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.
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.
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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Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr from Man Utd three years agoCredit: Reuters
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is looking at ways United can raise extra cashCredit: Alamy
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.
Deontay Wilder’s former boxing coach and Kate Abdo’s husband Malik Scott suggested the ideaCredit: Getty
“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.
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.
The Asian Champions League begins on Monday, elevated by a host of star names, including Cristiano Ronaldo.
Former English Premier League stars could make the difference in the Asian Champions League that begins Monday. Ivan Toney, Jesse Lingard, Riyad Mahrez and Darwin Nunez all have a chance of winning Asian football’s premier club tournament.
Saudi clubs dominated last season, providing three of the semifinalists before Al-Ahli won the final in front of 60,000 spectators at Jeddah in May. Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal are also back and expected to challenge again for the title.
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Since the country’s Public Investment Fund took over the leading clubs, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, in 2023, Saudi Pro League clubs have spent about $1.5bn on players.
Toney signed for Al-Ahli from Brentford in August 2024 and would welcome more success in Asia.
“It was great to win the Champions League in front of our fans, and they are so passionate,” Toney told The Associated Press news agency.
The England striker scored six goals in last season’s continental tournament and has forged a fruitful relationship with Riyad Mahrez, who won the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City in 2021.
“If you get into the right positions in the area, then great players like Mahrez will find you,” Toney said. “The standard in Saudi Arabia is very high.”
There are 24 teams in the group stage, split into western and eastern zones in Asia, with the top eight from each progressing to a round of 16.
Riyadh’s Al-Hilal is the most successful club in the tournament’s history with four titles, and was the only Asian team to get out of the group stage at the Club World Cup in June, defeating Manchester City to reach the quarterfinals.
Al-Hilal has been bolstered by the $70m signing of Uruguayan striker Nunez from Liverpool.
Al-Ahli’s Roberto Firmino lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Asian Champions League by beating Kawasaki Frontale in the 2024-2025 final [Reuters]
Coach Simone Inzaghi guided Inter Milan to the final of the UEFA Champions League and a 5-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain before quitting in June and moving to Al-Hilal.
The Italian coach will be hoping to go one better in Asia.
Two-time champion Al-Ittihad, meanwhile, is looking to Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante, who have won the European version, to do the same in Asia.
Former Manchester United and England star Lingard is flying the flag for FC Seoul. The South Korean league is the most successful in Asian club competitions with 12 titles overall, but has produced just one winner since 2016.
Lingard joined the K-League team in 2023 and, after a slow start, became club captain and a fan favourite.
“Now, we have to compete in the league as well as the AFC Champions League Elite,” Lingard said. “As captain, I will do my best to help the team achieve good results.”
Seoul FC coach Kim Ki-dong is giving the 32-year-old Lingard more responsibility.
“He has played for England and in the Premier League, but this will be his first AFC Champions League,” Kim said. “I know he’s really looking forward to this, and he’s working hard for it.”
Japanese clubs have offered most of the opposition to Saudi clubs recently. Kawasaki Frontale beat Al-Nassr in the semifinals in April but didn’t qualify this time.
J-League champion Vissel Kobe may present the strongest challenge, but of the 12 eastern teams, only South Korea’s Ulsan has been a previous champion.
Portugal earned a 3-2 victory at Hungary in their UEFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, with Joao Cancelo scoring a late winner, two minutes after the hosts had equalised, to put them in control at the top of Group F with two away wins from two.
The visitors came from behind to lead thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty, but almost let the three points slip when conceding late on before Cancelo’s goal rescued the win to add to their 5-0 success in Armenia on Saturday.
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Hungary took the lead in the 21st minute when Barnabas Varga met Zsolt Nagy’s inch-perfect cross into the box with a header which went in off the upright, before Portugal drew level 15 minutes later through Bernardo Silva’s close-range effort.
Portugal went in front after Varga handballed a Ronaldo flick-on in the area, and the 40-year-old buried his spot kick into the bottom corner.
