Category: Football

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday said that the FIFA World Cup 2026 would be his last as he winds down one of the all-time great careers.

The 40-year-old forward, with more than 950 club and international goals, also said he would retire from football in “one or two years”.

“Definitely, yes,” he told a Saudi forum by video link, when asked if 2026 would be his final World Cup. “I’m gonna be 41 years old and I think it will be the moment.”

Ronaldo, who began a lucrative stint at Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in 2023, also elaborated on comments last week when he said he would retire “soon”.

“Let’s be honest, when I mean soon, it’s probably one or two years, I’ll still be at the game,” he said.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is hoping to play at a sixth World Cup next year. He came closest to lifting the trophy on debut in 2006, when Portugal lost to France in the semi-finals.

Portugal have yet to qualify for the 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico, but can secure their spot if they beat Ireland on Thursday.

Last month, Ronaldo became the top goalscorer in World Cup qualifying history when he netted twice against Hungary to reach 41 goals, overtaking retired Guatemalan international Carlos Ruiz’s 39.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward is also the all-time leading international goalscorer with 143 strikes.

During an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored last week, Ronaldo opened up further about the realities of his looming retirement.

“It will be difficult? Yes. Probably will cry, yes. I’m an open person. It will be very, very difficult, yes,” he said.

Ronaldo joined Al Nassr after leaving Manchester United for a second time in late 2022, a move that heralded an influx of late-career stars to the oil-rich kingdom.

Ronaldo initially signed for 200 million euros a year, according to a source close to Al Nassr at the time, and inked a two-year contract extension in June.

Last month, he was named by Bloomberg as the sport’s first billionaire, and topped the Forbes list of highest-paid footballers for the sixth time in a decade.

With on-and off-field earnings of an estimated $280 million, Ronaldo will earn more than double that of second-placed rival Lionel Messi during the upcoming season, according to Forbes.

Saudi Arabia, which is spending big on sports and entertainment as part of its economic diversification plan, was named as host of the 2034 World Cup last December.

READ: Jannik Sinner dominates Felix Auger-Aliassime in ATP Finals opener

Argentina and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has expressed his longing to return to the iconic Camp Nou, revealing his emotional connection to the club and his wish to one day bid a proper farewell to the fans who shaped his legendary career.

The 38-year-old Argentine icon visited the newly renovated Camp Nou this week, marking his first appearance at the stadium since leaving Barcelona in 2021.

In an emotional Instagram post, Messi described the visit as a deeply nostalgic experience.

“Last night I returned to a place I deeply miss. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi said.

Messi left Barcelona after two decades when the club’s financial troubles made his contract renewal impossible.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He later joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) before moving to Inter Miami in 2023, where he continues to make an impact, most recently scoring twice to help his side advance in the MLS Cup play-offs.

During his glittering 17-year spell at Barcelona, Messi rose from a teenage prodigy to the club’s greatest-ever player, netting 672 goals in 778 appearances.

His time at the Catalan club brought an era of unprecedented success, including 10 LaLiga titles, four UEFA Champions League crowns, and three FIFA Club World Cups.

Barcelona reopened the Camp Nou on Friday after 895 days of renovation, celebrating the occasion with an open training session attended by nearly 22,000 fans.

“I hope one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I was never able to do,” Messi added in his heartfelt message.

READ: Babar Azam eyes multiple ODI records as Pakistan face Sri Lanka

Robert Lewandowski hit a hat-trick to help Barcelona beat Celta Vigo 4-2 on Sunday in La Liga and cut Real Madrid’s lead down to three points.

The veteran Polish striker’s treble helped Hansi Flick’s side capitalise on Los Blancos’ 0-0 draw earlier on at Rayo Vallecano.

Teenager Lamine Yamal also scored for Barca in another gripping game produced by the champions’ attacking approach, and Marcus Rashford produced two more assists.

Frenkie de Jong was sent off late on for Barcelona for two yellow cards, but by then the champions had secured their victory to move second.

Lewandowski has had a stop-start start to the season due to injury, and Flick said his hat-trick would boost his confidence.

“After the injury, I can see a different Robert Lewandowski, he’s positive, he came back very early,” Flick told reporters. “For him, for his confidence, it’s great to score three goals today.”

Lewandowski said the game was “one of the craziest” of the season, but was happy with the result.

