Cristiano Ronaldo announced that he is retiring from the Portugal national team, ending one of the greatest soccer players’ international careers.

Ronaldo announced that it was time to “hand back the number 7 shirt,” ending his international career.

He won three international tournaments, captaining Portugal to their first major trophy at Euros 2016 and the 2019 and 2025 UEFA Nations League.

“It was not an easy decision, because there are decisions that are not made only with the head. They are also made with the heart,” Ronaldo said on social media.

“If I ever made you happy, if one of my ​goals ever made you hug someone, forget a worry or feel proud of our country, then it was all worth it.”

Ronaldo thanked his family, the Portuguese people and his teammates, coaches and staff that he worked with over his 23-year career with the national team.

“Portugal will always be a part of me,” he captioned the announcement video.

Ronaldo made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals. He holds the men’s record for international appearances and goals.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is the first player to score in six World Cup tournaments, starting in 2006.

His final international tournament appearance was at the 2026 World Cup, where he tried to win the one trophy that he has yet to capture. Portugal were eliminated 1-0 in the round of 16 to the eventual champions, Spain.

His retirement can be linked to a disagreement between Ronaldo and Portugal manager Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo left the Portuguese camp in September before their Nations League match against Denmark without permission and did not return. Ronaldo later stated that broken promises from Jesus were the reason for his departure.

Jesus denied there was any agreement between him and Ronaldo; he said that the door was always open for the 41-year-old to return.

Ronaldo apologized afterward and said he remained available for international selection. The Portuguese Football Federation suspended him for 30 days and fined him €255 ($287.16).

The Portuguese Football Federation released a statement after Ronaldo’s retirement announcement, thanking him for his service.

“More than an exceptional athlete, our captain was an inspiring leader, an example of dedication and the ultimate symbol of the soul of ​our National Team,” the statement said.

Jesus told ​Canal 11 on Thursday that ⁠he had spoken to Ronaldo about his international future earlier this year.

“This is all his decision. We already had the opportunity to talk about this before the first call-up,” said Jesus.

“I asked him to stay, to stay with me ​because I needed him to be by my side, but I have to accept his decision. He is ​a world reference, ⁠a reference for Portugal, a reference for the national team.”

Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes described Ronaldo as an “inspiration.”

“It was a privilege to be able to share great moments with our national team alongside my childhood idol,” he said.

Ronaldo has now left the international stage as Portugal’s most successful player in individual and team achievements, becoming a cultural icon for the country and around the world.

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo was among the headline guests at a black-tie White House dinner Tuesday night hosted by President Donald Trump for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, underscoring the deepening ties between the U.S.

Trump introduced the 40-year-old Al-Nassr forward by telling guests that his son Barron is “a big fan” of Ronaldo and joked that the meeting made his teenager “respect his father a little bit more.”

The event also served as a showcase of Saudi Arabia’s expanding sports footprint. Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in late 2022 on a contract reported at more than $200 million a year helped open the door for other stars, including Neymar Jr. and Karim Benzema, to join the Saudi Pro League. The kingdom has also bankrolled the breakaway LIV Golf tour, hosted Formula One races and stadium boxing cards, and will stage the 2034 World Cup after running unopposed for hosting rights.

A selfie from inside the East Room, apparently snapped by Ronaldo and shared by tech investor David Sacks, quickly went viral online, showing Ronaldo seated alongside Elon Musk, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and OpenAI president Greg Brockman, among others.

Since joining the national team in 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo has played a major role in turning Portugal into an international powerhouse and perennial title contender. At age 39, however, it’s possible that he is holding the team back.

In four games at the 2024 UEFA European Championship, Ronaldo has not yet scored a goal and has visibly expressed his frustration on several occasions. The team has managed to advance to the second round of the knockout stage, but despite taking free kicks and penalties for the team, Ronaldo’s impact to this point has been minimal.

In the group stage, Portugal survived a scare in the first game when Czechia took a 1-0 lead in the 62nd minute. The team drew even on an own goal a few minutes later before Portuguese substitute Francisco Conceição scored in stoppage time to steal the victory.