The goal took Ronaldo level with Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz as the joint-top scorer in World Cup qualifiers on 39. He also extended his international record to 141 in 223 games.
Hungary, who drew 2-2 away to Ireland on Saturday, looked to have done the same in Budapest when Varga headed his second of the night six minutes from time, but the hosts were unable to hold on.
Two minutes later, Cancelo struck a first-time shot from outside the area after a Bernardo Silva pass to leave Portugal top of the group standings on six points.
“It’s never easy once you fall behind, and we showed a lot of character, just like against Germany and Spain [in the Nations League] in June when we were losing but managed to come back,” said Silva.
“Today, once again against a tough team, we managed to come back. Even when they scored after 80-something minutes, we still managed to score the winner.”
Armenia, who beat Ireland 2-1 earlier on Tuesday, are second with three points, with Hungary and Ireland on one point.
Ronaldo scores Portugal’s second goal from the penalty spot on September 9, 2025 [Bernadett Szabo/Reuters]
Norway register double-digit win against Moldova
Norway’s Erling Haaland scored five goals and substitute Thelo Aasgaard added four more as they hammered hapless Moldova 11-1 to take another huge step towards qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
With five games played, the Norwegians top Group I on 15 points, six ahead of second-placed Italy, who have a game in hand. Moldova’s worst defeat leaves them bottom of the group with no points.
The group winners qualify automatically for next year’s World Cup, while the runners-up go into a playoff.
Haaland’s beautifully cushioned pass teed up Felix Horn Myhre to break the scoring deadlock with a sixth-minute tap-in, and Martin Odegaard should have made it two a minute later, but he blazed the ball over from close range.
The Norwegians did not have to wait long for another goal as Haaland rattled home in the 11th minute, snapping up a loose ball in the box and sweeping it into the far corner.
Haaland slotted home his second to round off a Norwegian counterattack in the 36th minute and completed his hat-trick before halftime.
Moldova keeper Cristian Avram forced him to go wide, but Haaland recovered the ball and chipped it brilliantly in at the far post to make it 4-0.
Odegaard netted a fifth in first-half stoppage time, and seven minutes into the second half, Haaland struck again, scoring his fourth with a header as Norway ran riot in front of their home fans.
Substitute Aasgaard struck twice, either side of an own goal by Leo Ostigard, and he got his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 79th minute before Haaland added the 10th, his ninth goal in five World Cup qualifiers.
Aasgaard completed the rout with a flicked finish in second-half stoppage time to complete a rare double-digit margin of victory.
Norway’s Erling Haaland scores their fourth goal to complete a hat-trick against Moldova in their UEFA World Cup qualifying match at Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway, on September 9, 2025 [Fredrik Varfjell/NTB via Reuters]
England dominate Serbia
England took a huge step towards automatic qualification for the World Cup, with captain Harry Kane paving the way for an impressive 5-0 victory away to main Group K rivals, Serbia.
Criticised for a laboured home win over Andorra at the weekend, England produced their best display under Thomas Tuchel to take full advantage of a timid Serbia display and maintain their 100 percent record in the group without conceding a goal.
Kane headed England’s opener from Declan Rice’s corner in the 33rd minute, and minutes later Noni Madueke scored his first senior international goal to double the lead.
Seven minutes after the break, it was Ezri Konsa’s turn to open his England account and put the visitors in cruise control with a close-range finish.
Serbia’s night went from bad to worse when Nikola Milenkovic was sent off in the 73rd minute for a foul on Kane, and from Rice’s resulting free kick, Marc Guehi arrived to make it 4-0.
Substitute Marcus Rashford rounded it off with a late penalty after a foul on Ollie Watkins as England moved to 15 points from five games and a seven-point lead over Albania.
Serbia’s first defeat in the group leaves them third on seven points, with a game in hand.
The group winners qualify for next year’s finals, with the runners-up going into the playoffs.
