Latest news with #Real
The Star
an hour ago
- Business
- The Star
Soccer-Real Madrid most valuable soccer team for fourth straight year, say Forbes
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v Real Sociedad - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - May 24, 2025 General view inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Isabel Infantes/File Photo (Reuters) -LaLiga side Real Madrid topped the list of the most valuable soccer teams in the world for the fourth year in a row with a valuation of $6.6 billion, business magazine Forbes has said. Real became the first soccer club to bring in a billion dollars in a single year after they posted a record $1.13 billion in revenue for the 2023-24 season, the magazine added in a report published on Friday. The Spanish club, the second sports team in history to hit the 10-figure threshold after National Football League side Dallas Cowboys, are the first soccer team to register one billion euros in revenue in a single season, Deloitte had said earlier this year. England's Manchester United are second in Forbes' list with a $6.6 billion valuation after generating $834 million in revenue in the 2023-24 season despite a forgettable Premier League campaign where they finished eighth. Real's LaLiga rivals Barcelona are third, valued at $5.65 billion, while Liverpool and Manchester City are fourth and fifth. Forbes named six Premier League sides among the top 10 most valuable teams with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea making the list after Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain. "Together, the 30 most valuable soccer teams are worth more than $72 billion, or an average of $2.4 billion, up 5% from 2024's record $2.26 billion," Forbes said. (Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'Real Madrid humiliated me – Trent Alexander-Arnold is in for a rude awakening'
Wesley Sneijder knows all too well the challenges that come with wearing the famous white shirt of Real Madrid, and he has issued Bernabeu-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold a stark warning As the dust begins to settle around Trent Alexander-Arnold's impending move to Real Madrid, a voice from the club's cutthroat past has stepped up with a sobering dose of reality. Wesley Sneijder – once seen as a future Los Blancos legend – understands better than most the brutal demands of life in the white-hot Bernabeu spotlight. Having joined Real from Ajax in 2007 amid high hopes and glowing press, his dreams quickly turned disillusionment. Just two years later, he was quietly - but bluntly - pushed out, despite playing a central part in the club's 2008 La Liga title triumph. Now, as Trent prepares to trade Merseyside familiarity for the intense glare of Madrid, Sneijder has issued a stark warning: hit the ground running, or risk being swallowed by a club that shows no patience for underperformance. "The only advice I have for him is: it's Real Madrid. It's the biggest club in the world so you have to deliver – and you have to deliver from the first day," Sneijder told the Liverpool Echo, via BetMGM. "If you don't deliver, even if you are a great player, it will go fast. And the fans will start to be against you. That's not going to be easy for him. He must deliver from the first day." Though Sneijder quickly won over Real's notoriously-fickle supporters, he never managed to impress president Florentino Perez. Within days of Perez returning to power in 2009, Sneijder – along with fellow rising stars Arjen Robben, Alvaro Negredo and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar – was told to pack his bags. The decision was part of a ruthless overhaul aimed at funding the next generation of Galacticos, which included blockbuster arrivals like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Karim Benzema. Still, Sneijder recalled feeling "humiliated," especially after discovering his belongings had already been cleared from his locker before he'd even been spoken to. "I went to speak with the president. He didn't give me much time and just told me I no longer fit into their plans and that they wanted to win the Champions League," Sneijder revealed in a 2023 appearance on Dutch television. "Before leaving his office, I said, 'Sir, know that wherever I go, I will play to win.'" He backed up those words. Later that summer, Sneijder completed a £12m transfer to Inter Milan – and within a year, he was lifting the very Champions League trophy Perez had been chasing. The venue? None other than the Bernabeu. "[Being kicked out of Madrid] was a little bit tough. But the beautiful thing was that I got back a year later and played a final [and won the Champions League in Madrid]," he added, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. Though Alexander-Arnold's switch to Madrid has not yet been officially announced, reports suggest the Spanish giants are keen to finalise the deal ahead of the Club World Cup which kicks off in June. The free transfer will be a stunning acquisition for one of the continent's most gifted full backs. However, amid the excitement and buzz, Sneijder's cautionary tale is a reminder: the spotlight in Madrid is dazzling – but it's also scorching. Alexander-Arnold certainly has the talent to thrive, but he is walking into a pressure cooker, where legends are forged – and forgotten – in an instant. And slow starters are shown little mercy, if any at all.
