CELEBRITY
Ronaldo dedicates Man United return to former boss Ferguson
Cristiano Ronaldo declared he was back where he belonged after he re-joined Manchester United from Juventus on a two-year deal on Tuesday (Aug 31), dedicating the move to his mentor Alex Ferguson.
The English Premier League giants completed the signing of the Portugal star from Juventus on Monday, for his second spell at Old Trafford for a €15 million fee that could rise to €23 million (S$36.6 million) with performance-related add-ons.
“Manchester United is delighted to confirm the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo on a two-year contract with the option to extend for a further year, subject to international clearance,” United said in a statement.
The Portuguese forward returns to the club where he won eight major trophies from 2003 to 2009.
“Everyone who knows me, knows about my never ending love for Manchester United. The years I spent in this club where absolutely amazing and the path we’ve made together is written in gold letters in the history of this great and amazing institution,” he wrote on Instagram.
“It’s like a dream come true, after all the times that I went back to play against Man United, and even as an opponent, to have always felt such love and respect from the supporters in the stands.
“My first domestic League, my first Cup, my first call to the Portuguese National team, my first Champions League, my first Golden Boot and my first Ballon d’Or, they were all born from this special connection between me and the Red Devils,” added Ronaldo, who spent the last 12 years winning a glut of trophies at Real Madrid and Juventus.
“History has been written in the past and history will be written once again! You have my word!
“I’m back where I belong. Let’s make it happen once again… Sir Alex, this one is for you.”
United announced that they had agreed on a deal with Juventus to bring the 36-year-old back to Manchester last week, with the transfer now complete after Ronaldo passed a medical examination, secured a visa and settled personal terms.
Earlier on Monday, the Serie A giants confirmed his departure, saying in a statement: “Today, after three years, 133 appearances, 101 goals and 5 trophies… paths of CR7 and Juventus separate.”
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo said in a statement from United: “Manchester United is a club that has always had a special place in my heart, and I have been overwhelmed by all the messages I have received since the announcement on Friday. I cannot wait to play at Old Trafford in front of a full stadium and see all the fans again.
“I’m looking forward to joining up with the team after the international games, and I hope we have a very successful season ahead.”
Ferguson signed Ronaldo when he was a teenager in 2003 and the British media had reported last week that the Scot convinced Ronaldo to return to United.
Ronaldo has often spoken in glowing terms of his time at the club and has previously described the 79-year-old as his “father in football”.
The club responded to the post, saying: “Welcome home, Cristiano.”
“Ronaldo’s return demonstrates the unique appeal of this club and I am absolutely delighted he is coming home to where it all started,” said United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who played alongside the Portuguese during his previous time in England.
Ronaldo is expected to make his second United debut against Newcastle at Old Trafford on Sept 11.
His return has capped a transfer window that has made the club’s fans quickly forget the disappointment on the field, and uprising off it, that ended last season.
Just four months ago, supporters stormed the Old Trafford pitch in protest at the club’s owners for their part in the failed European Super League project and a perceived lack of investment in the club, forcing the postponement of a Premier League clash with Liverpool.
In response, the Glazer family have sanctioned a transfer spend of nearly £150 million (S$277.8 million) with Ronaldo joining his former Real teammate Raphael Varane and England winger Jadon Sancho from Dortmund as the new arrivals.
That investment has ramped up the pressure on Solskjaer to deliver the club’s first Premier League title since Ferguson retired as manager in 2013.
Solskjaer is yet to win a trophy in more than two years in charge and his mismanagement of the Europa League final which United lost on penalties to Villarreal in United’s final game of last season is still fresh in the memory.
The Norwegian did not make a single substitution until 100 minutes had been played in Gdansk, as United failed to make their far greater resources count.
A lack of strength in depth is not an excuse the 48-year-old will be able to use this season if he fails to end United’s wait for silverware.
On Tuesday, Juventus announced the signing of Moise Kean on a two-year loan from Everton, as the Italian striker returns to the side where he made his professional debut.
“Moise is back and he joins us on loan,” Juventus said on their Twitter account.
The club said they agreed to pay a loan fee of €7 million, with €3 million to be paid in the 2021-22 season and €4 million next season.
Kean, who came through Juve’s youth system, made his senior debut in 2016 at the age of 16, becoming the club’s youngest debutant and their second youngest scorer in Serie A.
“The 21-year-old returns to the club, where not only did he take his first steps in professional football, but where he grew up, as a boy and a player, within our youth sector,” Juventus said in a statement.
Kean was the first player born in the 2000s to score a goal in Europe’s top five leagues and has nine caps for Italy, with two goals.
Juve sold him to Everton in the summer of 2019 after excelling in his breakthrough season in Serie A but he failed to impress in England and last season was loaned to Paris Saint-Germain.
He scored 17 times in 41 appearances for the star-studded French side, who lost their Ligue 1 title to Lille and were knocked out of the Champions League by Manchester City in the semi-finals.
Last Friday, Kean was called up to the Italy squad after missing out on Euro 2020, won by Roberto Mancini’s impressive Azzurri last month.
