Cristiano Ronaldo is almost certain he won't play at Club World Cup
Live Events
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
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 soccer's biggest attractions at the tournament.The Portugal captain confirmed 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."The 40-year-old soccer great was speaking in Munich a day before Portugal's Nations League final against Spain.Infantino had suggested last month that Ronaldo, who is still contracted to Saudi team Al-Nassr until the end of June, could switch to one of the 32 clubs taking part in the Club World Cup because of a unique transfer window created for the tournament.Ronaldo did little to quell that speculation when he posted " this chapter is over " after Al-Nassr's last Saudi Pro League game of the season.He was linked with several Club World Cup participants, including Brazil's Palmeiras.A switch to Al-Nassr's crosstown rival Al-Hilal - the one Saudi club that qualified - was also mooted as a potential solution to having Ronaldo play at the tournament, where his great rival Lionel Messi will be playing with Inter Miami.FIFA would have welcomed the boost that Ronaldo's presence could provide for ticket sales, though such a switch to a bitter local rival for a short period would be unthinkable for players in Europe's leagues.Both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal are among the four big Saudi clubs backed by the country's Public Investment Fund, which has a 75% stake in each. On Thursday, FIFA announced PIF as an " official partner " of the Club World Cup. Saudi state money is also effectively funding the tournament's broadcasting deal that has largely backed its $1 billion prize fund being shared among the participants."This is irrelevant right now," Ronaldo first said when asked Saturday about the Club World Cup. "It makes no sense to talk about anything other than the national team."Ronaldo fired Portugal into the Nations League final on Wednesday with a 2-1 win over host nation Germany.His winning goal was his record-extending 137th for Portugal. If he plays Sunday he will make his record-extending 221st national team appearance.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Portugal Vs Spain Live Football Streaming For UEFA Nations League 2025: How To Watch POR Vs ESP Coverage On TV And Online
Last Updated: Check out the live streaming details for the Portugal vs Spain UEFA Nations League 2025 match to be played at the Allianz Arena in Germany. European champions Spain are set to face their neighbours, Portugal, in the Nations League final on Sunday, with both teams competing not only for the trophy but also for bragging rights. Having topped their respective groups, Spain and Portugal have experienced dramatic journeys through the knockout stages of the tournament. Portugal showed resilience in their quarter-final clash against Denmark, coming from behind three times over two legs to force extra time. They then scored twice in the additional 30 minutes to secure their spot in the semifinals. In the semis, Portugal again came from behind but managed to win 2-1 thanks to goals from Francisco Conceicao and Cristiano Ronaldo. Spain's route was even more thrilling. They drew both legs against the Netherlands, ending with a 5-5 aggregate score before clinching victory in a penalty shootout. In the semifinals against France, Spain built a commanding lead of 4-0 and then 5-1, only to face a late surge from France, which scored several goals to narrow the gap. The match ended 5-4, giving Spain a nail-biting win and a place in the final. POR vs ESP will be played on Sunday, June 8. POR vs ESP will be played at the Allianz Arena in Germany. POR vs ESP will start at 12:30 AM IST. POR vs ESP will be televised live in India on the Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD TV channels. How do I watch Portugal vs Spain UEFA Nations League 2025 match live streaming? POR vs ESP will be streamed live on the SonyLiv app in India. What are the Predicted Line-ups for Portugal vs Spain UEFA Nations League 2025 match live game? Spain XI: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Dean Huijsen, Robin Le Normand, Marc Cucurella; Fabian Ruiz, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Merino, Nico Williams; Mikel Oyarzabal First Published:
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Harry Kane's 2nd-Half Strike Helps Thomas Tuchel Create History As England Manager
Last Updated: The 1-0 win on Saturday helps Tuchel become first England manager to win his first three competitive games without conceding a goal. Harry Kane spared England's blushes with his second-half strike, securing a lackluster 1-0 win against minnows Andorra in Saturday's World Cup qualifier in Barcelona. Thomas Tuchel's side faced boos from England fans at the RCDE Stadium after struggling against a team ranked 173rd in the world. Kane's 72nd international goal saved England from the ultimate embarrassment of not beating such lowly opposition. Tuchel is the first England manager to win his first three competitive games without conceding a goal. However, given the weak opposition of Andorra, Latvia, and Albania in the Group K qualifiers, that achievement seems a bit hollow after this poor display. 'I'm not happy with the performance. We completely lost the momentum and couldn't get it back. We ended up in a place that was not good enough in terms of urgency," Tuchel said. 'We can just admit it that it's not what we expect from us. I was most worried in the last 20 minutes because I didn't like the attitude we ended the game with. 'I didn't like the lack of urgency. It did not match the occasion. It is still a World Cup qualifier." Tuchel had warned that England's tired stars should not be expected to thrash Andorra after grueling domestic seasons. The German cited the motivational difficulties posed by the summer international break, just before nine of his players jet off to the Club World Cup in the United States. His fears proved accurate as England struggled to establish any rhythm in a dull match that felt like a pre-season friendly. It was a far cry from the thrilling drama produced by Spain and France in their recent Nations League semi-final, highlighting the task facing Tuchel as he builds up to the 2026 World Cup. Tuchel didn't help England's cause by fielding an experimental side. Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones started at right-back, and Chelsea right-back Reece James played at left-back. With Declan Rice rested, Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson, 34, made his first England start since 2023, becoming the Three Lions' oldest player since Frank Lampard 11 years ago. Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka was left out after only completing one training session this week, leaving Noni Madueke, Morgan Rogers, and Cole Palmer to line up behind striker Harry Kane. Chelsea winger Madueke impressed, but Palmer and Rogers were underwhelming. Andorra hadn't scored an international goal for more than two years and quickly settled into a defensive formation that allowed England to dominate possession. As Tuchel had predicted, England found it difficult to break down a packed Andorra defense with nine men behind the ball at all times. Madueke's shot from the edge of the area was pushed away by Andorra keeper Iker Alvarez. Kane should have broken the deadlock with a close-range chance from Jones' cut-back, but the England captain prodded wastefully wide. Given Tuchel's desire to see his players perform in the warm Catalan temperatures ahead of the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, it was telling to see England struggle to find the energy and purpose needed to trouble Andorra. They moved the ball too slowly and were reduced to hopeful long-range efforts, with Jude Bellingham's 25-yard shot comfortably saved by Alvarez. England looked bereft of ideas, and the fans were beginning to grumble. Kane eased the mounting pressure when the Bayern Munich striker made the breakthrough five minutes after the interval. After Kane's initial shot was saved, Madueke alertly guided a low cross back into the six-yard box for the England captain to tap into the empty net. It was a modest way to reach a milestone for Kane, who has a remarkable 450 career goals for club and country in 697 games. England still couldn't find any momentum and were nearly punished in the closing stages when Guillaume Lopez's shot was blocked by Ezri Konsa. News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Andorra England harry kane Thomas Tuchel Location : Barcelona, Spain First Published: June 08, 2025, 00:09 IST News sports » football Harry Kane's 2nd-Half Strike Helps Thomas Tuchel Create History As England Manager
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
4 hours ago
- First Post
Cristiano Ronaldo confirms he will not be playing at FIFA Club World Cup: 'You can't take part in everything'
Ronaldo was expected to part ways with Al-Nassr and join one of the clubs participating in the FIFA Club World Cup, including Saudi club Al-Hilal. The Portugal star, however, confirmed on Saturday that while he did receive 'quite a few invitations', he chose not to accept any of them. read more Cristiano Ronaldo at a training session ahead of the UEFA Nations League final between Portugal and Spain in Munich. AP The drama surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's participation at the FIFA Club World Cup has come to an end with the Portuguese superstar ruling himself out of the 32-team tournament that gets underway in a week's time. Ronaldo, whose future at Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr also remains a matter of conjecture, added that he has received 'quite a few' offers from clubs that will be in action at the Club World Cup but has decided against accepting any of them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The move comes as a major blow to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was hopeful of having both Ronaldo and arch-rival Lionel Messi in action together to further boost the tournament's popularity. Messi's club Inter Miami qualified for the tournament by getting the host nation slot. More from Football 'Some things make sense to talk about, other things don't, and, as a person says, you can't take part in everything. 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 told reporters in Munich on the eve of the UEFA Nations League final between Portugal and Spain. Ronaldo's exit a major setback for FIFA Infantino had suggested last month that Ronaldo, who is still contracted to Saudi team Al-Nassr until the end of June, could switch to one of the 32 clubs taking part in the Club World Cup because of a unique transfer window created for the tournament. Ronaldo did little to quell that speculation when he posted ' this chapter is over ' after Al-Nassr's last Saudi Pro League game of the season. He was linked with several Club World Cup participants, including Brazil's Palmeiras. A switch to Al-Nassr's crosstown rival Al-Hilal – the one Saudi club that qualified – was also mooted as a potential solution to having Ronaldo play at the tournament, where his great rival Lionel Messi will be playing with Inter Miami. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD FIFA would have welcomed the boost that Ronaldo's presence could provide for ticket sales, though such a switch to a bitter local rival for a short period would be unthinkable for players in Europe's leagues. Both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal are among the four big Saudi clubs backed by the country's Public Investment Fund, which has a 75 per cent stake in each. On Thursday, FIFA announced PIF as an ' official partner ' of the Club World Cup. Saudi state money is also effectively funding the tournament's broadcasting deal that has largely backed its $1 billion prize fund being shared among the participants. 'This is irrelevant right now,' Ronaldo first said when asked Saturday about the Club World Cup. 'It makes no sense to talk about anything other than the national team.' Ronaldo fired Portugal into the Nations League final on Wednesday with a 2-1 win over host nation Germany. His winning goal was his record-extending 137th for Portugal. If he plays Sunday he will make his record-extending 221st national team appearance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With AP inputs
