Latest news with #CR7
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Celtic sweat in shadow of Hoops heritage site as cheeky fans chance their arm with the local law
In the Heat of Lisbon? Aye, right. As Glasgow basks in glorious sunshine, spare a thought for us poor souls in Portugal. I opened the curtains yesterday (Friday) to grey skies, puddles and a drizzle that wouldn't look out of place on Sauchiehall Street. Not quite what I had in mind when I packed a suitcase full of shorts, t-shirts and Factor 50. Still, the Celtic players weren't complaining too much as they were put through another sweat-soaked pre-season session As I write this, I'm sitting in the media room of the Cidade do Futebol - otherwise known as the City of Football - where the Hoops have based themselves. Normally home to Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates, for the next few days it's been painted green and white. Fittingly, the state-of-the-art complex is just a CR7 free-kick away from the Estadio Nacional - the holy ground where Celtic's name was etched into European folklore in 1967. The bowl-shaped stadium on the banks of the River Jamor is a cathedral of Celtic history. Remarkably, 57 years on from the night when the Lions roared, it remains almost untouched. Well, for now at least, as there are plans in place for a multi-million-pound facelift. That's why you'll always see green and white jerseys dotted around the place. Even tonight (Saturday), it's playing host to Portugal v Ireland... in the rugby, mind you. But for Celtic fans, it remains the ultimate bucket-list destination. And sure enough, as we made our way through the gates at Cidade do Futebol, a minibus full of supporters pulled up, hoping for a glimpse of the action. One bold Glaswegian rolled down the window and tried to sweet-talk the Portuguese security guard into letting them in for a peek at training. There was a clear language barrier - and judging by the look on the guard's face, a patience barrier too - but full marks for effort. If you don't ask, you don't get. It's probably no coincidence that Brendan Rodgers has chosen to base his squad in the shadow of the great footballing Colosseum. As the players were put through their paces, the iconic floodlights of the Estadio Nacional peeked out from behind the trees. Rodgers and his Class of 2025 obviously weren't even born when Stevie Chalmers poked home the goal that changed everything for Celtic. But as James Forrest told us in our first sit-down of the 2025/26 season, the manager's made sure his players know what that patch of land means to the club. Right now though, the focus is firmly on building up fitness. After useful runouts against Queen's Park and Cork City, the champions are stepping it up this afternoon (Saturday) with a behind-closed-doors friendly against Estrela Amadora. That one takes place at Benfica's academy base - a facility Celtic fans have come to know well thanks to Paulo Bernardo and, of course, Jota. Bernardo won't be involved. The midfielder has been given an extended break after his international duties with Portugal's Under-21s. Jota, on the other hand, popped in on Wednesday to catch up with the squad as he continues his rehab here in his homeland. Next stop for us? Faro, where the Hoops will round off their Portuguese tour with a glamour tie against Sporting Lisbon. Forecast? Clear skies, 28 degrees and no sign of a rain cloud. Perfect conditions as Celtic turn up the heat on pre-season.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
🇮🇹 Retegui: Saudi move and Italy call-up? 17 players did it ⚠️
Retegui will go to Saudi Arabia but despite this – according to La Gazzetta dello Sport – he will still be considered by Gattuso for the National Team. This is a decision subject to change, but it would be consistent with that of many other national teams, who regularly call up some players currently in the Saudi Pro League. Advertisement It's worth noting the situation of Portugal, which has as many as 4 players in Saudi Arabia: CR7, Ruben Neves, Cancelo, and Otavio (the only one not central to the Portuguese project). Al Nassr: 5 players Al Nassr has 5 players who are often called up to their national teams: CR7 and Otavio (Portugal), Sadio Mané (Senegal), Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia), and Laporte (Spain). Of these players, only Otavio is in doubt for call-ups, while the others are regularly part of their national teams. Al Hilal: 6 players The team with the most players in prominent national teams is Al-Hilal: Mitrovic and Milinkovic-Savic (Serbia), Ruben Neves and Cancelo (Portugal), Koulibaly (Senegal), and Bono (Morocco). Advertisement In this case, all the players on the list are either starters or important squad members for their national teams. There remains a question about Theo Hernandez: will Deschamps