Ronaldo's Al-Nassr wins appeal to put ACL qualification within reach
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — A disappointing season for Cristiano Ronaldo could still end on an unexpected high after Al-Nassr won an appeal to be handed three points, which puts qualification for the Asian Champions League within reach.
The Saudi Arabia Football Federation announced the ruling Monday, hours before the final round of the Saudi Pro League season. Al-Nassr had been in fourth place and out of the running to qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite, Asia's top club competition.
But the extra three points move Al-Nassr up to third and with a chance of overtaking second-place Al-Hilal in the final round. Ronaldo's team plays Al-Fateh on Monday evening, while Al-Hilal faces Al Qadsiah.
If Al-Nassr finishes third, it would enter Asia's second-tier competition instead.
Al-Nassr lost 2-1 to Al-Orubah in March but complained that goalkeeper Rafi Al-Ruwaili was ineligible to play in the game because he was not a full-time professional.
The Saudi Federation ruled in favor of Al-Nassr in a decision that also ensures Al-Orubah will be relegated.
Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, is the biggest star playing in Saudi Arabia but it remains unclear whether the 40-year-old forward will be back for another year at Al-Nassr as his contract expires on June 30. He has yet to win a major trophy since joining Al-Nassr in a big-money move in December 2022, but he is the leading scorer in the league this season with 24 goals.
He could reportedly join another team on loan in order to play at FIFA's Club World Cup, the 32-team tournament which kicks off in the United States on June 14.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
39 minutes ago
- New York Times
England 1 Senegal 3 – Tuchel's side fall flat, so is it time to move on from the old guard?
Four games into his tenure and Thomas Tuchel has made history, albeit not in the manner he would have wished. England had never before lost to African opposition in 21 matches, but they ended up well beaten in Nottingham. The smiles that the German had hoped to see first-hand were all Senegalese by the end, with Pape Thiaw's side running out comfortable and deserved winners. Advertisement A much-changed England had actually led early on, sharp work from Eberechi Eze and Conor Gallagher presenting Anthony Gordon with a shooting chance. Edouard Mendy could not hold his attempt, with Harry Kane tapping in the rebound. The England captain has scored in all four of Tuchel's games in charge. Yet the hosts did not build on that momentum. Pape Thiaw's Senegal, who are now unbeaten in 22 matches, were energetic and incisive. Dean Henderson was called upon to make a flurry of saves but was helpless when his Crystal Palace club-mate, Ismaila Sarr, sprinted beyond a dawdling Kyle Walker to convert Nicolas Jackson's hopeful cross. That was the first time Tuchel's England had conceded, and Habib Diarra might have added another after the interval. Unperturbed, the Strasbourg forward burst into space behind Myles Lewis-Skelly and substitute Morgan Gibbs-White to thrust the visitors ahead. That at least sparked England into life and another substitute, Jude Bellingham, thought he had salvaged a draw only for his close-range finish to be ruled out after a VAR check for a handball by Levi Colwill in the buildup. Yet Tuchel's team were caught on the counter deep into stoppage time at the end with Cheikh Sabaly adding Senegal's third. Daniel Sheldon and Rob Tanner dissect the key talking points from the City Ground. The City Ground has been waiting since 1909 to host an England game, with this seized upon as an opportunity to celebrate some of the truly great players who have worn both the Garibaldi red of Nottingham Forest and the white shirt of England down the years. Legacy caps were presented to some of those celebrated internationals – Frank Wignall, Ian Storey-Moore, Gary Birtles, Steve Hodge, Neil Webb, Colin Cooper and Steve Stone — while the families of some who are sadly no longer with us – brothers Fred and Frank Forman, Trevor Francis and Larry Lloyd — were also present to accept theirs. But it was the tribute to a true footballing pioneer, Viv Anderson that was particularly poignant. Anderson was the first Black player to represent England, making his debut in 1978 in a friendly against Czechoslovakia, and went on to earn 30 caps while winning every major domestic trophy during his glittering career, including two European Cups and the European Super Cup during a decade at Forest. Advertisement The pre-match tifo in the Trent End, organised by the Forza Garibaldi fan group, acknowledged a player that broke down barriers along the way at a time when the game was infected by systemic racism. 'From the streets of Clifton to the grass of Wembley,' it read. 