldo for a breach of contract. The club did take the decision to wait until all parts of the interview had been aired in order to understand the full extent of Ronaldo’s comments about the club.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag told the club’s executives including co-chairman Joel Glazer in a meeting on Monday that he does not want Ronaldo to return to the club following the World Cup break. It is believed that Ronaldo will be informed that he is not to return to the club after the conclusion of the World Cup.

Currently, Ronaldo is with the Portugal national team that arrived in Qatar on Friday. Portugal begins their World Cup campaign against Ghana on November 24.

The post Man Utd Seeks Termination of Ronaldo Contract appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Ronaldo spoke with the media after his Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia Pro League suffered a 5-0 loss in a friendly game against La Liga’s Celta Vigo. The 38-year-old player was asked whether he would make a switch to MLS and follow the footsteps of Messi, who recently signed with Inter Miami.

“The Saudi league is better than MLS,” Ronaldo responded. “I opened the way to the Saudi league, and now all the players are coming here.”

According to Ronaldo, Saudi Pro League will soon become better than some prominent European leagues.

“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,” he added.

It appears that Ronaldo is also done with playing in Europe, at least at the club level.

“I’m 100 percent sure I won’t return to any European club,” he explained. “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.”

Cristiano Ronaldo was the first big star to come to Saudi Arabia, and others have followed. His former teammate Karim Benzema signed a lucrative deal with Al-Ittihad this summer, while a number of other prominent names followed, including Marcelo Brozovic, Edouard Mendy, N’Golo Kante, and Roberto Firmino.

Messi was also pursued by Saudi Arabia clubs and reportedly had a $1 billion offer on the table to make the switch. However, the Argentina captain ended up deciding to come to MLS and contribute to the popularization of soccer in the United States. 

The post Cristiano Ronaldo: “The Saudi League is Better Than MLS” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Forbes compiled the newest edition of The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes list by combining on-the-field earnings like salaries and bonuses as well as off-the-field income from sponsorship deals, endorsements, and businesses.

Ronaldo tops the list with an estimated $46 million in on-the-field earnings, which were boosted by the $220 million deal he signed with Al Nassr. He also earned $90 million off-the-field, the fourth-most since Forbes started tracking the athletes’ earnings.

Behind Ronaldo are a duo of Paris Saint-Germain stars. Argentine forward Lionel Messi earned $130 million in the past 12 months, while his PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe received $120 million, including an astonishing $100 million in on-the-field earnings. Mbappe is the youngest athlete on the list and the only one younger than 30.

NBA star LeBron James, who recently became the first active athlete to be certified a billionaire, sits at No. 4 with $119.5 million in earnings. Boxer Canelo Álvarez rounds up the Top 5, having earned a total of $110 million.

Also in the Top 10 are pair of golfers Dustin Johnson ($107 million) and Phil Mickelson ($106 million), who sit at No. 6 and No. 7, respectively. Johnson and Mickelson benefited from their lucrative deals with the newly-formed golf tour LIV Golf.

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry is at No. 8 with $100.4 million in earnings, while retired tennis legend Roger Federer ($95.1 million) and Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant ($89.1 million) close out the list.

The post Cristiano Ronaldo Unveiled as the Highest-Paid Athlete in the World appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Ronaldo earned his 196th international cap at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, however, he was unable to break the record at the tournament as his team crashed out in the quarterfinals. He was afforded the opportunity to achieve this feat upon being awarded a place in his national squad’s Euro 2024 qualifying match by new Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.

Prior to the release of Portugal’s lineup for Thursday night’s game, there was mass speculation regarding whether or not Ronaldo would receive a place in the national squad going forward. The 37-year-old was omitted from the starting 11 in each of Portugal’s knockout round games in the World Cup, with his replacement Goncalo Ramos scoring a hat trick during the 6-1 win over Switzerland in the round of 16.

In addition to the all-time appearances record, Ronaldo has also scored the most international goals of all time with 118.

The post Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Record For International Appearances appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Messi scored the first goal of the game for PSG while Ronaldo, who made his first return to football since the World Cup, grabbed the equalizer from the penalty spot.

The game heated up near the end of the first half when PSG defender Juan Bernat was sent off. Despite being a man down, PSG restored their lead through Marquinos after which Neymar missed a penalty. Ronaldo grabbed his second goal of the game before the halftime break after slotting in the rebound after his well-struck header hit the post.

Center back Sergio Ramos put PSG 3-2 up before both Ronaldo and Messi were substituted around the 60th-minute mark, bringing an end to their game. With Ronaldo having departed European football, there is a possibility that this game was the last time that he and Messi would face one another on the same pitch.

PSG began to run away with the game when Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty and Hugo Ekitike handed them a 5-3 lead. While Anderson Talisca pulled one back in the 94th minute, it proved too little too late as PSG held on for the win.

