Cristiano

Ronaldo, who left United to join Real Madrid in 2009, rejoined the Old Trafford club from Juventus in August 2021.

However, he had his contract terminated in November 2022 after he criticised the club and said he had “no respect” for then manager Erik ten Hag in a previous interview with Morgan.

In his latest interview with the broadcaster, the 40-year-old said: “I’m sad, because the club is one of the most important clubs in the world and a club that I still have in my heart.

“They don’t have a structure. I hope that changes in the present and future, because the potential of the club is amazing.

“They are not on a good path. And it’s not only about the coach and players, in my opinion… He [manager Ruben Amorim] is doing his best. What are you going to do? Miracles are impossible.”

Amorim, who took charge of United in November 2024, led the club to last season’s Europa League final but they missed out on the trophy – and qualification for this season’s Champions League – as they lost to Tottenham.

They finished 15th in Premier League, their worst performance since the 1973-74 campaign in which they were relegated from the top flight.

They spent more than £200m in the summer but started this season slowly – including being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by League Two side Grimsby Town.

Amorim appeared to be under pressure, but United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the Portuguese needed three years to prove he is a “great” coach.

In an interview in March, Ratcliffe said the club had “not performed at the level that has been expected” since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson as manager at the end of the 2012-2013 season, adding that some United players were “not good enough” and some were “overpaid”.

Recently, United have shown an improvement in form, winning three of their past four league games – including a victory at Liverpool – and are eighth in the table.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group took control of football operations after he bought a 27.7% stake in United in February 2024.

Since Amorim’s arrival, United have spent about £250m on new signings and while Ronaldo says they have “good players”, he feels that some of them “don’t have in mind what Manchester United is”.

“Manchester United is still in my heart,” added the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who won seven major honours with the club between 2003 and 2009.

“I love that club. But we have all to be honest and look for ourselves and say, ‘listen, they are not in a good path’.

“So, they need to change and it’s not only about the coach and players, in my opinion.”

Ronaldo’s contract at Old Trafford was terminated after an interview with Morgan in November 2022, in which he said he felt “betrayed” by United and that he was being forced out.

He added that he did not respect then-manager Ten Hag and criticised the Dutch boss again in September 2024, saying that United must “rebuild everything”.

Ronaldo signed a new contract last summer with Al-Nassr that expires in 2027 and he is expected to play for Portugal in the 2026 World Cup.

Asked by Morgan when he might retire, Ronaldo replied: “Soon. But I think I will be prepared.

“It will be tough, of course. But Piers, I prepare my future since [the age of] 25, 26, 27 years old. So I think I will be capable to support that pressure.”

When Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League in 2022 he reportedly became the best-paid player in football history with an annual salary of £177m.

His contract was due to end in June 2025 but he signed a new two-year deal – reportedly worth more than $400m (£298m) – which will keep him at the club beyond his 42nd birthday.

Argentina and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi, who played against Ronaldo for many years during their time in Spain, has earned more than $600m (£447m) in pre-tax salary during his career, according to Bloomberg.

That includes $20m (£15m) in guaranteed annual pay since 2023, which is about 10% of Ronaldo’s income during the same period.

When he retires, 38-year-old Messi is set to get a stake in Inter Miami.

MANCHESTER UNITED are weighing up a cash-spinning mid-season friendly in Saudi Arabia.

A trip to the Middle East could reunite the Red Devils with Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Old Trafford on bitter terms to join Al-Nassr in 2022.

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United are holding early-stage talks with stakeholders while looking into possible dates and opponents.

But a face-off with CR7 would be the most lucrative prospect at a time when they’re crying out for funds.

United could stage midweek friendlies this season after failing to qualify for any European competition.

Losing May’s Europa League final to Tottenham meant a £100million reward fell by the wayside.

And with roughly £750m worth of debt weighing on Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s shoulders, United are being forced to get creative.

Their schedule thinned out even more with defeat to Grimsby Town in round two of the Carabao Cup.

SunSport exclusively revealed last month that AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Lazio and Sevilla – four big clubs who missed out on Europe – have also been scouted out as potential friendly opponents.

United’s new plan comes after they scrapped the idea of a fly-on-the-wall documentary, which could have earned them millions.

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And Ruben Amorim could be sold on a trip to the Middle East if it doubles up as a warm weather training camp in the winter months.

Ratcliffe has sacked up to 450 United employees as part of his ruthless efforts to get finances back on track.