“Vigo is always difficult for us, but now we have fewer points (between us) and Real Madrid,” Lewandowski told Movistar.

Flick insisted Barcelona would not change their style, despite some recent struggles, including a 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday, which led to a wild first half.

The champions nosed ahead through a Lewandowski penalty on 10 minutes after a handball, but Celta equalised a minute later.

Rashford missed a one-on-one chance and Celta broke away to score, with Sergio Carreira scampering behind Barca’s high defensive line.

Missing several injured stars, Flick had called on his team to show more fight in their absence, and they were more energised at Balaidos.

Looking back to his best, Lewandowski grabbed his second from an inviting Rashford cross to put Barca back in front on 37 minutes.

Celta quickly hit back again, this time through Borja Iglesias, who smashed home from the edge of the box.

However, Barcelona went in with the lead when Rashford’s deflected cross found teenage star Yamal, who beat Ionut Radu at his near post.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Both teams were more stable in the second half, with Barca dominating and Celta forced to sit back.

Lewandowski completed his hat-trick with a header from Rashford’s corner after 73 minutes to wrap up the win.

It was the striker’s seventh league goal of the season in just four starts, showing his finishing quality has not diminished at the age of 37.

“We have two weeks to disconnect now but I hope when we come back we play a lot better, it’s the perfect moment to change things that aren’t working,” said Lewandowski.

“Flick asked if I needed a rest and I said no… I felt very good physically today and I’m very happy.”

Earlier, Real Madrid were left frustrated in their goalless draw at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, giving champions Barcelona a chance to close in on them.

Rayo battled strongly in the derby clash, and although Real Madrid had the better chances, the hosts also had opportunities to win a scrappy game.

They managed to limit La Liga top scorer Kylian Mbappe’s influence, while keeping Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham safely at arm’s length as well.

Madrid were hoping to bounce back from their Champions League defeat by Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday, but Alonso’s team dropped points for only the second time this season in the league.

“I want to keep growing, improving, with positive and constructive self-criticism — this is Real Madrid, we all know where we are and what we want,” coach Xabi Alonso told reporters.

“We’re in November, there’s a long way to go, we need to be demanding of ourselves (but) also be measured.”

Inigo Perez’s Rayo threatened first, when Andrei Ratiu fired straight at Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

After that, Madrid began to take control but the hosts, in mid-table, held firm.

Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla made a fine instinctive save to push away a Vinicius effort and the hosts starved Madrid superstar Mbappe of the ball.

De Frutos and Alvaro Garcia came close for Rayo in the second half while Bellingham forced Batalla into another good save.

READ: Fourth New Zealand-West Indies T20I washed out

Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on two by Tadeo Allende to spark Inter Miami in a 4-0 rout of Nashville on Saturday to advance in the MLS Cup playoffs.

Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th, and set up compatriot Allende’s goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami’s triumph.

Inter Miami won the best-of-three Eastern Conference first-round series 2-1 to advance to a second-round match against FC Cincinnati, which defeated Columbus 2-1 in another series-deciding encounter.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi ensured Miami would avoid a third first-round exit in four seasons after having fallen to Atlanta last year and New York City in 2022.

In the night’s other match, 10-man Minnesota United rallied to eliminate Seattle 7-6 on penalty kicks after playing to a 3-3 draw in a Western Conference thriller, booking a second-round match against Sunday’s winner between Portland and San Diego.

Miami striker Luis Suarez was absent, suspended one game by MLS for violent conduct in last week’s loss at Nashville.

MLS season goal-scoring leader Messi took a deflected ball, ran to the top of the box, and fired a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Messi doubled the margin when he fired home a left-footed shot from just outside the box off a pass from Argentine teen rookie Mateo Silvetti.

Allende’s first goal was from point-blank range off passes from Messi and Jordi Alba. He then took a long pass from Messi and chipped a high ball into the net.

At Cincinnati, Canadian Jacen Russell-Rowe gave Columbus a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute but Brazilian striker Brenner Souza answered in the 67th and 86th to send Cincinnati into a second-round home match against Miami.

At Minnesota, the series was not decided until the 10th round of penalties when Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, injured making a save in the opening round after being inserted for the shootout, clanged the ball off the crossbar.

Seattle equalized at 3-3 on a goal by Jordan Morris in the 88th minute but when the penalty shootout arrived, the Sounders replaced keeper Stefan Frei for backup Thomas.

