World Cup target behind Ronaldo's Al-Nassr decision
Cristiano Ronaldo says the chance to rest over the summer and be in the best condition for the 2026 World Cup is why he signed a new deal at Al-Nassr - rather than joining a team involved in the the Club World Cup.The Portugal forward is targeting a sixth World Cup appearance in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.He signed a new two-year contract with Saudi side Al-Nassr earlier this week, having already revealed that he had turned down offers from teams at the Club World Cup, which is currently being played in the United States."I had some offers to play [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, because this is the season of the World Cup at the end," 40-year-old Ronaldo told Al Nassr TV.He said he decided to "not listen" to offers in order to be "ready not only for Al Nassr, but also for the national team".Ronaldo has scored 138 goals in 221 appearances for Portugal since making his debut in 2003.The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has played at 11 major tournaments, lifting two Nations League titles and winning Euro 2016.He has managed 99 goals in 111 appearances for Al-Nassr and is well on his way to reaching 1,000 senior goals in his career, with a current tally of 938 for club and country.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
43 minutes ago
- The Independent
PSG vs Inter Miami LIVE: Latest team news and updates as Lionel Messi takes on former side at Club World Cup
Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami vie for a quarter-final place at the Club World Cup as Lionel Messi faces his former club in Atlanta. Messi spent two seasons in the French capital before making the move across the Atlantic, helping PSG to back-to-back titles but missing out in the Champions League. With the continental crown now claimed by the club, they will set their sights on more silverware in this expanded competition which has dealt with plenty of challenges and criticism through the group stages. PSG vs Inter Miami live PSG take on Inter Miami in the Club World Cup round of 16 | Live on DAZN and Channel 5 with kick off at 5pm BST Lionel Messi takes on former club and former manager in Luis Enrique Paris Saint-Germain are hoping to secure more silverware after Champions League success When is Paris Saint-Germain vs Inter Miami? PSG vs Inter Miami is due to kick off at 5pm BST on Sunday 29 June at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atalanta. How to watch the Club World Cup DAZN will show each match of the tournament live, including the final, for free in the UK. All users can watch a live stream on television and mobile devices by signing up for the company's DAZN Freemium service, with the option to watch ad-free coverage for £14.99. Users can watch DAZN from anywhere by using the DAZN App on TVs, smartphones and any device with a web browser. Jamie Braidwood29 June 2025 15:02 Good afternoon Paris Saint-Germain face a reunion with former forward Lionel Messi as the Champions League winners vie with Inter Miami for a quarter-final place at the Club World Cup. Before his move to Florida, Messi spent two seasons with PSG after leaving Barcelona and is also highly familiar with Luis Enrique from their time together at the Catalan club. Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets were also key parts of the Barcelona side that won a treble under Enrique's management in 2015, and will be out to disappoint their former head coach. PSG weren't at their best in the group stage though managed to progress top narrowly ahead of Botafogo and Atletico Madrid despite a surprise defeat to the Brazilians. 29 June 2025 15:00
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Man United suffer blow in pursuit of Dusan Vlahovic with striker 'unwilling to leave Juventus this summer'
Manchester United target Dusan Vlahovic has no plans to leave Juventus this summer despite an increasingly tense relationship with the club, according to reports in Italy. Vlahovic, who joined Juventus for £62m back in 2022, has scored 57 goals in 144 matches for the club. The 25-year-old is heading into the final year of his contract in Turin and is on United's list of striking targets. The Red Devils are looking to bolster their forward options after scoring just 44 goals in the Premier League last season. It is clear that a new No 9 is a priority this summe with Rasmus Hojlund having disappointed since his big money move two years ago. Juve are willing to cash in on Vlahovic or tie him down to a new contract on lower wages. And La Gazzetta dello Sport claim he has rejected the idea of either of those things happening. The 25-year-old intends to run down his contract and then leave for a new team on a free next summer. The situation complicates things in terms of the Serie A side's pursuit of Lille's Jonathan David this summer. The report adds that that free transfer is highly unlikely to take place if Vlahovic stays.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Cristiano Ronaldo gives telling explanation after Club World Cup rejection
Portugal and Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't involved in the 2025 Club World Cup but the veteran received a number of offers to take part in the tournament Cristiano Ronaldo claims he turned down offers from Club World Cup participants to ensure he's in solid shape for a long domestic and international season. The veteran has instead extended his Al-Nassr contract, and will remain in the Saudi Pro League before aiming to lead Portugal to glory at the 2026 World Cup. Former Manchester United star Ronaldo became the highest-paid player in the world when he ended his second Old Trafford spell and moved to Riyadh. He has finished as the top scorer in the Saudi top flight in each of his two full seasons, but has yet to win a league or AFC Champions League title. River Plate were among the interested parties who failed with a Ronaldo approach. "In mid-March, informally, through a mutual friend, I told him, 'Hey, I have a Club World Cup coming up, for a player like you, who defined an era… don't you have any intention of playing in it?'" manager Marcelo Gallardo told ESPN. "Not only did he feel recognised, but he evaluated it, thought about it, but then responded, 'I have to prepare for next season'." Gallardo added. And Ronaldo's comments upon extending his Al-Nassr stay are consistent with that. Fluminense also explored a move, only to be knocked back, and Ronaldo has shed more light on the situation. "I had some offers to play (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, because this is the season of the World Cup at the end," the 40-year-old told Al-Nassr TV. While he isn't involved in this year's 32-team Club World Cup, he previously represented both United and Real Madrid in the competition before its expansion. He is a four-time winner - once with United in 2008 and three times with Madrid in 2014, 2016 and 2017. He made key contributions in those 2016 and 2017 finals as Madrid went back-to back. A hat-trick in 2016 helped the Spanish club overcome Kashima Antlers after extra-time, while the following year he scored the only goal of the game in a victory over Gremio. Ronaldo scored his 138th international goal in June, helping Portugal secure a 1-1 draw with Spain in the UEFA Nations League final before winning on penalties. He also netted in the semi-final victory over Germany and the second leg of the quarter-final triumph against Denmark in March. Portugal have yet to begin their World Cup qualifying campaign due to those Nations League responsibilities, but will kick things off away to Armenia in September. Hungary and Ireland are the other teams in their group, with the winners qualifying automatically and the runners-up going into the play-offs. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