The post Ronaldo and Messi Score in 5-4 Thriller appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to reports, Ronaldo will play 45 minutes as he looks to get some game time under his belt ahead of his Al-Nassr debut on Sunday. The Portuguese forward missed the first two games since signing for the club due to serving a two-game ban handed to him by the English Football Association.

Highly anticipated due to being the potential final showdown between Messi and Ronaldo, more than two million online ticket requests have been submitted for the game. Bidding for a VIP “Beyond Imagination” ticket for the game has already gotten underway with over $2.66 million worth of bids being submitted in an auction set to end on Tuesday.

Following the PSG exhibition game, Ronaldo is expected to make his Al-Nassr debut in Sunday’s Saudi Pro League game against Al Ettifaq.

The post Ronaldo Named Captain of Saudi Team to Face PSG and Messi appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Media reports have been circulating in which it has been suggested that the Portuguese forward, who signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Al-Nassr last month, will be obligated to support the Saudi World Cup bid as per a binding contractual clause. The reports added that Ronaldo would be paid another €200 million in exchange.

“Al Nassr FC would like to clarify that contrary to news reports, Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract with Al Nassr does not entail commitments to any World Cup bids,” the club stated in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Currently, Saudi Arabia is in the midst of working on its bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. While bids officially opened last year, the winning bid will be selected at the FIFA Congress in 2024.

The post No Saudi World Cup Bid Clause in Ronaldo’s Contract, Al-Nassr Confirms appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Santos, Ronaldo’s availability for the South Korea game is dependent on whether or not he is able to partake in team practice on Thursday and if he shows that he is in good condition.

Ronaldo missed out on team training on Wednesday, instead opting to remain at the gym and focus on recovery and other specific exercises. Considering that his team has already qualified for the knockout stages, the Portugal captain could be rested even if he is considered fit for the clash.

Portugal defeated Ghana 3-2 in their opening group game after which they beat Uruguay 2-0. Currently, on top of the Group H standings, Portugal is guaranteed a top-two finish and thus progression to the Round of 16.

Santos expressed confidence in his players’ abilities while acknowledging the tough schedule they face with a game roughly every four days. PSG defender Nuno Mendes will miss the rest of the World Cup after sustaining a thigh injury during the Uruguay game.

The post Ronaldo “50-50” to Face South Korea, Portugal Coach Reveals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“In the match between Portugal and Uruguay, using the Connected Ball Technology housed in Adidas’ Al Rihla Official Match Ball, we are able to definitively show no contact on the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo for the opening goal in the game,” a statement from FIFA on behalf of ball manufacturer Adidas read.

The 54th-minute goal came about when Bruno Fernandes crossed the ball into the box. While Ronaldo claimed to have touched it before it went into the Uruguayan net, neither Fernandes nor Portugal coach Fernando Santos could confirm that Ronaldo made contact with the ball.

FIFA remains adamant that its technology has made the correct call, claiming that the 500Hz IMU sensor contained within the ball enables a highly accurate analysis.

The technology within the World Cup’s official match balls provides real-time data to match officials, namely every touch that players make with the ball. This assists the officials to make more accurate refereeing decisions while also improving the speed and quality of VAR decisions.

The post Ronaldo Did Not Score Against Uruguay, FIFA Confirms appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“I think he likes to work under that criticism from everyone, so I pray all of you to keep doing that because he gets the best of himself when you guys do that,” Fernandes told the press. He added that playing alongside Ronaldo in the national team has been a “dream come true”.

Earlier this week, Ronaldo’s contract with Manchester United was terminated by mutual consent. Despite the controversy surrounding his departure from the club, the 37-year-old insisted that he remains fully focused on performing for Portugal at the World Cup. Asked about his performance, Ronaldo stated that the most important thing was that Portugal won what he considered to be a crucial match.

Portugal is now top of Group H and will next face Uruguay on Monday after which they will play South Korea on Friday.

The post Bruno Fernandes Hits Out at Ronaldo’s Critics Following Portugal Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“Manchester United has this morning initiated appropriate steps in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent media interview. We will not be making further comment until this process reaches its conclusion.” the club announced in a public statement.

According to reports, the club has appointed lawyers to explore to possibility of suing Ronaldo for a breach of contract. The club did take the decision to wait until all parts of the interview had been aired in order to understand the full extent of Ronaldo’s comments about the club.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag told the club’s executives including co-chairman Joel Glazer in a meeting on Monday that he does not want Ronaldo to return to the club following the World Cup break. It is believed that Ronaldo will be informed that he is not to return to the club after the conclusion of the World Cup.

Currently, Ronaldo is with the Portugal national team that arrived in Qatar on Friday. Portugal begins their World Cup campaign against Ghana on November 24.

The post Man Utd Seeks Termination of Ronaldo Contract appeared first on yoursportspot.com.