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Inter Milan star reduced to tears after heartwarming Mourinho moment
Inter Milan ruled Europe in 2010 as Jose Mourinho led them to Champions League glory but his exit was imminent, which led to an emotional embrace with Marco Materazzi When Inter Milan last conquered Europe in 2010 it was Jose Mourinho at the helm. He enjoyed a historic night in the Bernabeu, knowing it would soon become his home as he masterminded a glorious swansong. His demeanour at full-time was one of a man looking forward, preparing for his next challenge. He had downed the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona en route to the final, with Bayern Munich the final victim as Inter claimed the treble and their first European Cup since the 1960s. They became the first Italian side to scoop all three trophies major trophies available to them in a season, yet they began the game without an Italian in their starting XI. A side assembled of world stars from the likes Brazil, Argentina, Cameroon and the Netherlands had proved the perfect mix. One of the only Italians sat on the bench. Their World Cup winner. One Marco Materazzi, who later that night would become part of one of the most wholesome moments in modern day football. An authentic embrace with Mourinho outside the stadium. Without any official communication both Mourinho and his Inter players knew this was the end and he was moving on. The ex-Chelsea boss had agreed verbally to join Real, but refused to sign any contract. He admitted that he didn't go back to Milan with the team because he knew the emotion would lead him to staying with Inter - and he was man in demand. The Special One, then at the peak of his powers, was about to drive away but stopped the car and walked up to the the defender, hugging him. When Mourinho turned around he was balling his eyes out. Overcome with emotion as the next chapter loomed. Materazzi was equally as tearful. 'That moment with Materazzi… it was powerful,' Mourinho has said. 'I don't care about the trophies and medals I care about what's in my heart. And also what's in the hearts of the people at the clubs, and what they think of me. That's what stays with you.' He would later remark: "When I had these last words with Materazzi, it was like I was hugging every player." Matterazzi has admitted that the Portuguese coach, known for his personal touch, had taken an interest in him and his life like no manager before. The defender said: "Mourinho was special, he knew the names of all our children and our wives. Nobody else had ever done that for me. For me, it was not a big surprise, but for my wife, when he met her and said 'Hello Daniela', it was." Mourinho has confessed that he "ran away" from his Inter players in the aftermath of their European triumph. He would stick to his guns and leave the Italian side, making a new home from himself at Real as he looked to prove himself in Spain. He inevitably did. Now the latest Inter side has another chance to emulate that class of 2010 at the second time of asking. They lost the final to Manchester City two years ago as the English side completed the treble in Istanbul. Like Mourinho's team, Simone Inzaghi and co have beaten Barcelona in the last four. They've also knocked off Bayern en route to playing PSG at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.
Sharjah 24
8 hours ago
- Business
- Sharjah 24
Real Madrid agree deal to sign Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool
The Spanish giants have agreed a fee, which reports in Britain said was between £8 million ($10.7 million) and £10 million, that clears the way for the 26-year-old England international to become a Real Madrid player on June 1. He has signed a deal until June 2031, Real said in a statement.
Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Discover the ‘write' side of Shashi Tharoor
Diplomat, party spokesperson, civil servant, minister, wordsmith—even a stand-up comic (for a short time): Shashi Tharoor wears many hats—and wears them well. But the man who is currently going around the world, casting wordy spells as he carries India's message on Operation Sindoor to the global stage, is also a remarkably prolific author. In fact, he first came to national (indeed, international) attention with a book: The Great Indian Novel (1989). And as in other walks of life, his literary work is rich in variety. You might expect him to focus primarily on political matters, but Tharoor has never limited himself to any one genre. He has written biographies, essays (including on cricket), analyses, travelogues, critiques, and even novels. Indeed, until he pens a proper, no-holds-barred autobiography (and we're sure he will), his books—he has nearly two dozen to his name and surely more to come—are an excellent way to understand the man who weaves magic with his words, spoken and written, for a wide variety of audiences. The Great Indian Novel (1989) brought Shashi Tharoor into the literary spotlight in the late 80s. A work of fiction, it remains his most famous—and, in the opinion of many (us included), his best book. It showcases all the Tharoor hallmarks: wit, humour, wordplay, and sarcasm, blended with a keen sense of history and mythology. And what history and mythology it is—because The Great Indian Novel is actually a retelling and reimagining of the Indian freedom struggle and the decades that followed, narrated in the style of perhaps the greatest Indian epic of them all, the Mahabharata. Tharoor reimagines characters from Ved Vyas' epic as legendary freedom fighters and political figures, often blending names with telling effect. Across its 380-odd pages, you'll encounter Jayaprakash Drona, Priya Duryodhini, Mohammad Ali Karna, the Kaurav Party (Real), and the Kaurav Party (Old Guard). Often darkly funny, sometimes moving, and always fast-paced, this is one of those rare books that can be picked up for sheer entertainment, only to leave the reader deep in thought—accompanied by the occasional giggle. Indian leaders have generally not been well-served by their biographers. Most biographies tend to be either overly critical or excessively hagiographical—rambling affairs, rich in detail but poor in narrative. Tharoor changed that with his compact biography of Jawaharlal Nehru in 2003. Nehru: The Invention of India was released in a small, almost pocketbook format, spanning just over 275 pages. Yet it offered a more complete picture of India's first Prime Minister than many far weightier tomes. Tharoor's take on Nehru is largely positive, but what makes the book special is its ability to capture Nehru's essence and his importance to India without falling into excessive adulation. He notes Nehru's 'classic Little Lord Fauntleroy upbringing' and does not shy away from discussing how a corrupt bureaucracy is as much a part of Nehru's legacy as his achievements. Tharoor sticks to sound narrative basics—no extravagant flourishes here. In this, he's like a stroke player curbing flair for the sake of a bigger score. The result is perhaps the best short biography ever written of any Indian leader: succinct yet substantial. If there is one book you should read about Nehru—it is this, it is this, it is this. A significant portion of Tharoor's writing post his entry into active politics reflects the views of his party and its leadership. However, there are moments when he takes off his political hat and dons his academic one. One of those moments was An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India (2017). Later re-released as Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India, the book won the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism (2017) and the Sahitya Akademi Award (2019). Inspired by his now-viral 2015 Oxford Union speech on colonial reparations, the book—about 330 pages long—is perhaps the most accessible, easy-to-read account of the consequences of British colonial rule in India. Some academics have called it one-sided and bitter, but Tharoor's righteous outrage burns through the pages. 'Britain's rise for two hundred years was financed by its depredation of India,' he observes, dismantling the myths that suggest the British gave India political unity or a free press. This is Tharoor in debate mode—armed with data, arguments, and flashes of wit and sarcasm. It's compelling stuff, even if classic historians might occasionally wince. Agathokakological, fefenestrate, floccinaucinihilipilification… Booking that Tharoor Vocabulary Shashi Tharoor's command of the English language has achieved near-legendary status. His use of words many have never encountered has repeatedly expanded his audience's vocabulary. For those enchanted by his linguistic flair, Tharoorosaurus (Penguin Random House, 2020) is the perfect pick. A compact volume (336 pages), it's easily the most entertaining book Tharoor has written. It features 53 of his favourite rare words, with definitions, etymologies, trivia, and even cartoons. Included are delights like Agathokakological, Cromulent, Defenestrate, Floccinaucinihilipilification, Kakistocracy, Rodomontade, and Snollygoster, alongside more familiar terms like Vigilante, Yogi, and Namaste. Whether or not he ever pens a tell-all memoir, we hope Tharoor writes several sequels to this book. It may not be as profound as some of his other works, but it delivers information memorably and always with a smile. A bit like the man himself.