Minnesota’s Joaquin Pereyra missed the first penalty kick wide right, and Thomas hurt a hand diving for the ball, but stayed in the match.

Morris hit the crossbar in the second round, and in sudden-death rounds, Thomas made two saves, but Seattle missed both chances to win, Obed Vargas hitting the left post, and Osaze De Rosario’s shot being saved by Minnesota’s Dayne St. Clair.

MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, St. Clair scored in the 10th round, and Thomas missed to give the Loons the victory.

READ: Yamal set for Spain return in World Cup qualifiers

Lamine Yamal returned to the Spain squad named on Friday after injury forced Barcelona’s young star to miss last month’s World Cup qualifiers.

The 18-year-old will be featuring in the lineup to face Georgia and Turkey next week.

He was out of Spain’s previous fixtures against Georgia and Bulgaria due to a groin problem.

But after recovering from a groin injury and returning to club duty, Yamal is back in the reckoning to face Georgia on November 15 in Tbilisi, followed by Turkey in Seville three days later.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabian Ruiz is also fit again after recovering from a leg injury suffered in the 2-1 Champions League defeat of Barcelona at the start of October.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Spain, the European champions, are top of Group E, with automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup in their grasp.

While Yamal returns to national duty, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente will be missing his Barca teammate Pedri.

Also out of contention with injury are Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal, Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, and Atletico Madrid defender Robin Le Normand.

Spain squad:

Goalkeepers: Unai Simón, Álex Remiro and David Raya.

Defenders: Aymeric Laporte, Dani Vivian, Alejandro Grimaldo, Marcos Llorente, Marc Cucurella, Pau Cubarsí, Dean Huijsen and Pedro Porro.

Midfielders: Fabián Ruiz, Martín Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Aleix García, Pablo Barrios, Álex Baena and Pablo Fornals.

Forwards: Mikel Oyarzabal, Yeremy Pino, Dani Olmo, Fermín López, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Samu Aghehowa, and Borja Iglesias.

READ: Maresca defends rotation policy amid Rooney criticism

Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden were recalled to the England squad by manager Thomas Tuchel on Friday ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

England, who secured qualification for next year’s tournament with two matches to spare, round off Group K with next Thursday’s match against Serbia at Wembley and a trip to Albania three days later.

Real Madrid midfielder Bellingham was left out of Tuchel’s squad for games in October, when the 22-year-old had just returned from shoulder surgery.

Manchester City forward Phil Foden is involved for the first time since Tuchel’s first camp in March.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott is the most eye-catching inclusion in the 25-man squad, with Nico O’Reilly and Jarell Quansah the other uncapped players involved.

There are recalls for Adam Wharton and Nick Pope, while Morgan Gibbs-White, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Myles Lewis-Skelly, James Trafford and Ollie Watkins have dropped out.

Tuchel opted against recalling midfielder Jack Grealish, who is on loan at Everton from Manchester City, while Real Madrid right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold also misses out.

England sealed their place at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States last month with a 5-0 victory over Latvia in Riga.

READ: Lyari Football Academy finish runners-up in SingaCup 2025 U16 Tournament

SINGAPORE: Pakistan’s Lyari Football Academy finished as runners-up in the SingaCup 2025 Under-16 category after a valiant performance in the final against Thailand’s Benjamarachanusorn School at The Arena, Woodleigh, on Friday.

The championship clash proved to be a thrilling contest, with Benjamarachanusorn School, who remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, clinching the title with a narrow 2–1 victory.

Kashif from Lyari Football Academy was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Earlier, Lyari Football Academy booked their spot in the final after edging past Indonesia’s Tapteng Sibolga Student Football Team 1–0 in a tense semi-final.

Their Thai opponents, meanwhile, had overpowered Pakistan’s Kareem Kerai Academy 5–0 in the other semi-final.

In the third-place playoff, Kareem Kerai Academy bounced back strongly to secure a podium finish.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

After a goalless draw in regular time against Indonesia’s Tapteng Sibolga Student Football Team, Kareem Kerai Academy held their nerve in the penalty shootout to win 4–3, ensuring Pakistan ended the tournament with two teams inside the top three.

Since its inception in 2011, the SingaCup has been recognised as Asia’s premier youth football tournament.

