CRISTIANO RONALDO LATEST: LEGENDARY FORWARD RELEASES STATEMENT AS RETIREMENT RUMOURS GROW

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Cristiano Ronaldo has confirmed that he has left the Portugal camp ahead of Thursday's UEFA Nations League fixture with Denmark.

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus denied a rift with Ronaldo when he spoke to the media during his press conference on Wednesday, but it was clear that all was not well between the two.

Jesus said that Ronaldo would not start against Denmark but could be used off the bench - that will now not be the case, though, as the 41-year-old has left the Portugal camp.

The veteran revealed that he would explain his reasons "in due course".

"After the press conference of the national team, and following a conversation with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have made the decision to leave the national team training camp," Ronaldo posted on Instagram.

© Iconsport / ZUMA/Alamy

Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp ahead of Denmark clash

"In due course, I will tell all the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that led me to leave the national team, to which I always dedicated myself. Now is the time to wish Portugal and all my teammates good luck, without exception."

Ronaldo started against Wales in Portugal's opening 2026-27 Nations League match but was then an unused substitute in the game against Norway on Sunday.

Jesus confirmed in his press conference that a meeting took place between himself, Ronaldo and the federation president Pedro Proenca following the Norway clash.

"I don't know what's going to happen in the game," Jesus told reporters during his press conference. "If we need him [Ronaldo] to play [at some point], he'll play. If not, he won't.

"It seems like there was an issue between us, but there was no issue. I'm the one who makes the decisions and everybody knows that."

© Imago / Sports Press Photo

Ronaldo could announce retirement from international duty

It had been thought that Ronaldo would retire from international duty following the 2026 World Cup, but he was named in Jesus' first squad after replacing Roberto Martinez.

At this stage, it is unclear whether Ronaldo is on the verge of announcing that his time with Portugal is over, but that is certainly a real possibility due to the latest events.

Ronaldo is one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, and he has a record of 146 goals in 243 appearances for Portugal.

The forward is chasing the 1,000-goal mark before the end of his career, currently sitting on 979 goals, and he has a contract with Al-Nassr until the end of the season.

- Matt Law 

AL AIN 4-0 AL NASSR: RONALDO AND CO SUFFER HEAVY DEFEAT IN UAE RETURN

Rahimi brothers torment Ronaldo as Al Ain batter Al Nassr in AFC opener

Nassr's Portuguese forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo attempts a scissors kick during the AFC Champions League Elite (ACL) football match between Al-Ain and Al-Nassr at the Azza Bin Zayed stadium in Al-Ain on September 15, 2026.
AFP-FADEL SENNA

Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr came to Al Ain with a team packed with some of the biggest names in football.

They left having been completely outplayed.

Al Ain produced a superb performance to defeat Al Nassr 4-0 at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in their AFC Champions League Elite opener, on a night when very little went right for Ronaldo and his teammates.

And once again, the name Rahimi was at the heart of Al Nassr’s problems.

Rahimi brothers run the show

Houssine Rahimi, the younger brother of Al Ain star Soufiane Rahimi, scored twice before his older brother added the third.

Houssine’s opening goal came after a poor back pass from Saad Al Nasser presented him with the opportunity. The 24 year old kept his composure and finished calmly.

He struck again in the second half before his older brother joined the party.

Soufiane scored Al Ain’s third before Giorgos Giakoumakis completed the rout with the fourth.

Houssine with two. Soufiane with one.

It was the Rahimi brothers show in Al Ain.

And there is some history here too.

Soufiane was one of the main reasons Al Ain knocked Ronaldo and Al Nassr out of the AFC Champions League in 2024. He scored the winner in the first leg and then struck twice in Riyadh as Al Ain eventually progressed on penalties.

More than two years later, his younger brother joined him in causing the Saudi side more misery.

Ronaldo left frustrated

For Al Nassr, it was an abysmal night.

A side featuring Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and João Félix simply could not find an answer to Al Ain.

Ronaldo became increasingly frustrated as the match progressed as he wasn't getting enough service from his teammates.

Even when the Portuguese star finally got a late opportunity from a free kick, UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eisa was there to deny him. Eisa also made another brilliant save earlier in the second half.

What a night for Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite.

And what a terrible evening for Ronaldo and Co.

Al Nassr returned to Asia’s biggest club competition dreaming of finally conquering it with Ronaldo.

Their first night back could hardly have gone worse.

- Shamseer Mohammed

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CRISTIANO RONALDO MARRIES MODEL GEORGINA RODRIGUEZ IN PORTUGAL

Reuters 

Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Cristiano Ronaldo married longtime partner Georgina Rodriguez in a civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal.

Ronaldo announced the marriage Tuesday on Instagram and Facebook, sharing a photo of his hand resting on top of his wife's with rings on each of their fingers.

The Portuguese striker included a caption with each of their initials and a heart symbol.

A press release stated that the couple tied the knot Tuesday in a civil ceremony in the coastal town, located about 20 miles west of Lisbon. Ronaldo, 41, and Rodriguez, 32, share five children, who attended the ceremony. The couple announced their engagement Aug. 11, 2025.

Ronaldo met Rodriguez when she worked as a sales assistant in 2016 at a Gucci store in Madrid. She detailed their romance in the Netflix series I Am Georgina.

Rodriguez said in the show that she had "butterflies" in her stomach. Ronaldo has described the meeting as "love at first sight."