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But he insists the issue had to be tackled head-on, telling the BBC in March: “We can’t put our head in the sand.

“We have to deal with the problem. And it’s a big problem, not a small problem.

“We are in the process of change and it’s an uncomfortable period and disruptive and I do feel sympathy with the fans.”

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WAYNE ROONEY has been encouraged to face Cristiano Ronaldo in the boxing ring in a football super fight.

Malik Scott, former coach of heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, suggested the fight, labelling such a bout a ‘global event.’

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Scott, 44, told CanadaCasino: “Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Wayne Rooney would bring more eyes to boxing, and I’m all for it.

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“Any time boxing gets more attention, it’s a good thing. I want people to enjoy the spectacle, not just critique it.

“Just enjoy the carnival. It would be a global event because these are high-level names that would draw huge numbers.”

Scott is no stranger to the world of football, having married fan-favourite CBS sports broadcaster Kate Abdo in September last year.

His prospective competitors were iconic teammates at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, making over 200 appearances together.

Their relationship was believed to have turned cold following Ronaldo‘s protests to the referee earning Rooney a red card in a 2006 World Cup quarter final, which Portugal would go on to win on penalties.

He also made headlines for his comments on the heated Messi vs Ronaldo debate, backing the Argentinian over his former teammate.

But earlier this week the England legend rubbished rumours of bad blood between the two on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

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Rooney, 39, said: “People think I hate him (Ronaldo).

“I love him. I think he’s an absolute genius and what he’s doing is incredible.

“I love Cristiano and playing with him. I don’t think people realise actually how close me and him were.”

While it seems that a boxing score-settler between the two is unlikely, it is not the only fight that Rooney has been tipped of late.

He was called out earlier this week by former Leeds United and Ireland international keeper Paddy Kenny.

Kenny is himself set to face former Prem footballer Curtis Davies at a charity event next month, and is keen to keep the ball rolling on his new boxing escapades.

SPORTING’S stadium underwent an incredible transformation during the summer.. but they’re STILL working on it with the 2025-26 season underway.

The iconic Portuguese ground – which was only built in 2003 for a cost of £150million – was given a bit of a facelift during the offseason.

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And it left the arena looking utterly unrecognisable – particularly after the entire pitch was ripped up and left looking like a building site.

Following the end of the 2024-25 season – in which Cristiano Ronaldo‘s old club won the league in no small part down to Arsenal new-boy Viktor Gyokeres‘ goals – Sporting got to work on the makeover.

Most-notably, the pitch was ripped up and replaced by a hybrid surface.

And it passed the first test with flying colours, as Primeira Liga officials gave it a 10/10 for the club’s 6-0 win over Arouca in their first home game of the season.

But it wasn’t just re-laying the pitch – the entire playing surface was LOWERED to allow the club to add 2,000 more seats around the base of the stadium.

That boosted the capacity from 50,095 to 52,095.

And that new feature – not ready for the Arouca battering – WILL be ready for the massive derby game against Porto on August 30 with seats now being installed.

The dugout area has been completely renovated, too – with the bench now boasted a capacity of 28 players and coaches.

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On top of that, Sporting have opened a new “Emerald Lounge” for corporate ticket holders.

Club chiefs also splashed out £15m on repurchasing the adjacent Alvalaxia entertainment complex earlier this month.

Their plan is to re-home their club museum – which features their most important trophies, including replicas of individual Ballon d’Or gongs won by former players, Ronaldo and Luis Figo.

For now, the exhibition has been moved inside the stadium and is open to the public until the permanent residence is completed.

There is more work to be done inside the stadium, still – with the big screens currently being installed.

For now, supporters have a tiny scoreboard displayed on advertising hoardings on the side of the pitch.

But in time, the plan is to install multiple big screens.

Their plan moving forward is to cash-in on their corporate lounges – renting them out on non-matchdays for private events.

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Portuguese star says he’d rather prepare himself for a ‘very long’ season, which ends with the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Cristiano Ronaldo says he preferred to take a rest rather than play in the revamped FIFA Club World Cup as he aims to prolong his playing career for club and country.