Following a clean 3-0 victory over Türkiye in the next match, Ronaldo and Portugal were left sputtering when Georgia defeated them 2-0 to advance to the knockout stage. Portugal had already clinched a spot, but Ronaldo was again relatively unproductive.

After an erratic group stage, Portugal was again stuck in a rut against a lesser team in the knockout stage Monday, trying but failing to break a 0-0 score against Slovenia.

Despite dominating their opponent in possession and shots on target, Portuguese players couldn’t break through after 90 minutes. In extra time, Ronaldo had a chance to win the game on a penalty but could not get one past goalkeeper Jan Oblak. He broke down in tears after the miss, the combined effects of four scoreless games finally coming to a head in an instant.

Portugal went on to defeat Slovenia 3-0 on penalties, and Ronaldo converted on his chance to break the draw. Still, he and the Portuguese team have never looked shakier and will have to face an undefeated French team in the Quarterfinal on Friday.

Despite struggling to score in this tournament, several insiders have described Ronaldo’s off-ball movement in glowing terms. In many ways, he is still the superstar the team needs. At some point, however, he will have to start living up to those expectations in the box score, or step aside for the team’s younger talent in big moments.

International soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed on Dec. 30 that he was signing with Al-Nassr FC, a Saudi Pro League team, for $200 million per year through 2025. The Portuguese forward signed with the team after an underwhelming showing in the World Cup and a months-long feud with Manchester United.

Ronaldo is the latest prominent athlete to join the growing world of Saudi Arabian sports. Most organizations in the country are directly or indirectly controlled by the Saudi government, which has begun offering athletes massive sums of money in an attempt to gain more international recognition. Many Western commentators have given this practice a name: “Saudi-washing.”

From a geopolitical standpoint, critics of Saudi Arabia’s recent athletic ventures argue that the nation is attempting to overcome its history of human rights violations and other totalitarian transgressions by tying its reputation to beloved sports figures and brands. For athletes who receive an offer, however, the debate is more personal. The unprecedented contracts come with obvious strings attached.

Before Ronaldo left his European career behind and accepted the Saudis’ eye-watering proposition, there’s one person who could have given him some direction.

When the Kingdom came to this person, he declined. He’s grappled with the triumphs and trials of greatness. He’s made mistakes. He’s had ego problems. He’s old now. But when it came to his sport, he understood what his name meant and knew what he wanted to stand for.

No one is saying that Tiger Woods is a moral authority. His controversies over the years are exhaustively well-documented. But there’s a distinct overlap between the legendary golfer and Ronaldo.

Both are undeniable stars, athletes so recognizable that they’ve transcended their sports. People don’t have to watch the Premier League or the Masters to know Ronaldo or Woods. They’re the sort of individuals that Saudi Arabia is looking for — and they were more than willing to pay.

In June, reports emerged that Woods declined a deal worth $700-800 million to compete in LIV Golf, the new Saudi Arabian rival of the PGA Tour. He wasn’t the only one to turn them down, but no one else received his offer either. Phil Mickelson signed for $200 million. For Woods, the decision came down to loyalty and an understanding of his self-worth.

By the time LIV came to Woods, he was at a point in his career where he no longer had a need or desire to play golf full-time. As one of the few billionaires in sports, money wasn’t enough of a motivating factor. His values were more important.

By denying the Saudi organization, Woods wasn’t attempting to make a political statement or moral stand against tyranny, though those motivations could have played a minor part. His primary objective was to establish that he was more interested in competition than money, and that the best players competed in PGA Tour events. It was an act of loyalty to an organization he has spent his entire career in.

Some of Woods’ reasonings may have swayed Ronaldo and others probably would not have. Woods plays in an individual sport while Ronaldo was in the midst of a dispute with his Premier League club. He had more reasons to leave the team from a competitive standpoint.

But in terms of money, Ronaldo is in a nearly identical position to Woods, and has made enough as a professional and international player to last several lifetimes. More importantly, however, Ronaldo is as indistinguishable from modern European soccer as Woods is to the PGA Tour.

Even if he wanted to leave Manchester United, remaining in one of the European leagues could have firmly established Ronaldo’s belief in the competitive spirit of soccer within the continent. Instead, he left in what could easily be construed as an attempt to validate his own self-worth.