'Our Viv is a pioneer who inspired generation after generation.' Anderson, watching on here from the stand, always handled himself with grace, intelligence and control during those times, and he played the game with similar attributes. It was also poignant as those present also said goodbye to another trailblazer: Uriah Rennie, the first Black referee in the Premier League, who passed away earlier this week. Rob Tanner There has been some debate in recent days around whether Jordan Pickford will still be England's first-choice goalkeeper when next year's World Cup gets underway. It was Dean Henderson's turn to start against Senegal — with the Crystal Palace shot-stopper making only his second appearance since his senior debut in November 2020 — and he was certainly far busier than Pickford was on Saturday. The 28-year-old was required to make a clearance followed by a save inside the first minute, and his evening did not get much quieter. He was on hand to deny Nicolas Jackson in the fifth minute, and alert to Ismaila Sarr's header that was on its way into his bottom corner. Left exposed by Walker's error, however, there was little he could do about he Palace team-mate's equaliser from close range before half time. And he would have been infuriated to allow Habib Diarra's shot through his legs as Senegal took a second-half lead. Given Pickford has never let England down at a major tournament, it would be a bold call for Tuchel to move on from the Everton goalkeeper, but his spot in the team is perhaps not as guaranteed as it once was. Advertisement And you would expect Henderson, not Burnley's James Trafford, to be the one to dislodge him should it come to that. The former Manchester United player showed enough quality at the City Ground to be a permanent fixture in this England set-up; it remains to be seen if he finds himself stuck behind an immovable object in Pickford. Dan Sheldon Tuchel only signed an 18-month contract and he has made it crystal clear that he will make a decision on his future after next year's World Cup. With that short-termism in mind, you can understand his decision to bring back England's old guard — Jordan Henderson and Kyle Walker — for the games against Andorra and Senegal. Harry Maguire and John Stones, two central defenders, did not receive the call-up meaning the band was not totally back together. But Walker's first-half performance against Senegal, where he was largely at fault for Sarr's equaliser and was unsettled regularly by the Palace forward, and Henderson's ineffective stint in Barcelona on Saturday are perhaps evidence that Tuchel needs to close the page on the past and look to the future — even if he is only sticking around for another year or so. Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, was happy to let Walker leave for AC Milan in January, and it is time England move on from starting the 35-year-old right-back, especially as there are myriad options in that position: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James and Tino Livramento to name only three. The veteran struggled badly here, with Roy Keane particularly scathing of his failure to check Sarr's run at the equaliser. 'If that was a young right-back you'd say he showed a lack of experience, but I think (Walker) has been lazy,' said the Irishman, working as a pundit for ITV. 'He can't be bothered to get back in. Advertisement 'I know he's had a difficult few months, but for a vastly experienced player… you can't be making mistakes like that.' Walker and Henderson were cornerstones of Southgate's England, but even he was starting to look beyond their talents. They are long past their best and if Tuchel is serious about winning the World Cup, it feels unlikely he will do it with either of them in the starting XI, no matter how good they have been for England over the years. Dan Sheldon 'I see us train with a smile, but not play with a smile,' Tuchel said in the build-up to the Senegal game. 'Then they forget about the shirt and how heavy it is.' The German hasn't been in the job long but he has quickly twigged what has been a blight on England in the modern era — the dreaded fear factor. So many of his predecessors have also spoken of the weight of expectation that turns players who look like potential world beaters with their clubs into bang average performers after pulling on the Three Lions. There haven't been too many players who look like they have had smiles on their faces in this international window. But there have been a few exceptions; players who have relished a rare opportunity. In the laboured but crucial win against Andorra on Saturday it was Noni Madueke who stood out with his freshness and appetite. He plays like a genuine winger who loves to supply. Against Senegal it was Eberechi Eze who played with a smile on his face, a swagger in his