Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has claimed that superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer bothered about hitting his ambitious 1,000 goal target. The 41-year-old is closing in on the extraordinary number and has previously said he will not retire until he makes the milestone. Yet Martinez feels that the forward's stance has now changed as he heads towards the end of his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo has his sights set on footballing immortality once again, but England international Ivan Toney is stood firmly in his path. The Portuguese icon entered the 2025–26 Saudi Pro League campaign looking to build on a period of unprecedented dominance, having secured consecutive Golden Boot awards since his arrival in the Middle East. Ronaldo’s goal-scoring exploits saw him hammer home 35 goals in 31 league appearances during the 2023–24 season, a feat he followed up with another impressive 25-goal haul last term. With 21 goals from as many games in the current campaign, he will be confident of taking the crown once again despite Toney's exploits.
Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo is involved in Spanish football again, with it being announced that the Portuguese superstar - through his CR7 Sports Investments company - has acquired a 25 per cent stake in Almeria. They are currently competing in the second tier, but ambitious plans for the future are already being drawn up now that Ronaldo is on board.
The race for the Saudi Pro League title has taken a dramatic turn in favour of Al-Nassr. While Cristiano Ronaldo continues his clinical goal-scoring form, leading his side back to the top of the table, their rivals are reeling under the weight of shocking medical updates. With the confirmed absence of Al-Hilal striker Karim Benzema due to an adductor muscle injury, the path to silverware looks clearer than ever for the Portuguese icon and the Yellow side of Riyadh.
Al-Nassr and Cristiano Ronaldo secured another important win in the Saudi Pro League title race as they comfortably dispatched Al-Najma 5-0, with CR7, Sadio Mane and Kingsley Coman among the goalscorers. The Riyadh-based side recently went to the top of the league table by beating Al-Hazem and retained that position thanks to their victory on Wednesday night.
England international Ivan Toney has found himself at the centre of one of the more bizarre flashpoints of the Saudi Pro League season following Al-Ahli’s narrow victory over Damac. The former Brentford talisman, who has been in clinical form since his high-profile move to the Middle East, was involved in a heated and unusual exchange with an opposition defender that quickly went viral across social media platforms. While the match itself was a tight affair decided by a single goal, the post-match fallout has been dominated by Toney’s blunt assessment of his opponent's personal hygiene.
Robert Lewandowski is reluctant to leave Barcelona as a free agent and has reportedly set a goal target that will help him to earn a contract extension. The prolific Polish striker, who is now 37 years of age, is said to have a “very good” offer on the table from MLS side the Chicago Fire. He is ready to delay any move to the United States and remain in Catalunya.
Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a classy message to Lindsey Vonn after seeing the American skier discharged from hospital on the back of her horror fall at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy. A legend of the slopes suffered a dramatic crash just a matter of seconds into her opening run of the downhill competition in Cortina, leading to her being airlifted to hospital.
Former Liverpool and Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has fully embraced life in the Middle East, appearing in a striking promotional video to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day. The Northern Irishman, who took the reins at Al-Qadsiah in December, was filmed wearing full traditional Saudi dress and holding a rifle as part of the festivities. The holiday, which commemorates the establishment of the first Saudi state in 1727, saw the veteran tactician praising the kingdom’s heritage and its burgeoning role in the global football landscape.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
Ex-USMNT and MLS star Tab Ramos has told GOAL that a stunning transfer which unites Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at Inter Miami could happen, but has explained why said switch could become a “mess”. A remarkable switch to the United States for Portuguese icon CR7 has been mooted on the back of strike action that he recently took in the Saudi Pro League.
Cristiano Ronaldo has addressed the speculation surrounding his future in the Saudi Pro League. The Portuguese GOAT recently went on strike, amid frustration at how transfer funds are distributed in the Middle East, but has returned to action and is back among the goals. He claims to be happy with Al-Nassr and offered no indication that he will be breaking the most lucrative contract in world football.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to fire Al-Nassr to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Al-Hazem, in a result which saw Jorge Jesus' side return to the top of the Saudi Pro League table. Kingsley Coman and a stunning Angelo solo goal also contributed to securing a tenth successive win for Al-Nassr, who had 12 shots on target in a dominant display and could have won by more, had it not been for an inspired performance by away goalkeeper Ibrahim Zaied.
