Browsing: Cristiano

Cristiano Ronaldo (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) Saudi Arabiaâ€s premier club Al-Nassr is set to arrive in India on Monday night for their AFC Champions League 2 away fixture against FC Goa, but star player Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to miss the trip. According to Saudi sports daily Al Riyadhiah, the 40-year-old will not be part of the travelling squad, despite repeated requests from FC Goaâ€s management. Al-Nassr will be playing their third game in the continental competition after a comfortable league win over Al-Fateh, with the match scheduled at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on October 22. FC Goa, having defeated former AFC Cup winners Al Seeb to qualify for ACL 2, were drawn in Group D alongside Ronaldoâ€s Al-Nassr. The pairing has sparked excitement and speculation about the Portuguese superstar making the trip to India for a competitive match. Ronaldoâ€s contract with Al-Nassr reportedly allows him to select matches outside Saudi Arabia, giving him the flexibility to skip international travel. The forward, who is preparing for next yearâ€s World Cup, is also managing his workload to ensure he remains in peak condition for the tournament. Al-Nassr will land at Dabolim International Airport ahead of the game. The club has won both of its group-stage matches in the AFC Champions League 2 without Ronaldo and is well-positioned to progress to the next round. Following their clash against FC Goa, Al-Nassr will face rivals Al Ittihad in the Round of 16 of the Kingâ€s Cup on October 28.

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Oct 17, 2025, 05:50 AM ET

Cristiano Ronaldo has again been named the highest-paid player in the world, while Barcelona’s phenom Lamine Yamal is on the list of the top 10, according to Forbes.

The American business magazine released its annual report of the world’s 10 highest earners.

The Forbes ranking reflects on-field earnings estimates for the 2025-26 season, including base salaries, bonuses and, club-based image rights agreements.

Ronaldo, 40, who on June signed a new two-year deal with Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, is projected to claim $280 million in total earnings over the coming year before taxes and agents’ fees.

The Portugal captain, who recently declared he has no plans to retire as he is “still producing good things,” will earn $230m from Al Nassr during the 2025-26 season plus $50m in off-field earnings.

Ronaldo, who has over 1 billion total followers across his various social media accounts, leads the Forbes list for the sixth time in the last decade.

Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi is the only MLS representative on the list and is a distant second to Ronaldo.

The Argentina captain’s projected total income for 2025 is $130 million, with a whopping $70m coming from off-field earnings. Messi, 38, has endorsement deals with Adidas, Lay’s and Mastercard, among others.

Yamal, who inherited Barcelona’s iconic No. 10 shirt once worn by Messi, is the first 18-year-old to enter Forbes’ soccer list in its 22-year history.

Cristiano Ronaldo was recently named as football’s first billionaire player by Bloomberg. Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

The Spain international put pen to paper on a 10-year contract with Barcelona in May. He completes the ranking with expected earnings of $43m.

Karim Benzema has climbed to third place, with the Al-Ittihad captain estimated to make around $100m on the pitch and around $4m off it.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is one of two Premier League players included. The Norwegian star’s estimated $80m earnings, some of which comes from his lucrative endorsement deal with Nike, place him at No. 5 while Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who signed a two-year deal to remain at Anfield this summer, is seventh at $55m.

– Ronaldo nets 2 to set WCQ goal-scoring record
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– Ronaldo: Family ask me to stop, but I want 1,000 goals

LaLiga have four players in the top 10, with Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham fourth ($95m), sixth ($60m) and ninth ($44m), respectively.

Ronaldo’s Al Nassr teammate Sadio Mané is No. 8, expected to get $54m.

In total, the 10 highest paid players are set to collect record earnings worth $945 million this season, down nearly 4% from last year’s $983m.

Brazilian forward Neymar was No. 3 on last year’s list but has fallen out of the ranking since leaving Al Hilal earlier this year to rejoin boyhood club Santos.

Forbes’ top 10 high-paid players 2025:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $280m (On-field: $230m, off-field: $50m)
2. Lionel Messi – $130m (On-field: $60m, off-field: $70m)
3. Karim Benzema – $104m (On-field: $100m, off-field: $4m)
4. Kylian Mbapp̩Р$95m (On-field: $70m, off-field: $25m)
5. Erling Haaland– $80m (On-field: $60m, off-field: $20m)
6. Vinícius Júnior– $60m (On-field: $40m, off-field: $20m)
7. Mohamed Salah – $55m (On-field: $35m, off-field: $20m)
8. Sadio Man̩Р$54m (On-field: $50m, off-field: $4m)
9. Jude Bellingham – $44m (On-field: $29m, off-field: $15m)
10. Lamine Yamal – $43m (On-field: $33m, off-field: $10m)

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Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first active footballer to become a billionaire, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, which included his net worth in its list for the first time.

Ronaldo, who was already the sport’s highest-paid player, dramatically increased his wealth when he signed a lucrative contract extension with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr earlier this year, reportedly worth over $400 million.