At the tail end of his full-time career, Woods overcame injuries from a car accident and a tattered reputation to win the 2019 Masters at astronomical odds. He beat the very best players to do it. At the back end of his own career, Ronaldo is making the decision to become the highest-paid soccer player on the planet. His old foes will be a world away.

Representing Portugal at the World Cup, Ronaldo sat on the bench and later at home while Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe ran the table and faced off in the final. After the tournament, Messi turned down a record-breaking offer to play in MLS in the United States, instead agreeing to enter extension negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain. At age 35, he’s proven that he can still compete at the highest level, and he wants more time in Ligue 1. What does that tell you?

Cristiano Ronaldo’s release from Manchester United was inevitable, a matter of time after months of divisive conduct between the two sides on and off the field and the star’s bombshell interview with Piers Morgan last week. But the certainty of this falling out is not as important as the timing, as the Premier League spat is certain to affect Portugal in the World Cup.

While every team in the World Cup has its stars, it’s arguable that no single player has had a greater effect on their country’s soccer program in the 21st century than Ronaldo. Since his senior debut at Euro 2004, Portugal has become a mainstay in international tournaments, qualifying for five straight World Cups since.

Though the team has bolstered its roster for this year’s World Cup, much of the program’s offense has run exclusively through Ronaldo for the better part of two decades, and he remains a focal point on the field despite his advanced age.

Off the field, he has surpassed national heroism and now assumes a godly status in his home country, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. This is the problem — Portugal’s god is distracted.

In his personal life, Ronaldo has had to endure genuine hardship this year following the death of his newborn son in April. In his interview with Morgan, he said that the loss was the worst moment of his life and that he still has his son’s ashes. It is unclear how this event has impacted Ronaldo in other areas, but it has undoubtedly compounded with other stresses.

On the pitch, Ronaldo has engaged in a year full of drama with Manchester United. The disputes with the same team that kickstarted his career in the late 2000s have intensified over time from premature exits from games and poorly explained benchings to a bombshell interview in which Ronaldo heavily criticized the organization and manager Erik ten Hag. The club announced Tuesday that it was releasing him and that both sides were in mutual agreement.

Some of Ronaldo’s recent struggles appear to be at least partially self-inflicted while others are completely out of his control, but it is an undeniable fact that it is impacting his mindset entering the World Cup. Any negative impact to Ronaldo’s mindset could hurt Portugal immensely.

In an effort to avoid discussing Manchester United, he skipped a World Cup press conference Wednesday. This is a move that could be viewed in a variety of ways, as avoiding the press could be seen as an attempt by Ronaldo to keep the Premier League drama away from the World Cup or a way to inadvertently highlight it by omission. The ambiguity of the situation only further confirms that the player’s conduct this year is an inescapable distraction for a team trying to win a World Cup.

It’s impossible to know if Ronaldo’s issues away from international play will have a tangible impact on Portugal’s World Cup chances. The team is favored against all three of its opponents in the group stage but has only moved beyond the Round of 16 once since 2006, even with Ronaldo at the helm. Recent developments for the captain only serve as another obstacle for now.

While he competes for Portugal at the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo’s status at Manchester United will remain in tumultuous stasis following an explosive interview earlier this week. Speaking with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo criticized manager Erik ten Hag and the club and justified his refusal to cooperate several times earlier this year.

“I don’t know what’s going on but since Sir Alex Ferguson left I saw no evolution in the club, the progress was zero,” Ronaldo said.

Ronaldo described his club’s lack of progress in recent years as a “betrayal” and heavily criticized his senior officials and manager ten Hag, especially.

“The coach didn’t have respect for me. So this is why the relationship, it’s in that way,” Ronaldo said.

Back in March, it was revealed that Ronaldo did not have an injury before the Manchester Derby and simply refused to play in the event. His appearances have been increasingly sparse in the months since, and over the summer, he and the club agree that options were explored to move him, though the two sides disagree on who initiated those discussions.