call him up despite his transfer? Al Ahli: 5 players 5 players also for Al-Ahli, who have signed Mahrez (Algeria), Demiral (Turkey), Mendy (Senegal), Toney (England), and Kessie (Ivory Coast). The only player in doubt for call-ups is Ivan Toney: in 2025 he made only one appearance for England, but even before moving to Saudi Arabia he was not at the top of the pecking order, blocked by Kane's presence. Al Qadsiah: 1 player Mateo Retegui's next team has been able to count on an 'international' player from an important country: namely Nahitan Nandez (Uruguay). Advertisement In the past year, Aubameyang also played for this club, but since he represents Gabon, he didn't face much competition for a national team spot. Bonus: not called up now, but in the past yes There are also players who are no longer called up today but who in the past have been selected by their countries even while playing in Saudi Arabia. These include Kanté (signed in 2023 and a starter for France until 2024); Wijnaldum (signed in 2023 and called up by the Netherlands until 2024); Roger Ibanez (signed in 2023 and called up by Brazil only once after his transfer); Malcom (with the same path as Ibanez). This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here. 📸 Alessandro Sabattini - 2025 Getty Images
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
🎥 Looking sharp! Superfan shows off special Ronaldo shirt
Cristiano Ronaldo has countless fans all over the world. For some fans, CR7 is more than just a soccer player. Before the first semifinal of the Club World Cup between Fluminense and Chelsea, a Ronaldo fan put on a very special jersey of his idol. What do you think of the jersey idea? Let us know your opinion in the comments. Advertisement This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here. 📸 JOHN MACDOUGALL - AFP or licensors
Daily Tribune
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
Cristiano Ronaldo's Museum Opens in Hong Kong, Drawing Huge Crowds
Football fans in Hong Kong waited in long lines on Monday to catch a glimpse of Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic jerseys, trophies, and statues at a special exhibition dedicated to the global superstar. The 'CR7 LIFE Museum Hong Kong,' set up in a luxury mall, is the first-ever Ronaldo-themed showcase outside his home country of Portugal. Fans excitedly posed with life-sized statues of the football legend — including one showing him in his famous mid-air celebration and another dressed in traditional Saudi attire. Fourteen-year-old Alvin Lai, who was the first in a queue of over 100 people, said, 'Cristiano Ronaldo is my idol... he's special.' University student Henry Singh added, 'He's the most hardworking person I've ever seen. He's 40 and still going strong.' Last month, Ronaldo signed a new two-year deal with Saudi club Al Nassr, calling it a 'new chapter' in his journey. The club is also scheduled to play in a pre-season tournament in Hong Kong next month. Tomas Froes, a representative from Ronaldo's family office, shared that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will personally greet fans at the museum 'very soon.' He described the 12,000-square-foot exhibition as more than just a display — 'It sends a powerful message that anyone can achieve their dreams.' The museum will remain open in Hong Kong for one year before moving to mainland China.
The Sun
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Hong Kong fans queue for opening of Cristiano Ronaldo exhibition
HONG KONG football fans queued for hours on Monday to snap pictures of Cristiano Ronaldo's trophies and jerseys at an exhibition billed as the first of its kind outside the superstar's native Portugal. Visitors at the opening of the 'CR7 LIFE Museum Hong Kong' at a luxury shopping mall posed next to life-sized statues of the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player, including one in mid-air celebration and another in traditional Saudi dress. 'Cristiano Ronaldo is my idol... he's special,' said 14-year-old Alvin Lai, who was first in a queue of more than 100 people. 'He's the most hardworking person out there,' said university student Henry Singh. 'He's 40 years old and still going very strong.' Ronaldo signed a new two-year contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr last month, calling it a 'new chapter' in an Instagram post. Al Nassr are due to play in a pre-season tournament in Hong Kong next month. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo will be greeting fans at the museum 'very soon', said Tomas Froes, a representative of the footballer's family office. The 12,000 square feet (1,110 square metres) exhibition sends a 'strong message for everyone to achieve their dreams', Froes told AFP. Organisers have said the Hong Kong exhibition will run for a year before heading to mainland China. – AFP