England’s Marcus Rashford scores their fifth goal from the penalty spot against Serbia on September 9 [Andrew Boyers/Action Images via Reuters]
Cristiano Ronaldo is first player to score 100 goals for four professional clubs but Al Nassr lose final to Al-Ahli.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score 100 competitive goals for four different clubs, though Al Nassr lost to Al-Ahli in a penalty shootout after the Saudi Super Cup final ended 2-2.
The first half strike at Hong Kong Stadium on Saturday took the 40-year-old to his century for the Saudi Arabian club, which he joined in December 2022.
It adds to his 450 goals for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United and 101 for Juventus and moves Ronaldo ahead of the three players who had scored 100 times for three clubs: Isidro Langara, who played in Spain from 1930 to 1948, as well as Brazilian stars Romario and Neymar.
Ronaldo, who has yet to win a major trophy in Saudi Arabia, is also the leading international goalscorer with 138 goals for Portugal.
Al-Ahli’s Edouard Mendy lifts the trophy and celebrates on the podium with Franck Kessie and teammates after winning the Saudi Super Cup [Tyrone Siu/Reuters]
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner put Al Nassr ahead after 41 minutes with a penalty, though Franck Kessie quickly equalised for Al-Ahli.
With seven minutes remaining, Marcelo Brozovic restored Al Nassr’s lead, but there was still time for Brazilian defender Ibanez to head home a corner and take the game into a penalty shootout.
Ronaldo scored once more from the spot, but his teammate Abdullah al-Khaibari did not, and Al-Ahli won 5-3 to lift the first trophy of the Saudi Arabian season.
Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo with Joao Felix and teammates as he looks dejected after the match [Tyrone Siu/Reuters]
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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Sporting ripped up their playing surface, lowered it and added another bank of seatsCredit: Sporting CP
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The Portuguese giants re-laid the pitch using a hybrid surfaceCredit: Sporting CP
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Sporting managed to get the new surface ready for their first home game last weekendCredit: Sporting CP
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The stadium has a number of upgrades, including the all-new dugoutsCredit: Record
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.
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.
Celtic star Daizen Maeda spotted doing press-ups in technical area after being subbed-off against Sporting Lisbon
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”.
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.
Ronaldo’s new two-year extension with Al Nassr is believed to be one of the most lucrative contracts in world football [File: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters]
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.
Cristiano Ronaldo guided Portugal to Nations League glory earlier this monthCredit: SHUTTERSTOCK
“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.
Watch IShowSpeed’s X-rated meltdown after police block him from seeing Cristiano Ronaldo at Euro 2024
Aguero sarcastically then asked the 20-year-old: “[Ronaldo] just won the [Euros] no?
SOME of the world’s biggest clubs are heading Stateside for a MAMMOTH Club World Cup.
Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Man City, and Inter Miami are among the 32 teams taking part in the tournament, which runs from June 14 to July 13.
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Cole Palmer and Harry Kane will be showing their skills to packed crowds across the US.
Los Blancos are favourites to lift the trophy in New York but will face stiff competition from around the globe.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the tournament…
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There will be 63 matches for fans to sink their teeth into, and 23 of them will be on Channel 5 after they teamed up with American broadcaster Dazn for the coverage rights.
Channel 5 also confirmed it would show highlights of every match across its social accounts and YouTube channel.
And the broadcaster has also announced some of the top talent who will be seen to help viewers digest the action.
Presenters across the games will include Olivia Buzaglo, Ade Oladipo, Kelly Somers and James Richardson.
The punditry list is far more extensive and includes top former professionals such as Ronaldo, John Obi Mikel, Sami Khedira, Shay Given, Callum Wilson, Kleberson, Christian Vieri, Mamadou Sakho, Lianne Sanderson and more.
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano will also be present during the coverage.