Before stints at Juventus and Real Madrid, Ronaldo kickstarted his career for Manchester United in the Premier League, quickly becoming one of the best soccer players in the world. His return to the team in 2021 was supposed to be a triumphant reunion but has instead soured the relationship, despite his 18 goals in the 2021-22 season.

While Ronaldo’s release from the team has been rumored, such a shocking development for the international icon seems somewhat less likely than a transfer to another team. Over the summer, however, very few teams stepped forward to demonstrate interest in taking on the superstar’s massive contract.

For now, Ronaldo will represent his home nation in Qatar in the World Cup, leaving behind a wake of drama at his usual place of work. It is unclear how recent developments will influence his return to the team after the break. Manchester United is currently fifth in the Premier League with an 8-4-2 record. Ronaldo has started four times.

If it’s not one thing with athletes and a fan’s cell phone camera, it’s another. This time it involves a young soccer fan, a phone, and Cristiano Ronaldo after Manchester United’s 1-0 Premier League loss Saturday at Everton.

Police have opened an investigation and the Portuguese soccer uber star has apologized, as a video posted online shows the 37-year-old forward limping off the pitch before appearing to bend down and strike a phone out of a young fan’s hands.

“As players were leaving the pitch at 2:30 p.m. it was reported that a boy was assaulted by one of the away team as they left the pitch,” a Merseyside Police statement read.

“Inquiries are underway and officers are currently working with Everton Football Club to review CCTV footage and are carrying out extensive witness enquiries to establish if an offense has taken place.”

The defeat was a significant blow to United’s Champions League qualifying hopes—it’s now seventh in the Premier League and six points off Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.

“It’s never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing,” Ronaldo said on Instagram. “Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game.

“I would like to apologize for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair-play and sportsmanship.”

An Everton spokesperson said the team is attempting to contact the boy’s mother to invite the pair to the match against Leicester City on April 20.

Manchester United confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will reclaim his famous number 7 shirt in his return to the club 12 years after his departure. He will be inheriting the number from Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, who will switch to number 21.

Ronaldo praised Cavani for his decision to give up the number. “I wasn’t sure if it would be possible to have the number seven shirt again,” he said. “So I would like to say a huge thank you to Edi (Cavani) for this incredible gesture.”

The number 7 has long been integrated in Ronaldo’s iconic CR7 brand. The Portuguese football legend wore the iconic number between 2003 and 2009, a period during which he won three Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League.

Other Manchester United stars that previously rocked the number include George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham.

Last week, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo rewrote history after surpassing Iranian striker Ali Daei on the all-time international goal leaderboard. The previous record was set by the Iranian ace in 2006, after scoring his 109th international goal versus Costa Rica. However, this record now belongs to Ronaldo — a constant centerpiece in the “G.O.A.T debate” alongside Argentina’s Lionel Messi. The feat was set in stone after Ronaldo slotted home two headers to claim Portugal a late, come-from-behind, 2-1 victory in their World Cup qualifying match against Ireland. The international goal-scoring record now stands at 111 goals. 

How did it happen? It was a turbulent start for the Portuguese side as Ireland’s John Egan set the pace by lobbing a header past Portugal’s keeper Rui Patricio right before half-time. The second-half saw a determined Irish defense stand their ground until the 89th minute when Ronaldo brilliantly placed a header in the back of the net — record achieved. Then, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, Ronaldo stormed Ireland’s box with another, nearly identical, powerfully placed header to win the game and bring the international record to 111 goals.   

It seems to be yet another historic year in the making for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner as he recently completed his return to Manchester United and set a new goal-scoring record, all at the age of 36. This feat will undoubtedly fuel the Ronaldo-Messi debate further, but for this week, Ronaldo deserves credit where credit is due.  

Cristiano Ronaldo came off the bench for Juventus‘ 2-2 draw against Udinese in their Series A opener on Sunday. This decision comes amid speculation regarding Ronaldo’s future with the club.

Ronaldo came on as a substitute for Alvaro Morata at the 60th-minute mark. Morata was given a yellow card for excessive celebration after he thought he’d scored the match-winner only for VAR to rule it void for offside.