Keylor Navas has played with the greatest players of the modern era, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Lionel Messi. However, the legendary Costa Rican goalkeeper has snubbed both icons when naming the most talented teammate he has ever witnessed. Reflecting on his career, the three-time Champions League winner explained why a Brazilian superstar left the biggest impression on him during their time together in Paris.
There has been heated debate over who should play back-up to Harry Kane for England at the World Cup this summer, but in truth the answer is becoming increasingly obvious. There is only one striker who can hold a candle to the Three Lions captain this season, and it is one who is operating out of sight and out of mind in Saudi Arabia, where he has eclipsed Cristiano Ronaldo.
Former Manchester United backroom member Steve McClaren has opened up on what caused the infamous falling out between Cristiano Ronaldo and ex-head coach Erik ten Hag before the football icon's departure to Saudi Arabia at the end of 2022. The Portugal international was released from the club following a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, where he slammed the Red Devils' owners, as well as his manager and team-mates.
Jorge Jesus admits that Al-Hilal have “more economic power” than Al-Nassr, having seen Cristiano Ronaldo go on strike amid questions of how wealth is distributed among clubs controlled by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). The agitated Portuguese GOAT is playing again, with his manager in Riyadh appreciating why frustration has boiled over.
Ivan Toney has sent a World Cup message to England manager Thomas Tuchel, reminding the German tactician that he is still “hungry” for goals and international recognition after leaving the Premier League for a stint in the Saudi Pro League. The former Brentford striker has been competing with Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo for Golden Boot honours in the Middle East.
Cristiano Ronaldo has always been a bad loser, former Manchester United and Portugal team-mate Nani has revealed, with the all-time great breaking down in tears if things did not go his way. CR7 has spent his record-shattering career chasing perfection, with any stumbles endured when heading down that path leading to an outpouring of emotion.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has explained why he is more Cristiano Ronaldo than Lionel Messi, with the NBA superstar adding his voice to the long-running GOAT debate. The Milwaukee Bucks talisman is hoping to form part of those discussions in basketball circles and sees himself being cut from similar sporting cloth to Portuguese icon CR7 - while being a huge admirer of magical Argentina international Messi.
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Al-Nassr’s starting line-up and scored against Al-Fateh after missing two matches amid a dispute over finances and transfer backing in the Saudi Pro League. The club captain was on strike after title rivals Al-Hilal signed former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema, while his own side was restricted in how they could move during the transfer market.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez believes Cristiano Ronaldo could play "on and on and on" if he wanted to, as questions over the 41-year-old's future in the game intensify with each passing day. Ronaldo is almost certain to lead his country at the 2026 World Cup this summer in what is likely to be his international swansong, but it's still unclear when he will retire from the game entirely.
Still just 22 years old, Jhon Duran has joined the sixth club of his increasingly nomadic career and his third in the space of just 12 months, making the controversial decision to head to Russia and sign for Zenit St Petersburg. It is a little over a year since the former Aston Villa hitman was being linked with European giants Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, but after spells in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the striker is already drifting further into obscurity.
Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the Al-Nassr squad and could feature in Saturday's clash with Al-Fateh. The Portuguese legend has missed his club side's last three games, having been frustrated by the Public Investment Fund during the January transfer window, but he now looks set to end his protest and return to the pitch.
Mohamed Salah will reportedly have the option of following Lionel Messi to the United States or Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi Pro League when another transfer window opens this summer. The Liverpool superstar has seen a move to the Middle East speculated on for some time, but Fabrizio Romano claims interest is also being shown from teams in MLS.
Former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has been brutally axed from the Al-Hilal squad following the arrival of Karim Benzema. The Saudi Pro League heavyweights, who have their sights set on another domestic title triumph, acquired ex-Real Madrid star Benzema during the winter transfer window. There is now no room in their ranks for Uruguay international Nunez.
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