Match commentators will include Conor McNamara, Rich Wolfenden, Dan O’Hagan, Mike Minay, Pete Odgers, Brandon Smith, Joe Speight, Jess Charman.
Meanwhile, co-commentators will be Andros Townsend, Michael Brown, Brad Friedel, Rob Green, Danny Higginbotham, Don Hutchison, Jonas Olsson, Anita Asante.
Channel 5’s coverage will see them broadcast two of Chelsea‘s and Manchester City’s group games.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will see the World’s best players decide which club is the greatest
They will then have half of each of the games from the knockout stages; four out of eight Last-16 games, two out of four quarter-finals games and one semi-final game, before the final.
A £775million prize pot is being split between the 32 teams competing in the tournament.
Teams can earn £1.5m for winning a single game during the group stages, while a draw is worth £800,000.
Reaching the knockouts will earn a club £5.8m, with that figure booming to £10.1m for an appearance in the quarters and then £16.2m for the semi-finals.
The winner of the cup will win a colossal £30m, while the runner up gets £23.2, although the winning club could in theory earn up to £97m for their participation.
Once again it was the Barcelona star Lamine Yamal who was the talk of the game as he won player of the match by scoring two goals in his sides 5-4 win.
However, the footballing icon Cristiano Ronaldo will want to show the teenager who’s boss with a second Nations League win.
Ronaldo had never beaten Germany before in his career – he has played Germany five times, losing all five but he was the difference maker in the semi-final.
The main battle of the game will definitely be between the teenage sensation Yamal and footballing phenomenon Ronaldo.
A new-look FIFA Club World Cup, featuring 32 teams, kicks off in the United States on June 14 and runs through to the final on July 13.
In advance of the tournament, Al Jazeera takes a look at the top five talking points:
1. Cramped schedule raises concerns over player welfare
FIFA’s decision to expand the Club World Cup from a six- or eight-team tournament to a supersized 32-team edition has been criticised by FIFPRO, the global football players’ union, and the World Leagues Forum (WLF).
Legitimate questions have been raised about the extra workload on players due to the increased number of matches, and the corresponding reduction in rest and recovery time for players in a shortened off season.
“The FIFA Council’s decision to schedule the first edition of the 32-team FIFA Club World Cup between 15 June and 13 July 2025 without implementing further player workload safeguards demonstrates a lack of consideration for the mental and physical health of participating players, as well as a disregard for their personal and family lives,” FIFPRO said in a statement in December.
A report released by FIFPRO and Football Benchmark in April found that several Club World Cup-bound players are among the most overworked for the 2024-25 season.
The report’s findings estimated that Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, who made 43 back-to-back appearances up until April 1 with fewer than five days of recovery time before these matches, could potentially reach 65 back-to-back appearances for club and country by the end of the season, racking up close to 7,000 minutes and 78 games.
The WLF, an organisation representing 44 major professional leagues that is chaired by Premier League chief Richard Masters, said the organisation was unhappy that it had been overlooked in FIFA’s decision-making process.
According to the Reuters news agency, Masters accused FIFA of prioritising its own commercial interests, adding that the June-July schedule would affect player availability for national leagues at the start of the season in August.
An elongated FIFA Club World Cup schedule in 2025 has reduced the already-short off season for many top players in the tournament, increasing the chance of injury, according to FIFPRO [File: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters]
2. Will the matches be competitive?
While the expansion of the Club World Cup to 32 sides allows more teams a chance at testing themselves against some of the biggest names in global club football, it also raises questions about the competitiveness of the tournament.
With every group having at least two clubs from Europe or South America, teams from the other continental confederations, such as Asia or Africa, could find themselves having very little chance of glory against the heavyweights of the game.
For example, in Group G, Moroccan side Wydad AC and UAE Pro League Al Ain are pitted against Manchester City and Juventus, who have been supremely successful on the domestic and continental stage.
Teams from the European confederation (UEFA) have historically dominated the Club World Cup, winning 16 of the 20 editions played to date. The remaining four have all been won by clubs from the South American confederation (CONMEBOL).