Juventus vice president Pavel Nedved told DAZN before the match that Ronaldo’s start on the bench was a mutual decision. “It was a shared decision with the player,” Nedved told Sky Sport Italia. “We are at the beginning of the season, and our conditioning is not at the highest level, not just Cristiano but the entire squad.” Nedved then added: “Cristiano remains at Juventus.”

“Ronaldo is fine,” Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri told Sky Sport Italia. “I spoke with him and, thinking about the match and everyone’s condition, I told him: ‘Come start on the bench because we’re going to need you in the second half.’ He made himself available and did well.”

Allegri dismissed reports on Saturday claiming Ronaldo could leave Turin this summer, claiming the former Real Madrid player had told him he was going to stay.

“He’s told me that he’s staying at Juventus so we can close this issue,” Allegri said in his pre-match press conference on Saturday. “Ronaldo has always trained well and has always been available. I’ve read the rumors in the newspapers, but he has never expressed his desire to leave Juventus.”

Former Real Madrid president Florentino Perez reportedly called Cristiano Ronaldo an “imbecile” and Jose Mourinho “abnormal” in 2012 according to recently leaked audio.

During that time period, both soccer superstars were members of Real Madrid. Ronaldo is Madrid’s all-time leading scorer (recording 450 goals before leaving the club in 2018) and Mourinho managed a Real team to a La Liga title. This new excerpt was preceded by leaked audio from 2006 that saw Perez chastising previous star players of the club. The 2006 audio had been revealed just 24 hours earlier.

“This chap is an imbecile, he is ill … Do you think this chap is normal? He is not normal, otherwise he wouldn’t do the things he does. The last foolish thing he did, everyone around the world saw it,” Perez said in the 2012 audio clip.

Perez also said in the same audio of both Ronaldo and Mourinho: “These are guys with huge egos, both of them spoiled.”

Madrid released a statement defending Perez, saying the audio was a retaliatory measure taken against the former president because of his support for the failed European Super League. The club said it is considering taking legal action against those who released the audio.

Belgium is known for their attacking prowess, however, they were uncharacteristically held to just one shot on target in their match against Portugal. Credit to a stout Portuguese defense and tactics, however, unfortunately for the defending European Champions, Belgium’s one shot on goal ended up in the back of the net. A thunderous strike from Thorgan Hazard was the difference in this match.

Belgium advances to face Italy in the quarterfinals of the Euro 2020. Two key players for Belgium, Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard were forced to leave the pitch due to injury in the second half of their match versus Portugal.

The Belgian side usually relies on the trio of De Bruyne, Hazard and Romelu Lukaku to win games, however, on this occasion the defensive trio of Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Vermaelen and Toby Alderweireld were most impactful in the victory. The three defenders have a combined age of 101. The experienced defenders controlled Cristiano Ronaldo and other Portuguese stars on their side’s way to victory.

Hazard’s goal came against the run of play as Belgium had hardly worried Portugal with attacking chances. Then Hazard received the ball and hit a swerving shot that left Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio no chance. This was just one of the six shots Belgium produced, while Portugal produced 23.

“In these kinds of games, you have to grab your chances with both hands,” Hazard said. “The goalkeeper expected me to choose the other corner, so the ball went in.”

A Ruben Dias header saved by Thibaut Courtois and a Raphael Guerreiro strike off the post exemplified a lack of luck for the Portuguese side in this match.

“I didn’t have a lot of work to do in the previous three games, but I knew that wasn’t going to be the case against Portugal,” Courtois said. “I am proud of my teammates — they defended very well.”

Belgium’s ability to adapt to get the desired result was impressive and may be necessary for the later stages of the competition pending the seriousness of certain players’ injuries such as De Bruyne. De Bruyne returned at full time but his discomfort was evident as multiple teammates rushed to his side during celebrations to see how he was doing.

At the final whistle, Ronaldo threw his captain’s armband to the ground and kicked it. The frustration about the result was evident.