-Reuters/AFP
The legacy of Brazilian football legend Pelé has taken a new turn after Neymar Santos Sr, father of Brazil star Neymar Jr, confirmed the acquisition of the commercial rights to Pelé’s name and image through his agency, NR Sports.
Speaking at the Pelé Museum in Santos, Brazil, Neymar Sr said the deal marks a new chapter for one of the most iconic brands in global sport.
“We are proud. I think it’s a very strong brand. We want to strengthen its identity and adapt it to the current era,” he said, describing the project as deeply emotional and nationally significant.
Although financial details were not officially disclosed, Brazilian media estimate the acquisition at around $18 million. The rights had previously belonged to US-based company Sport 10, which many in Brazil accused of underdeveloping a national treasure.
A ‘Repatriation’ of Pelé’s Legacy
NR Sports described the agreement as a “repatriation” of Pelé’s brand—bringing back to Brazil “one of the greatest symbols in the history of world sport.”
Pelé’s daughter, Flavia, attended the announcement and welcomed the move, saying the family had tried—and failed—to reacquire the rights after Pelé’s death in 2022.
“There are no words to describe the emotion of bringing back a brand that embodies soul, humanity, and love. It’s priceless,” she told AFP.
The unveiling was accompanied by an emotional tribute at the Pelé Museum, which erected a massive green screen with Pelé’s iconic logo. A video shared on Pelé’s and NR Sports’ official accounts celebrated the “universal language” of Brazilian football, showing some of the King’s most memorable goals from his World Cup triumphs in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
Neymar Jr: ‘Pelé Was Born to Change Everything’
Neymar Jr, who recently returned to Pelé’s former club Santos and has surpassed the King as Brazil’s all-time top scorer, featured in a promotional video congratulating his father’s company.
“Some are born to play, others are born to change the game. Pelé was born to change everything,” the 33-year-old forward said. “Pelé never stopped being one of us, and now he is officially part of Brazil, again and forever.”
A New Era for an Underused Global Brand
For years, Pelé’s image rights were more prominently exploited abroad than at home—a situation that drew criticism from the family and Brazilian football circles. The new deal is expected to revitalise the Pelé brand through modern marketing, partnerships, and heritage initiatives anchored in Brazil.
“This is the beginning of a motivating project for us. We are very moved,” Neymar Sr added.
Pelé, who died in December 2022 at age 82, remains an enduring symbol in Santos, São Paulo state, where he played from 1956 to 1974 and where thousands still visit his mausoleum.
With the rights now back in Brazilian hands, NR Sports says the goal is clear: preserve, expand, and enrich the legacy of the King of Football for generations to come.
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Lionel Messi expressed his wish to one day return to Barcelona’s Camp Nou on Monday, having made a brief visit to see the newly revamped stadium where he spent 21 years of his illustrious career.
The 38-year-old Argentine World Cup winner, who joined Barca’s youth academy at age 13 and went on to become the club’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances, left the Catalan side in 2021 when they could not make it financially viable to keep him.
Having won 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups with Barca, Messi now plays for Inter Miami after two years with Paris St Germain.
Barca reopened the Camp Nou on Friday, 895 days after its closure, unveiling a revamped stadium by staging an open training session attended by 21,795 fans.
“Last night, I returned to a place that I miss with all my heart. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner wrote on Instagram on Monday.
“I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do.”
Messi extended his contract with Inter Miami in October, and has previously said that the Major League Soccer club would likely be his last.
“You’re always welcome at your home, Leo,” Barca posted on X.
-Reuters
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Argentina has paid a powerful tribute to its greatest football icon, Diego Armando Maradona, by unveiling a special commemorative silver coin celebrating both the late legend’s 65th birthday and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The coin, released on October 30 — the date that would have marked Maradona’s 65th birthday — honours his unforgettable solo goal against England in the 1986 World Cup, often described as “the goal of the century.”
The Central Bank of Argentina announced that the limited-edition coin features a football motif on one side, while the reverse captures Maradona’s legendary dribble from his own half, past five English defenders, before coolly slotting the ball home in Mexico City.
That match, etched in global memory, also produced another of football’s most talked-about moments — the “Hand of God” goal, scored just minutes earlier. Together, those two goals defined not only a game but an era, as Maradona led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, their second in history.
“This coin immortalizes a symbol of Argentine pride — a goal that transcended sport to become a moment of national identity,” said the Central Bank in a statement.
The release is also timed to build excitement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada — marking 40 years since Maradona’s most celebrated tournament.
Maradona, who passed away in 2020, remains one of football’s most revered figures. His blend of artistry, audacity, and passion continues to inspire generations of players and fans alike.
Across Argentina, tributes poured in from fans, clubs, and former teammates, with many visiting murals, statues, and shrines dedicated to the No.10. In Buenos Aires, street musicians played “Live is Life” — the anthem that once accompanied Maradona’s famous pre-match warm-up routine at Napoli — as a reminder of his enduring magic.
For Argentina, this special-edition coin is more than a collector’s item; it is a national homage to an eternal legend, a man whose left foot and spirit still define the heartbeat of Argentine football.
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