The Portuguese international, who recently led his country to the UEFA Nations League title, made the comments on Saturday, two days after extending his stay at Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

Al Nassr announced on Thursday that Ronaldo had signed a two-year contract which would keep him at the club past his 42nd birthday and possibly his last appearance in the FIFA World Cup at its next iteration in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

Speculation over the 40-year-old’s plans intensified last month when FIFA President Gianni Infantino said discussions were under way about Ronaldo playing in the Club World Cup, despite Al Nassr failing to qualify, but the star forward swiftly brushed them aside.

“I had some offers to play in the [Club] World Cup but I think it didn’t make sense because I prefer to have a good rest, a good preparation, because this season will be very long as it is the World Cup season at the end of the year,” Ronaldo said in a video posted by Al Nassr on X.

“I want to be ready not only for Al Nassr but also for the national team. So, this is why I decided to play the last game for the Nations League and not listen to anything,” he added.

“And of course, to be in this club, which I love”.

Cristiano Ronaldo is staying at @AlNassrFC until 2027 💛🤩 pic.twitter.com/uVOzvZW4u7

— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) June 26, 2025

Ronaldo scored for Portugal in the Nations League final against Spain earlier this month, which ended 2-2 before his side went on to beat the European champions on penalties.

The Portugal captain said his aim in staying at Al Nassr was to win a major trophy with the Riyadh-based side.

“My goal, it’s always to win something important for Al-Nassr. And of course I still believe in that,” Ronaldo added. “This is why I renewed the two years more because I believe that I will be a champion in Saudi Arabia.”

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

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

Ronaldo and his Saudi club side Al Nassr made the new deal official via social media, putting an end to rumours he could sign elsewhere.

Cristiano Ronaldo inked a two-year extension with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, the club announced, following weeks of speculation over which team he would sign for next season.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is staying at @AlNassrFC until 2027,” the club wrote in a post on X on Thursday.

Minutes before the official confirmation, the team posted a teaser video, with the 40-year-old Ronaldo walking along a beachfront and saying: “Al Nassr forever.”

The Portuguese superstar arrived in 2023 in the kingdom to play with the club, heralding a rush of players in the latter stages of their careers to the oil-rich country.

Last month, Ronaldo posted “This chapter is over” hours after the Saudi Pro League wrapped up with Al Nassr finishing third and trophy-less once again.

“Ronaldo’s presence is a key factor in developing the Saudi league in the last two years and a half. He opens the door for elite and young players to come to Saudi Arabia,” a source from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a major investor in Saudi football, told AFP last month.

The oil-funded PIF, the sovereign wealth fund behind a number of big-ticket Saudi investments, controls a group of Pro League clubs including Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli.

Time for a title

Ronaldo’s announcement in May came just months after Brazilian star Neymar ended his injury-plagued 18-month stay in January, after playing just seven times for Al Hilal – on a reported salary of about $104m a year.

Although Ronaldo was the Pro League’s top scorer with 25 goals, he has been unable to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, who lost in the Asian Champions League semifinals last month.

Last year, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said he could end his career with Al Nassr, the Riyadh team favoured by a number of Saudi royals.

Saudi Arabia has shaken up football by spending heavily on stars from Europe, starting with Ronaldo’s move in late 2022, and the desert nation will host the World Cup in 2034.

For the past two years, Saudi football fans could watch the likes of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, with six Ballons d’Or between them, on any given weekend during the football season in the kingdom.

However, the oil-fuelled Saudi football project has drawn comparisons with the Chinese Super League, which imported players on exorbitant salaries until team owners went bust as the Chinese economy fizzled.

But with Saudi Arabia set to host the 2034 World Cup, and desperate to re-model itself as a tourism and business magnet before global oil demand falls for good, there is probably more to come from the Pro League.

Ronaldo appeared to trade an end-of-career payday for football obscurity when he first moved to Riyadh’s Al Nassr two years ago in a deal said to be worth $250m at the time.

The Story continues.. 🐐 💛
pic.twitter.com/XV8WoOREeB

— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) June 26, 2025

SERGIO AGUERO brutally trolled Cristiano Ronaldo for being absent from the Club World Cup after meeting the footie icon’s biggest fan, iShowSpeed.

The revamped 32-team tournament got underway early on Sunday morning, with Inter Miami and Al-Ahly lighting the blue touch paper.

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Despite the competition now consisting of 32 teams, Ronaldo‘s Al-Nassr failed to qualify for the stateside competition.

He could’ve played in the tournament had he joined one of the participating teams on a short-term deal.

But the 40-year-old opted against doing that, much to the disappointment of American streamer iShowSpeed.