A clash of titans in the quarterfinals between Belgium and Italy will be a must-watch match for soccer fans around the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo continues to solidify himself as one of the best soccer players of all time with two more goals against Hungary on Tuesday. He’s added yet another record to his collection as the all-time leading men’s goalscorer at UEFA’s European Championship. Ronaldo broke a tie with French legend Michel Platini, who managed to score all nine of his Euros goals in the 1984 tournament. Ronaldo scored his 10th and 11th goals at the Euros.

After teammate Rafa Silva was brought down inside the penalty area, Ronaldo scored from the spot in the 87th minute to double Portugal’s lead and to break the record. Wasting no time to build upon his new record, just five minutes later, Ronaldo scored another, sliding in behind the Hungary defense to secure the 3-0 win in Portugal’s Group F opener.

With two more goals, Ronaldo is now only three international goals away from tying Iran striker Ali Daei’s all-time men’s international scoring record of 109 goals. During Tuesday’s performance, Ronaldo set more than just one record. He also became the first men’s player to ever play in five different Euros.

In his first Euros in 2004, Ronaldo scored two goals as Portugal ended up losing to Greece in the final. Portugal came into this year’s Euros as the defending European champion after its upset win over France in Paris at the Euro 2016 final, where the team won in an extra-time thriller despite Ronaldo’s first-half injury. Portugal added more hardware with the inaugural UEFA Nations League trophy in 2019. Facing the “group of death” this summer, Portugal will have its work cut out for itself as it looks to join rival Spain as the only team to win consecutive European Championships (2008, 2012). Portugal will next face Germany and reigning World Cup champion France to close out the group stage.

Brazilian football legend Pele congratulated Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo for breaking his goalscoring record. 

After scoring three goals against Serie A side Cagliari, Ronaldo has now reached 770 career goals. Ronaldo has scored for the Portugese national team, Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid and current club Juventus. 

Pele took to Instagram to write a congratulatory note to Ronaldo that said, “Life is a solo flight. Each makes his own journey. And what a beautiful journey you are having! I admire you a lot, I love watching you play and this is no secret to anyone. Congratulations on breaking my record of goals in official matches,”

“My only regret is not being able to give you a hug today. But I leave this photo in your honor, with great affection, as the symbol of a friendship that has existed for many years.”

Ronaldo himself also posted on his official Instagram after reaching this career milestone. He wrote, “The last few weeks were filled with news and stats considering me the World’s Top Scorer in football history, overcoming Pele’s 757 official goals. Although I’m thankful for that recognition, now it’s time for me to explain why I didn’t acknowledge that record until this moment.”

“The last few weeks were filled with news and stats considering me the World’s Top Scorer in football history, overcoming Pele’s 757 official goals. Although I’m thankful for that recognition, now it’s time for me to explain why I didn’t acknowledge that record until this moment.”

“My everlasting and unconditional admiration for mister Edson Arantes do Nascimento [Pele], such as the respect that I have for mid-20th century football, led me to take into account his 767 score, assuming his 9 goals for Sao Paulo State Team, as well as his single goal for the Brazilian Military Team, as official goals. The World has changed since then and football has changed as well, but this doesn’t mean that we can just erase history according to our interests.”

Ronaldo referred to controversy that occurred a while ago that Pele has scored more than 1000 goals, but FIFA calculated his career total to be 767. 

Further on, Ronaldo stated that he intends to go further and that “this story is still far from being over. The future is tomorrow and there’s still a lot to win for Juventus and Portugal!”

Juventus and Portugal international star Cristiano Ronaldo’s reaction to Robert Lewandowski winning the FIFA The Best award created a lot of controversy in news outlets and on social media.

The Portugese legend previously won the award five times and finished second behind Lewandowski in this year’s award. When FIFA president Gianni Infantino surprised Lewandowski and handed him the award, Ronaldo clearly was not so happy about it. 

It was evident that Ronaldo wanted to win the award for the sixth time and tie with his eternal rival Lionel Messi, who already has six. However, neither Messi or Ronaldo deserved to receive the FIFA The Best award this year despite being two of the greatest or arguably the greatest players to ever play soccer. 

Ronaldo had a pretty mediocre season compared to his previous ones, winning the Serie A with Juventus. He was not even crowned as the Serie A’s top scorer, which went to Lazio’s Ciro Immobile. 