The 2025 edition featured around 160 teams from 13 countries, competing across five age categories: Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, and Under-16.

READ: Rain plays spoilsport as India edge Pakistan in Hong Kong Sixes

Ruben Amorim has told Manchester United to “focus on the future” following former Old Trafford star Cristiano Ronaldo’s withering assessment of his old club.

United are looking to rebuild following a woeful 2024/25 season, which saw them finish a lowly 15th in the Premier League and lose in the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.

Ronaldo insisted this week United manager Amorim cannot do “miracles” at a club that is “not on a good path”, saying “they need to change and it’s not only about the coach and players”.

But when Ronaldo’s comments were put to his former Portugal team-mate ahead of this weekend’s trip to Spurs, the United boss said: “Of course he knows and he has a huge impact in everything he said.

“What we need to focus (on) is in the future. We know that we as a club made a lot of mistakes in the past, but we are trying to change that. So, let’s not focus on what happened. Let’s focus on what we are doing now, and we are doing that.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Amorim said the changes being put in place were having positive results.

“We are changing a lot of things in the structure, the way we do things, the way we want the players to behave,” said the 40-year-old coach.

“We are doing that and we are improving, so let’s focus on the way we are doing things. We are improving, let’s continue and forget a little bit the past.”

United have lost their last four games against Spurs.

However, they head into Saturday’s match unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches, a sequence that includes a 2-1 win over champions and arch-rivals Liverpool.

Amorim, asked how United had changed since being beaten by Spurs in the Europa League final in May, replied: “First of all, the characteristics of the players. So, we are a better team, we play better, we understand the game better. I think we are more confident.

“We reached that final confident that we could win because we were doing well in Europe, but in this moment we play with a different confidence.

“We manage the moments of the game better. But if you remember that game, they had that shot on the goal; they won the game.

“So, I expect a different game, where we can play better, but also to have a little bit of luck to help us win the game.”

READ: Nqabayomzi Peter sets rare ODI record against Pakistan

SINGAPORE: Pakistan’s Lyari Football Academy continued their dream run at the SingaCup 2025, qualifying for the Under-16 final, scheduled to be played on November 7 at The Arena, Woodleigh.

They secured their spot in the finals after defeating Indonesia’s Tapteng Sibolga Student Football Team 1-0 in an exciting semi-final match at the same venue.

It was Taj Muhammad who emerged as the hero for the Lyari side, scoring the decisive goal to guide his team into the final.

The victory marks a historic moment for the academy, which is participating in an overseas tournament for the first time.

Lyari Football Academy will now face Thailand’s Benjamarachanusorn School in the U16 final on November 7, 2025.

The Thai side secured their spot after defeating Pakistan’s Kareem Kerai Academy 5-0 in the other semi-final.

Interestingly, both finalists, Lyari Football Academy and Benjamarachanusorn School, were placed in Group C earlier in the competition.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The Pakistani team suffered their only defeat of the group stage against the same Thai opponents, setting up a much-anticipated rematch for the title.

The SingaCup, established in 2011, is widely regarded as Asia’s premier international youth football tournament.

The 2025 edition has drawn around 160 teams from 13 countries, featuring competitions across Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, and Under-16 categories.

READ: Shahid Afridi to represent Pakistan in Over-40s T20 World Cup

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez will be suspended for Saturday’s MLS winner-take-all playoff match against Nashville after kicking an opponent in last weekend’s loss to the same team.

The MLS disciplinary committee on Wednesday imposed a one-match ban and fined Suarez an undisclosed amount for violent conduct in the 71st minute of Miami’s 2-1 loss at Nashville.

The 38-year-old Uruguayan striker will sit out a must-win match for Miami when they host Nashville on Saturday in the third match of their best-of-three MLS first-round playoff series.

The ban was issued for Suarez kicking out and striking Nashville defender Andy Najar, who fell to the ground in the penalty area after being hit.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

It was the second suspension of the season for Suarez, who was banned for three MLS games after spitting on a Seattle Sounders official moments after Miami lost in the Leagues Cup final.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi scored three goals and added two assists in the matches Suarez missed.

Inter Miami will likely lean heavily upon the Argentine star and MLS scoring champion again with their season on the line.

Miami will try to avoid a third first-round exit in four years in the MLS playoffs.

READ: Cristiano Ronaldo rejects idea that World Cup glory defines greatness