Ronaldo joined Lionel Messi as the first two players to appear in six separate World Cups earlier this summer. He is the only player to score in six editions of the tournament.

His domestic club, Al-Nassr will launch its Saudi Pro League campaign against Al Fateh at 2 p.m. EDT Saturday in Riyadh.

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MBAPPÉ BREAKS RONALDO'S RECORDS, REWRITES WORLD CUP HISTORY

Kylian Mbappé has once again proven why he is regarded as the defining footballer of his generation after smashing a string of records once held by his childhood idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, while simultaneously rewriting FIFA World Cup history.

The France captain delivered another breathtaking performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring twice in Les Bleus' commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32 to become the greatest goalscorer in World Cup knockout-stage history.

His latest double took his tally to 10 goals in World Cup knockout matches, eclipsing the long-standing record of nine and moving him clear of Brazilian legends Ronaldo Nazário and Leônidas, who had each scored eight in the competition's elimination rounds.

The achievement further cements Mbappé's growing reputation as football's ultimate big-game player. Reports also noted that his overall World Cup tally had risen to 18 goals, leaving him within touching distance of the all-time tournament scoring record.

The performance against Sweden was not just another victory for France. It marked yet another milestone in a career already overflowing with silverware, individual honours and records that many believed would stand for decades.

Away from international football, Mbappé has also been rewriting the history books at Real Madrid.

In his first full calendar year with the Spanish giants, the French forward broke Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic club record by scoring 59 goals in a single calendar year, surpassing the Portuguese legend's mark set in 2013.

The symbolic moment came on his 27th birthday when Mbappé converted a late penalty against Sevilla to draw level with Ronaldo before later moving ahead, celebrating with Ronaldo's famous "Siuuu" celebration—a heartfelt tribute to the player he has long described as his inspiration.

The remarkable scoring spree has underlined just how seamlessly Mbappé has adapted to life in Madrid following his highly anticipated move from Paris Saint-Germain.

His record-breaking campaign has not been limited to domestic football.

Earlier in the season, Mbappé also surpassed another Ronaldo benchmark in the UEFA Champions League by scoring 13 goals in a single group-stage campaign, breaking Ronaldo's previous record of 11 set during the 2015–16 season.

It is another indication that the French superstar is steadily dismantling records previously considered untouchable.

For years, comparisons between Mbappé, Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated football debates.

Now, rather than merely being compared with the game's greatest icons, Mbappé is beginning to replace them at the top of the record books.

Still only 27 years old, the French captain continues to add to a career that already includes a FIFA World Cup title, a World Cup Golden Boot, multiple domestic league crowns and European honours.

France's progress at the ongoing World Cup also means more records could soon fall.

With the tournament entering its decisive stages, Mbappé remains one of the favourites for the Golden Boot, while France are among the strongest contenders to lift another world title.

Should Les Bleus continue their march, the man who once idolised Cristiano Ronaldo may soon own even more of the records that made the Portuguese legend one of football's immortals.

- TONY MBALLA

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CRISTIANO RONALDO JR, 15, CLOSE TO REAL MADRID MOVE AFTER FOLLOWING IN DAD'S FOOTSTEPS

Cristiano Ronaldo's eldest son, Cristiano Jr, 15, has been training with Real Madrid's under-16 side with La Liga giants considering signing the teenager who currently plays for Al-Nassr youth team

Cristiano Ronaldo's son is training with Real Madrid(Image: Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo's eldest son is training with Real Madrid, potentially paving the way for a move to the Spanish heavyweights. 15-year-old Cristiano Jr is currently plying his trade at youth level for his father's club, Al-Nassr, in Saudi Arabia.

According to The Athletic, chiefs at the Bernabeu are mulling over the prospect of signing him up in the near future. Cristiano Jr has represented Portugal at youth level, most recently turning out for their under-17 side. He earned his first call-up for Portugal's U15s in May last year, making his debut against Japan in the Vlatko Markovic International Tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo Jr is training with Real Madrid(Image: Soccrates Images, Getty Images)

Ronaldo Sr has previously expressed his wish to share the pitch with his son in a professional game. In 2025, the 41-year-old revealed: "I would like it, I would like it. It's not something that keeps me up at night, but I would like it. We'll see. It's more in his hands than in mine.

"The years are starting to pass and, obviously, Cris will have to, one day, leave football, because the years I'm extending... There will come a time when it's no longer possible. Not only physically but psychologically.

"But I also don't see it as an obsession. He will follow his path, his trajectory. I will be a proud father, I will be proud of whatever he wants to do. If he plays, 'top'. If he doesn't play, we tried. At least his father tried hard. But it won't be a problem either, in my opinion."

Ronaldo has spoken about his dream of playing next to his son(Image: Mike Hewitt - FIFA, FIFA via Getty Images)

But Ronaldo won't compete forever, acknowledging that he's in the closing years of his remarkable career as he approaches the 1,000 goal milestone. The Portugal skipper will feature at what's expected to be his final World Cup this summer while his deal with Al-Nassr is set to run out in 2027.

"It's difficult to keep playing, but I am motivated," Ronaldo said. "My passion is high and I want to continue. It doesn't matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe. I always enjoy playing football and I want to keep going.

"You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number [1,000 goals] that you all know. I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries."

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