And CR7 was on the receiving end of several shots from Aguero during a live stream with social media sensation Speed.

Aguero asked Speed: “You’re a very big fan of Cristiano, no?”

In response to Speed’s confirmation of his Ronaldo fandom, former Argentina international Aguero said: “I respect it, it’s OK.

“He’s a good player. I prefer [Lionel] Messi, of course.”

Aguero then stuck the knife into Ronaldo by sarcastically asking Speed: “Ronaldo is playing here now at the Club World Cup or no?

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“Maybe he’ll have to watch on TV.”

Speed leapt to the defence of Portuguese superstar Ronaldo, insisting the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will guide Portugal to glory in the 2026 World Cup.

Aguero sarcastically then asked the 20-year-old: “[Ronaldo] just won the [Euros] no?

“Ah the Nations League… congratulations.”

Since turning 30, Ronaldo has scored 85 goals for Portugal.

By way of comparison only five other players have ever scored more than 85 goals.

So that means in the second half of his international career he has scored more than legends like Ferenc Puskas, Pele, Diego Maradona and Gerd Muller – or current players like Neymar and Harry Kane – have in their entire international careers.

“It’s difficult to put into words. He takes each day as an opportunity to get better,” said Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.

“As a human, when you have success, you wake up and you have less hunger. But not Cristiano.”

While his international teammate, Bernardo Silva, added: “It’s his ambition to keep going.

“It’s never easy – to still be hungry to go every day.

“He’s been doing this for more than 20 years. It’s tough, but he’s here with us and we’re happy he scored again.”

CRISTIANO RONALDO’S attitude towards fans can’t be knocked – even when they accidentally knock him!

The Manchester United legend won new admirers for the way he dealt with a supporter catching him on the shin with his wheelchair.

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Viewers loved the amusing exchange as Ronaldo ended up with a smile almost as big as his bank balance.

It began an eventful night for Ronaldo, who was outside Portugal’s team hotel at the time of the ‘collision’.

The Al-Nassr striker was later grabbed by a pitch invader as he warmed up at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena to face Germany in the Nations League semi-final.

And he then drilled Portugal’s clincher in a 2-1 comeback win – thanks to his 137th international goal midway through the second half.

Understandably the 40-year-old looked ecstatic.

But he was in high spirits too during his earlier hotel encounter.

Wearing shorts and training gear, Ronaldo walked over to sign an autograph.

And as he was preparing to scribble his name, the fan’s wheelchair nudged  forward and hit the five-time Ballon d’Or winner on the right leg.

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Ronaldo rubbed his shin as he smiled and shared a joke with the fan.

It’s just possible the ex-Real Madrid winger was mischievously pretending to have been fouled – as contact looked minimal.

And he then finished scribbling his signature before posing for a selfie with the man.

One fan responded to the clip on social media by saying: “Massive respect to CR7 who made the supporters day.”

Another viewer wrote: “Ronaldo down to earth.”

“I have to respect him for this,” posted a third.

Many fans still relentlessly argue online over Ronaldo’s GOAT claims compared to those of  Lionel Messi.

But Ron’s ‘bumpy’ exchange even earned grudging backing from supporters of his great rival!

One said: “As someone who prefers Messi’s play style this is why you gotta respect Ronaldo, class human being.”

Spanish newspaper Marca, external reported last weekend that an unnamed Brazilian club had made an offer to Ronaldo.

Botafogo are one of four Brazilian teams to have qualified and their coach Renato Paiva was asked about Ronaldo, external last Sunday.

He laughed before saying: “Christmas is only in December. But if he came, you can’t say no to a star like that.

“I don’t know anything – I’m just answering the question. But, as I said, coaches always want the best. Ronaldo, even at his age, is still a goal-scoring machine. In a team that creates chance after chance, he would be good.”

Botafogo are owned by American businessman John Textor, who also holds a majority stake in Crystal Palace.

Ronaldo won the Champions League four times during nine seasons with Real Madrid before joining Juventus in 2018.

Real and Juve are among the 12 European clubs that have qualified, which includes Premier League teams Chelsea and Manchester City.

Between them either Ronaldo or Messi won the Ballon d’Or from 2008 to 2017, before Messi won it three more times to give the Argentine forward, 37, a record eight wins.

Messi’s Inter Miami are in the same group as Egypt’s Al Ahly, Portuguese side Porto and Brazilian club Palmeiras.