Bloomberg cited his tax-free contract, as well as brand deals with Armani and Nike, as key drivers in his improved wealth.

Meanwhille, the Portugal forward, who is the highest scorer in men’s international football with 141 goals in 223 appearances for Portugal, told Canal 11 that he has no intention of retiring soon despite his family’s insistence.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s net worth has exceeded $1 billion, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index. Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

“People, especially my family, say: ‘It’s time for you to stop. You’ve done everything. Why do you want to score a thousand goals?” Ronaldo said.

“But I don’t think so. I think I’m still producing good things, I’m helping my club and the national team, and why not keep going?

“I’m sure that when I finish, I’ll be fulfilled, because I gave it my all. I know I don’t have many more years, but the few I have, I try to enjoy to the fullest.”

– Cristiano Ronaldo: Family ask me to stop, but I want 1,000 goals
– Ronaldo’s career at 40
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A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo, 40, added another individual accolade to his distinguished career on Tuesday when he received the Prestige award at the Portugal Football Globes.

“It’s not an end-of-career award,” he said. “I see it as recognition of years of effort, dedication and ambition. I like winning, helping the younger generations — and they also help me maintain my level and continue competing.

“That’s what excites me: competing with the younger ones. I still have a passion for this.”

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Cristiano Ronaldo believes he still has gas left in the tank and the passion to compete with the younger players.

The Al Nassr forward, who is the highest scorer in men’s international football with 141 goals in 223 appearances for Portugal, said he is hungry for more despite his family’s insistence that he slows down.

Ronaldo, 40, has scored five goals in six appearances in all competitions for Al Nassr this season and recently became the joint-top goalscorer in World Cup qualifying history when he netted his 39th goal in a triumph against Hungary.

“People, especially my family, say: ‘It’s time for you to stop. You’ve done everything. Why do you want to score a thousand goals?” Ronaldo told Canal 11. “But I don’t think so. I think I’m still producing good things, I’m helping my club and the national team, and why not keep going?

Cristiano Ronaldo admitted he does not have many years left of his playing career, but now is not the time to retire. Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images

“I’m sure that when I finish, I’ll be fulfilled, because I gave it my all. I know I don’t have many more years, but the few I have, I try to enjoy to the fullest.”

A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo, 40, added another individual accolade to his distinguished career when he received on Tuesday the Prestige award at the Portugal Football Globes.

“It’s not an end-of-career award,” he said. “I see it as recognition of years of effort, dedication, and ambition. I like winning, helping the younger generations-and they also help me maintain my level and continue competing. That’s what excites me: competing with the younger ones. I still have a passion for this.” Ronaldo has not given an indication when he will retire from football.

– Cristiano Ronaldo’s career at 40
– Rooney on Man United years: I don’t ‘hate’ Ronaldo

He signed a new contract with Al Nassr that will see him remain in the Saudi Pro League until June 2027 while he led Portugal to victory at the UEFA Nations League in June.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star has scored more than 940 goals in his career.

“I often say to you that if I could, I would only play football for the national team, I wouldn’t play for any other club because it is the culmination and the peak of a football player,” he said. “It’s an honor for me to play for the national team.” The 2026 World Cup will be Ronaldo’s last opportunity to clinch the one major trophy that eludes him but he is just focusing on the task at hand.

Ronaldo and Portugal host Republic of Ireland in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier before taking on Hungary on Oct. 14. “I’m sure the next games will go well and that we will qualify for the World Cup,” Ronaldo said. “Obviously, our goal is to go to the World Cup and win, but we have to take everything step by step.”

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Al Nassr have unveiled their brand-new adidas home kit for the 2025/26 season – a bold design inspired by Riyadhâ€s blazing sunshine, the Arabian desert, and the aura of their nickname,The Knights.

The shirt arrives in the clubâ€s traditional yellow and navy, but itâ€s the intricate graphics that elevate it to something more than just a jersey. A radiating pattern flows across the base, symbolising the sun that dominates Riyadhâ€s skyline while doubling as a visual nod to a knightâ€s aura of strength.

The wavy motif also echoes the rolling dunes and textures of the Saudi desert, adding another layer of local identity woven into the design.

adidas have completed the look with crisp navy detailing, including side piping and logos, alongside the clubâ€s newly modernised crest. Gone is the ornate crown of the past; in its place sits a circular badge, pairing deep blue and yellow with a stylised Arabian Peninsula map and the words “NASSR†and “RIYADH 1955†– a streamlined emblem for a new era.

Al-Nassr’s 2025/26 home shirt. / adidas

And, unsurprisingly, the face of the launch was none other than Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese legend fronts the campaign in dramatic fashion, starring in a cinematic video that opens with the line: “Not just a jersey, but a flag raised.â€

Alongside teammates João Félix, Sadio Mané and others, Ronaldo was also front and centre of the photoshoots – a reminder that whether on or off the pitch, he remains Al-Nassrâ€s ultimate standard bearer.

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