So, history suggests that the presence of European or South American sides could lead to lopsided matchups in this year’s edition.
Real Madrid are the most successful club in the Club World Cup, having won a record five titles [File: Josep Lago/AFP]
3. Where are the superstars and superteams?
While Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will play at the tournament, fans will be denied an opportunity to watch many of the elite performers from the 2024-25 season, such as Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, the Premier League’s Golden Boot winner, or teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal, who won three trophies this year with Barcelona.
Salah created history as the first player in Premier League history to finish a season with the most goals and assists as well as win the Player of the Season award. But one of the most in-form forwards in the world will not be among the players in the US as Liverpool could not qualify for the tournament, with Manchester City and Chelsea earning spots from the English quota.
Further confusing the selection of teams was FIFA’s abrupt decision to give the host nation a spot and award it to Inter Miami, underlining the opaque nature of the qualifying criteria for the tournament which won’t feature Liverpool, Barcelona or Napoli, who have all just been crowned champions in three of the most prestigious leagues in Europe.
Inter Miami gained entry by topping Major League Soccer’s regular season standings, despite losing in the first round of the playoffs – a decision critics say shows FIFA’s desperation to have Inter’s Argentina great Messi at their inaugural showpiece.
Apart from the winners of each confederation’s premier club competitions, teams qualified according to a ranking based on their performances over a four-year period. Barcelona, the current La Liga champions, missed out on a spot due to the four-year club coefficient rankings and two-team restrictions, as their archrivals Real Madrid qualified for the Club World Cup alongside Atletico Madrid.
The Catalan giants, fielding some of the most exhilarating footballers on the planet, such as 17-year-old wonderkid Yamal or the goal-scoring genius of Raphinha, are a huge omission from the club-based tournament.
Prodigious talents like Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay, who ushered Napoli’s stunning 2024-25 Serie A title charge in Italy, will also not play.
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah will be one of many global football stars missing from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 [File: Phil Noble/Reuters]
4. Introduction of a special transfer window
In the build-up to the tournament, FIFA announced the creation of a special transfer window, allowing participating clubs to make last-minute transfers before their teams board the flight to the US.
FIFA has said signings can be made from June 1 to June 10 as well as June 27 to July 3, explaining that the objective of the latter window is to encourage clubs and players whose contracts are expiring “to find an appropriate solution to facilitate the players’ participation”.
The introduction of this transfer window is unique as signings usually either take place in the close season or the middle of the season, known as the summer and winter windows for European clubs.
FIFA’s move has led to speculation that Cristiano Ronaldo could be one of those players to put pen to paper during the window on a short-term deal for one of the participating clubs. Spanish newspaper Marca reported in late May that a club in Brazil had submitted an offer to sign Ronaldo. Botafogo – one of four Brazilian clubs competing at the tournament – have been linked with the veteran forward.
Ronaldo, 40, has hinted he could leave Al Nassr after declaring that a “chapter is over” hours after the Saudi Pro League finished. Al Nassr have not qualified for the Club World Cup, unlike fellow Saudi side Al Hilal, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently said “there are discussions” over Ronaldo playing at the Club World Cup.
The Portugal star confirmed on Saturday that he had received “quite a few” offers from participating clubs to play for them at the tournament, but had decided against accepting any.
Should a Ronaldo transfer ultimately occur, the Club World Cup could see Messi and Ronaldo face-off in the US market, greatly boosting media interest, ticket sales, TV viewership figures, and enhancing the overall appeal of the tournament. The duo, who are arguably the greatest players of their generation, last played in the same competition at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
A club which has already benefitted from this special transfer window is Real Madrid, which was able to reach an agreement with Liverpool to sign defender Trent Alexander-Arnold early and make him available for the tournament.
