Category: ronaldo

Chelsea have been told why a stunning deal for Cristiano Ronaldo, that would see him grace the Club World Cup, makes no sense.

The crushing loss drops Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr down to fourth in the Saudi league ladder, 11 points behind Al-Ittihad in the title race.

Houssem Aouar scored a last-minute goal to help Al-Ittihad complete a comeback and secure a 3-2 win over Al-Nassr, taking them a step closer to clinching the Saudi Pro League title.

Sadio Mane opened the scoring on Wednesday for the home side after three minutes with a low strike.

The Senegal international then assisted Ayman Yahya to make it 2-0 for Al-Nassr in the 37th minute. The goal stood following a VAR review, even though the ball had touched Mane’s hand in the build-up.

Al-Ittihad were the better side after the interval and Karim Benzema reduced the deficit with a header in the 49th minute.

Laurent Blanc’s side equalised after a counterattack, finished off by N’Golo Kante, who slotted the ball into Al-Nassr’s net.

Algeria international Aouar scored the game-winner for Al-Ittihad in added time from close range following a cross by Moussa Diaby.

Al-Ittihad, who can clinch the domestic double after reaching the King Cup final, extended their lead to 71 points, six ahead of Al-Hilal, with four games remaining.

For Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, now fourth with 60 points, the loss was a setback to their hopes of reaching the AFC Champions League elite next season, with only two teams qualifying from the league after Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia won the continental title last Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo vented his frustration towards Al-Nassr team-mates in the form of a ‘sleeping’ gesture after seeing them throw away a two-goal lead.

Cristiano Ronaldo vented his frustration towards Al-Nassr team-mates in the form of a ‘sleeping’ gesture after seeing them throw away a two-goal lead.

Cristiano Ronaldo vented his frustration towards Al-Nassr team-mates in the form of a ‘sleeping’ gesture after seeing them throw away a two-goal lead.

Alejandro Garnacho has talked down comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo as the winger nears one of the latter’s records for Manchester United.

Garnacho has 24 goals and assists in the Premier League since his senior debut for Manchester United, after a stunning strike in the defeat at Brentford at the weekend.

“I’m happy here” 🎙️

Alejandro Garnacho discusses if he expects to be at Manchester United next season 🔴 pic.twitter.com/TE2Nh6j2vl

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 7, 2025

The Argentina international is just one short from equalling Ronaldo’s record of 25 goal involvements before turning 21, with Garnacho not set to celebrate that milestone until the summer.

Garnacho has often discussed his admiration for Ronaldo, who set up Garnacho’s first goal for the Red Devils in 2022. However, the 20-year-old was keen to talk down any comparison between himself and the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. He said he’s not focused on numbers or records and is concentrating on ending the season with silverware for Manchester United.

Speaking ahead of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg with Athletic Bilbao, Garnacho told a pre-match press conference: “I’m not focused on the numbers. I think when Cristiano played here, he was a different footballer, [they were] a different type of games,” he said.

“I just try to help the team and try to win games.

“Obviously, yeah, on missed chances and things like this, we are training really hard, me, Rasmus [Hojlund] and all the strikers in the team, so I think we are improving and we will try to do better.”

Garnacho was linked with an exit from Manchester United in January but has reiterated his desire to stay at Old Trafford.

“I have a contract here at Manchester United until June 2028 so I am happy here. If we win the Europa League, we will be in the Champions League and we will face next season with a different mentality and in a different way.”

Read – Five January 2025 transfers who’ve made a big impact

See more – The best Champions League semi-finals of all time

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner Georgina Rodriguez rubbed shoulders with Zendaya, Lewis Hamilton, Sabrina Carpenter and more at the Met Gala 2025.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner Georgina Rodriguez rubbed shoulders with Zendaya, Lewis Hamilton, Sabrina Carpenter and more at the Met Gala 2025.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema shared the spotlight once again — but only one of the former Real Madrid stars seized the moment. In a pulsating clash at Al-Awwal Park on Wednesday, Al-Ittihad completed a stunning 3-2 comeback win over Al-Nassr, crushing the hosts’ slim title hopes and sending a message to the rest of the Saudi Pro League.

While Ronaldo faded into the background, his former teammate Benzema led from the front, scoring and igniting the turnaround that could define Al-Ittihad’s championship push. The victory sent Al-Ittihad six points clear at the top with 71 points, while Al-Nassr dropped to fourth — a dramatic twist in a league already brimming with storylines.

The first 45 minutes belonged to Sadio Mane, who was electric throughout. Just three minutes in, the Senegalese winger pounced on a defensive mistake by Abdulelah Al-Amri and drilled home a low strike to give Al-Nassr the perfect start.

Mane’s influence didn’t stop there. In the 37th minute, after dancing through defenders and slipping mid-run, he squared a pass for Ayman Yahya, who made no mistake with a clinical finish. VAR reviewed a potential handball in the build-up, but the goal stood, giving Al-Nassr a seemingly comfortable 2-0 lead at the break.

Benzema and Kante spark Al-Ittihad’s revival

But the second half flipped the script in spectacular fashion. Just four minutes after the restart, Karim Benzema rose highest to head home a pinpoint cross, pulling one back for Al-Ittihad. The celebration was calm but loaded with symbolism — the quiet leader striking when it mattered most.

Three minutes later, N’Golo Kante brought the scores level with a powerful low strike after a well-orchestrated counterattack. From 2-0 down to 2-2 in seven minutes, Laurent Blanc’s side seized the initiative and pinned Al-Nassr deep into their own half.

The hosts, rattled and disorganized, failed to muster a coherent response. And in the 94th minute, Houssem Aouar pounced on a rebound inside the box and tapped in what proved to be the winning goal. The drama wasn’t over yet — Moussa Diaby was sent off in the dying seconds after tempers boiled over.

Ronaldo’s disappearing act and what it means for the title

On a night built for heroes, Cristiano Ronaldo was eerily absent. The 40-year-old forward was largely ineffective, failing to register any meaningful shots on target or influence the attacking play.

The contrast to Mane — who scored and assisted — was glaring. Despite Al-Nassr’s loss, the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich man was clearly their standout performer, troubling defenders with his pace, vision, and dribbling.

This result could reshape the season. With four games remaining, Al-Ittihad stands poised to clinch the Saudi Pro League title and potentially complete a domestic double, having already reached the King Cup final.

Al-Nassr, on the other hand, faces an uncertain future. With only the top two qualifying for next season’s AFC Champions League Elite, and Al-Ahli securing one spot by winning the continental title, Ronaldo’s side now trails third place by one point.