stride and the courage to play his way, with freedom, flicks and an abundance of deft touches. Local favourite Morgan Gibbs-White also injected some energy and invention when he came on on home turf and seemed to relish his opportunity, linking well with Eze. Tuchel will be hoping the Eze grin in particular will become infectious because, at present, there is precious little else to smile about. Rob Tanner Just before the 70th minute, the camera panned to England's bench. The focus was on Noni Madueke as he prepared to come on to replace Bukayo Saka with the home side trailing 2-1. But the better picture was of Ivan Toney looking somewhat bewildered, arms folded, and probably wondering what on earth he was doing in Nottingham on a Monday night when he could have been on holiday. Having been called up to the England squad by Tuchel, he failed to emerge off the bench in Spain and was given a pitiful two minutes of normal time to salvage a result against Senegal. Fresh from his first season in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli, where he scored 23 Saudi Pro League goals in 29 starts and helped them win the Asian Champions League, he could be forgiven for thinking there was a good chance he would gain some game time under Tuchel. Yet, having not been out to Saudi Arabia to watch Toney in the flesh, Tuchel called him up for the June camp to see the former Brentford player in a squad environment. Maybe he did not like what he saw. Or perhaps he felt Kane, who he already knows more than enough about, should definitely start a friendly match against Senegal. Advertisement Either way, Toney's face was a picture — and it summed up what many people are probably thinking: what was the point of bringing him along just to watch him train and reward him with a handful of minutes on the pitch? Dan Sheldon We will bring you the England head coach's thoughts as soon as he has finished his post-match media duties. Saturday, September 6: Andorra (H), World Cup qualifier, 5.45pm UK, 12.45pm ET
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs keeping his discussions with team about viral boat video private
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs declined to share specifics about his conversations with coach Mike Vrabel and the team in the aftermath of a viral video that showed him passing what appeared to be a bag of pink crystals to women on a boat last month. 'Obviously, I want to be as candid with you guys as possible. I kind of have this thing where I don't talk about my personal life with people I don't know personally,' Diggs said Tuesday following the team's final minicamp practice. 'I'm pretty sure everybody here, men and women, are great people. But I kind of keep my personal life personal.' Tuesday marked the first time Diggs had spoken with reporters since videos were posted online of him chatting with three women before producing the substance. It wasn't clear what the substance was. An NFL spokesman said previously that the league would not comment, and Vrabel said the team would handle the matter internally. 'Obviously, it's a conversation that's happening internal. I can't really get into too much of the conversation about it,' Diggs said. 'The conversation I had with (Vrabel) and the people in the building is going to handled internal, in-house.' Diggs missed multiple optional team workouts this spring, but was present for the next one following the release of the video. He also was present for the Patriots' mandatory minicamp practices on Monday and Tuesday. Vrabel canceled a third practice originally scheduled for Wednesday. Diggs, 31, has attended multiple events this offseason with hip-hop star Cardi B — including the Met Gala and a Boston Celtics-New York Knicks playoff game. It has created an even bigger spotlight on the 10-year NFL veteran since he signed with the Patriots this offseason as a free agent, getting a three-year, $69 million deal that guarantees him $26 million. The four-time Pro Bowl selection posted six straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons for the Vikings and Bills before he was traded from Buffalo to Houston last spring. He had 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games for the Texans before he tore the ACL in his right knee in October. Diggs said getting his surgically repaired knee back to 100 percent in time for the start of training camp in July is his focus now. 'I'm grinding each and every day,' he said. 'Obviously, I can't do too much of the team stuff. But I'm eager to get out there, so whenever they do press the button I'm going to be ready. I'm trying, though.' He did line up at times with the first-team offense on Tuesday as it installed new plays. But he wasn't allowed to participate in any full-speed drills, instead doing individual work with trainers. But it hasn't lessened his resolve to be cleared for full contact. 'I'm confident. I've kind of took my rehab pretty serious,' Diggs said. 'In beginning phases I wasn't as confident, but I was trying it out. ... When I came back here, I was in a mindset of I'm trying to get after and get going. But it's kind of like a dog on a leash, you want to hold it back a little bit, especially because I want to go. But it's the timing of everything and I'm looking forward to training camp.' ___ AP NFL:
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst explains why he released CB Jaire Alexander
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst held an impromptu session with reporters at Tuesday's mandatory minicamp practice and essentially said the team was paying cornerback Jaire Alexander too much money for how little he played in recent seasons. 'Over the last four years, there's been a lot of games missed,' said Gutekunst, who released his first-ever draft pick on Monday after seven seasons in Green Bay. 'I just think for what that amount of money is, I think that's a lot to pay for a guy who hasn't been able to get on the field. Again, it's not his fault. It's just something that kind of transpired, so we just kind of were looking for something different.' Why didn't the Packers take a gamble on Jaire Alexander staying healthy and keep him? Brian Gutekunst: 'Obviously we've done that the past few years and it hasn't really worked out for us.' — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) June 10, 2025 Alexander, the No. 18 pick in 2018 who made two All-Pro second teams with the Packers in 2020 and 2022, missed 13 games with a shoulder injury in 2021 and 20 combined games over the last two seasons because of four different injuries. The Packers made Alexander the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history at the time in March 2022 with a four-year extension worth $21 million annually. He earned his second All-Pro nod the following season, but struggled to stay on the field in 2023 and 2024 while carrying a hefty price tag. According to Over The Cap, his 2025 cap number (about $24.6 million) would've been the third-highest on the team behind quarterback Jordan Love and defensive end Rashan Gary. Instead, the Packers free up about $17.1 million in cap this year and $19.5 million next year by releasing him, per OTC. According to a source, the Packers are applying the full dead cap hit of more than $17 million in 2025 instead of spreading it out over multiple years. The Packers didn't absolutely need to release Alexander for cap reasons — they ranked 12th in the NFL with about $29 million in cap space, per OTC, before the move — but Gutekunst still pulled the trigger. Why not gamble on your best cornerback staying healthy since the Packers could technically afford to? Advertisement 'I think obviously, we've done that the past few years and it hasn't really worked out for us,' Gutekunst said. 'I think as we went through it, we went through a lot of different angles that might be right for the club and this is kind of where we ended up. Again, it was no bad blood. It was just kind of one of those things where over the last couple years, it hasn't worked out exactly like we'd wanted to, through no fault of anybody. Just the injuries kind of took some games away from him.' The Packers entertained the possibility of a trade this offseason, but a deal involving Alexander never materialized. The team offered him a restructured contract, too, according to a source, but the sides couldn't agree on a deal. In the end, the Packers cut bait with one of their most talented players of the last decade, but one who simply wasn't available enough in recent seasons. Gutekunst added that he spoke with Alexander in person on Sunday before the release became official. Jordan Love on the Packers releasing Jaire Alexander: 'Someone who definitely believed in me from the get-go when I got my opportunity … it's tough to see him go.' — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) June 10, 2025 The Packers now turn to new No. 1 cornerback Keisean Nixon. Or is it free-agent signing Nate Hobbs? Will third-year corner Carrington Valentine see significant snaps? And what about the depth behind them? Will Kalen King, Kamal Hadden or Gregory Junior be able to fill in adequately if need be come September? 'I feel really good, really good,' Gutekunst said about his cornerback group. 'Obviously, the three guys (Nixon, Hobbs and Valentine) combined have about 95 starts under their belt. I feel really good about that. We've got some young guys I'm really interested to see compete for those kind of final roster spots, but no, I'm excited about where that group is. The three guys have proven their ability in this league. I like their makeup, their toughness, their ability to play, their versatility, so I'm excited about that group.'