Similarly, Messi had a mediocre season after not managing to win any trophies. Messi was La Liga’s top scorer and the Argentine legend also broke FC Barcelona legend Xavi’s assist record. 

Due to having mediocre seasons, several people believed that Messi and Ronaldo were not supposed to be among the top three finalists. Other names like Neymar Jr. were perhaps more deserving. 

Meanwhile, the award deservedly went to Lewandowski who won five trophies with Bayern Munich including being the top scorer of the UEFA Champions League and Bundesliga. Messi and Ronaldo dominated in the previous years, but Lewandowski won everything to deserve the award. 

In his FIFA vote for the top 3, Ronaldo chose Lewandowski in first place, Messi in second and Kylian Mbappe in third. Messi chose Neymar Jr. in first place, Mbappe in second and Lewandowski in third. Lewandowski gave his vote to Thiago Alcantara in first place, Neymar in second and Kevin De Bruyne in third.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, posted a controversial photo of her brother and FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi on Instagram after Juventus’ win over FC Barcelona in the Champions League.

The photo shows Messi kneeling down in front of Ronaldo symbolizing Ronaldo’s win over his eternal rival Messi after his team defeated the Catalan club. Some claimed that Messi appears to be worshiping Ronaldo in the photo. The photo raised controversy regarding the two players’ rivalry.

After the Juventus match, Ronaldo claimed, “I have always had a cordial relationship with Messi. As I have said before, for 12, 13, 14 years [I have been] sharing prizes with him.”

“I never saw him as a rival. He always tried the best for his team, and I tried the best for mine. I always got on well with him. I am sure he will say the same if you ask him. But we know in football, people always look for a rivalry to create more excitement.”

Ronaldo and Messi’s never ending competition is probably the sport’s most intense rivalry of all time. The rivalry reached a high point when Ronaldo was a Real Madrid player and both players were playing for the two best teams in the world. 

Both players have shared the sport’s most prestigious awards for the past decade. Ronaldo won four Golden Boots and five Ballon D’Ors. On the other hand, Messi won six Golden Boots and six Ballon D’Ors. Also, both players won multiple awards with their teams. 

Messi and Ronaldo are regarded by many as the two best soccer players of all time and their competition is a heavily discussed topic in the media. Ronaldo has played in different leagues across Europe, while Messi is a one club having played in FC Barcelona for all his career.

While Ronaldo claimed that a rivalry between himself and Messi does not exist, his sister’s photo says the exact opposite. 

Atletico Madrid player Luis Suarez tested positive for COVID-19 while on international duty with the Uruguay national team. 

The Uruguay Football Association released a statement announcing that along with Suarez, goalkeeper Rodrigo Munoz and a staff member all tested positive for the COVID. The association also claimed that “all three mentioned are in good healthy state and have already implemented the measures needed for the case.” 

Suarez participated in Uruguay’s win 3-0 against Colombia and scored a penalty. However, the player will miss Uruguay’s World Cup Qualifier fixture against Brazil and Atletico Madrid’s La Liga fixture against his former club FC Barcelona. 

Suarez is not the only football player who tested positive for COVID. Other high profile players recently tested positive for the virus. 

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah tested positive for COVID while on international duty with the Egypt national team. Salah missed Egypt’s African Cup qualifier against Togo and will miss Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixture against Leicester City. Liverpool is currently facing a crisis after many first-team players were injured and Salah’s injury will probably make it worse for the club.

Inter Milan player Aleksandar Kolarov tested positive for COVID while on international duty with the Serbia national team. Kolarov returned to San Siro after the positive test and is in isolation. 

Real Madrid players Eden Hazard and Casemiro tested positive for COVID and did not travel with their national teams. Both Hazard and Casemiro missed Real Madrid’s La Liga fixture against Valencia, which Valencia won 4-1.

A few weeks ago, football star Cristiano Ronaldo tested positive for COVID but has since returned to football action. 

As more players test positive for COVID-19 in the current situation, the football world has responded. The Premier League announced that players or staff members who have tested positive for COVID will self-isolate for 10 days. 

Football star Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Serie A club Juventus next year.