The right back was scheduled to join the Spanish giants on a six-year deal as a free agent after his Liverpool contract expired on June 30, but according to The Athletic, Real paid Liverpool 10 million euros ($11.4m) to fast-track the process and get him on board for the Club World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr, is out of contract this month, which has led to speculation over his exit from the Saudi Pro League club [File: Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters]
5. Dress rehearsal for next year’s FIFA World Cup
Fans in the US will get a glimpse of what the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil will look like when they attend the Club World Cup matches this year.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by the US alongside Canada and Mexico, running for more than a month with 100+ matches.
Among the 12 stadiums that will host the new-look Club World Cup, some have also been chosen as venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will have 48 participants for the first time.
MetLife Stadium, an 82,500-seater in New Jersey, will host the semifinals and the final of the Club World Cup as well as the final of next year’s prestigious World Cup.
Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, Seattle’s Lumen Field and Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium are the other venues which will be involved in both tournaments.
The venues, though, might not be filled to their full capacity as organisers have struggled to sell tickets, with club fan tickets, general public tickets, and hospitality sections all still up for sale on the official FIFA site, nearly two weeks out from the start of the event.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy is coming to the US next year, as the final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey [File: Martin Meissner/AP Photo]
Defending champions Spain face 2019 winners, and Iberian rivals, Portugal in Sunday’s Nations League final in Munich.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged that he was “another generation” to Spain starlet Lamine Yamal but said Sunday’s Nations League final was more than just a battle between the duo.
The final in Munich has been framed as a showdown between veteran Ronaldo, 40, one of the game’s biggest names, and 17-year-old Yamal, the most exciting young talent in world football.
Ronaldo scored the winner to send Portugal past Germany into the final, and Yamal was named man-of-the-match after bagging a brace in Spain’s wild 5-4 semifinal win over France.
Ronaldo, however, said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world”.
“There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK.
“When you talk about a clash between Cristiano and someone else, that’s not how it works. The media always try to hype things up, which is a normal thing, but it’s one team versus another team.”
“You’ve been talking about Lamine a lot and you’re right to do so because he’s very good,” Ronaldo told journalists, adding, “but I’d like to talk about the team.
“They’ve got Nico Williams, great midfielders like Pedri and their coach [Luis] de la Fuente is very good, very strong, very disciplined.”
Spain’s Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring his side’s third goal against France int the Nations League semifinal with Spain’s Nico Williams [Angelika Warmuth/Reuters]
Portugal last beat their Iberian neighbours in a competitive fixture 21 years ago, in a match which Ronaldo started.
Like Yamal, Ronaldo burst onto the scene at a young age.
Aged just 18, Ronaldo impressed so much for boyhood side Sporting in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a friendly in Lisbon that the English club decided to buy him, bringing him to Old Trafford less than a week later.
Like a young Ronaldo, Yamal has consistently impressed since bursting onto the scene, winning a league and cup double with Barcelona this season after lifting the Euro 2024 title in Germany last year.
The Portuguese veteran asked the media to allow the teenager to grow and improve without pressure, reminding them the Spanish star “with funny hair” was just “three years older than my son”.
“The kid has been doing very well, but what I ask is for you to let him grow, not put him under pressure. For the good of football, we need to let him grow in his own way and enjoy the talent he has.”
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said Yamal was “only 17, but very mature for his age. Well-prepared, intelligent – he lives life as if it’s all normal, and that’s what we want for him”.
De la Fuente said the national side were “trying to walk alongside [Yamal] in his education,” but added “you’d be surprised, shocked, how calm he is.
“He’s special. For some people, this would be a situation of maximum stress. But for him, he’s relaxed, he’s in control – he masters the situation.”
The coach also took time to praise Ronaldo, calling him “a legend in football and an example of the values I like: effort, work rate, sacrifice, getting better every day and never letting your guard down.
“Portugal are led by a footballer who will go down in history with an indelible legacy.”
Both Spain and Portugal have already won the Nations League. Spain are the current champions from their win in 2023, while Portugal won the inaugural tournament back in 2019.