The Portuguese legend left La Liga giants Real Madrid in 2018 to join Juventus. Ronaldo has also played for Premier League club Manchester United and Portuguese club Sporting CP in the past. 

At Juventus, Ronaldo won the Serie A twice and the Italian Super Cup once. He also scored 71 goals for the club. So far, Ronaldo scored six goals in Serie A this season and Juventus is currently fifth in the Serie A table. 

Several clubs have been linked to signing Ronaldo next year including Ligue 1 club PSG and his former club Manchester United. PSG’s sporting director Leonardo responded to the Ronaldo transfer rumors and told PSGTV, “Today in football we do not know what will happen. Maybe tomorrow Cristiano Ronaldo wakes up and says I want to go play elsewhere. Who can buy him? It’s a closed circle. PSG enters this circle. Usually, it is about opportunities, situations.The transfer window, we have to prepare for it and that’s what we do. We have our priorities, our lists, but something unforeseen can happen.”

Leonardo’s comments indicate that a Ronaldo to PSG move could possibly happen in the near future. If Ronaldo does seal a transfer to PSG, he would join PSG’s superstar forwards Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. 

A return to Manchester United move could also happen. Ronaldo was a renowned player for United, winning the Premier League three times, the Champions League and the 2008 Ballon D’or. Manchester United 

Ronaldo’s contract with Juventus officially expires in 2022 and it is unclear if the player will renew it beyond that year. Like many other football clubs, Juventus is greatly affected by the COVID-19 crisis and so selling Ronaldo would enable the club to save a lot of money due to the player’s very high wages. 

Juventus and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo tested positive again for COVID-19.

The player recently contracted the virus while he was on international duty with the Portugal national team and he then traveled back to his house in Italy to stay in quarantine. Ronaldo has since missed Juventus’ game against Serie A side Crotone and the UEFA Champions League fixture against Dynamo Kyiv. 

Ronaldo will likely miss more Juventus matches both in the Serie A and UEFA Champions League including Juventus’ fixtures against Verona and FC Barcelona. 

The Champions League game Juventus vs. FC Barcelona is one that is so exciting because it is a match between two strong teams and Champions League favorites. The fixture is also labeled as a Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo game, because of the players’ long term rivalry in world football. 

Messi and Ronaldo have been rivals for more than ten years and their rivalry ignited when Ronaldo was a Real Madrid player. 

If Ronaldo doesn’t play, Juventus will definitely miss him because he is a very important player for the team. Juventus have other forward options including Alvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala, Federico Chiesa and Federico Bernardeschi, but still, it would be difficult for head coach Andrea Pirlo to replace Ronaldo. Reports claim that Juventus will ask for permission to submit a test for Ronaldo 48 hours before the FC Barcelona fixture, so there’s a slight chance that the player would be able to play. 

The UEFA guidelines require that a player who has recovered from the virus should submit a document. The document “must be provided at least one week before the team’s next UEFA Match.”

If Ronaldo misses the FC Barcelona fixture at the Juventus Stadium on October 28, he could possibly play the second leg on December 8th at the Camp Nou.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Virgil Van Dijk were named finalists for the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award on Wednesday.

Juventus star Ronaldo, who has won the prize three times, has been nominated as a finalist every year since the honor was created in 2011. Messi has won the award twice, including last season after he finished as Barcelona’s leading scorer for both the Champions League (12 goals) and La Liga (36 goals). Barca lost to Liverpool 3-0 in the second leg of the Champions League semifinals in May.

Dutch defender Van Dijk, who plays for Liverpool, has already secured the Players’ Player of the Year award and the Premier League Player of the Season honor.

All three players were nominated by a jury of 80 coaches whose teams participated in last year’s Champions League, as well as by one reporter from each of UEFA’s 55 member associations.

IN MEMORIAM: SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Ronaldo, a five-time Champions League winner, struggled in his debut with Juventus this past season. The Italian club fell to Ajax Amsterdam in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Nevertheless, he helped propel Juventus to its eighth Italian league title and compiled 21 goals.

The UEFA Player of the Year Award will be presented on Aug. 29 in Monaco at the Champions League group stage draw event.