Spain have won 16 and drawn two of their past 18 fixtures – and have not lost a competitive match since March 2023.
Spain forward Mikel Oyarzabal told reporters his side “do not think we are better than anyone,” but “we trust ourselves 100 percent and know we can compete in every game.
“We’ve shown that over the years. Our level is very high.”
Al-Nassr and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo said he has no plans to play at Club World Cup, starting June 14 in the United States.
Cristiano Ronaldo says he’s almost certain he will not be playing at the Club World Cup, dealing a blow to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s hopes of having one of football’s biggest attractions at the tournament.
The Portugal star confirmed on Saturday that he received “quite a few” offers from participating clubs to play for them at the tournament starting June 14, but had decided against accepting any of them.
“Some things make sense to talk about, other things don’t, and, as a person says, you can’t take part in everything,” Ronaldo said.
“You have to think about the short, medium and long term. It’s a decision practically made on my part not to go to the Club World Cup, but I’ve had quite a few invitations to go.”
Ronaldo was speaking in Munich a day before Portugal’s UEFA Nations League final against Spain.
The 40-year-old scored his 137th international goal in a 2-1 semifinal victory against Germany on Wednesday to book Portugal’s spot in the final.
“This is irrelevant right now,” Ronaldo said when first asked about the FIFA Club World Cup. “It makes no sense to talk about anything other than the national team.”
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo scores the game-winning goal against Germany in the UEFA Nations League semifinal on June 4 in Munich, Germany [Annegret Hilse/Reuters]
A CLASH of generations and a crunch Iberian derby comes this Sunday when Portugal and Spain meet in the Nations League final.
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Portugal vs Spain prediction
Boy wonder
It would be rather silly to ignore the teenage sensation, wouldn’t it?
Lamine Yamal’s brace in midweek was further proof of his incredible rise this season, starring on yet another big stage.
The Barca boy has five goals in his last five games for club and country and this Spanish side are littered with incredible talent. Good boosted value.
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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.”
Portugal beat Germany 2-1 to reach the final of the UEFA Nations League as Cristiano Ronaldo nets the winner.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored again as Portugal came from behind to beat Germany 2-1 in their Nations League semifinal on Wednesday.
The 40-year-old Ronaldo captained Portugal and scored his 137th international goal five minutes after substitute Francisco Conceição equalised with a blistering shot in the 63rd.
Ronaldo became the oldest player to ever score against Germany while ending his “curse” against the country. The former Real Madrid star lost each of the previous five games he played against Germany.
Liverpool target Florian Wirtz had given the home team a 48th-minute lead with a perfectly placed header inside the right post, but Portugal coach Roberto Martínez made his changes count as he brought on Conceicao and Champions League winner Vitinha among the substitutes.
Vitinha excelled as Portugal finished the game in the ascendancy just four days after he helped Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) win the Champions League final against Inter Milan in the same stadium on Saturday.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo scores their second goal [Annegret Hilse/Reuters]
Germany needed goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen at his best to prevent the visitors from scoring any more.
PSG wing-backs Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes both started for Portugal, while Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade started for his Germany debut.
Conceicao only needed five minutes to make a mark with a brilliant long-range strike inside the far post after he surged past Robin Gosens like he was not there. Mendes gave Ronaldo a simple finish five minutes after that.
“It could have been more,” Mendes said.
Germany’s Florian Wirtz scores their first goal [Annegret Hilse/Reuters]
The match was delayed by 10 minutes due to “adverse weather conditions” in Munich.
Earlier in the day, UEFA warned matchgoers of possible thunderstorms in the Bavarian capital forecast for kickoff time.
About an hour before the originally scheduled kickoff time of 9pm, a storm swept across northern Munich, lashing the stadium with rain and leaving the arena grass carpeted in hailstones.
Goalkepers from both sides had begun their warm-up when the storm hit.
