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Four points of interest in Cristiano Ronaldo’s first Man Utd training session since return
Cristiano Ronaldo took part in his first training session with Manchester United since departing in 2009, having re-joined the club from Juventus in a £20million transfer this summer
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second stint at Manchester United is underway after the Portuguese superstar returned to the club’s Carrington base on Tuesday.
Ronaldo, 36, took part in his first training session with the Red Devils since departing in 2009, having re-joined the club from Juventus in a £20million transfer this summer.
The veteran forward arrives back in Manchester full of confidence after netting two goals in a World Cup qualifier victory over Republic of Ireland last week.
Ronaldo spent time talking with old friends and his new teammates as he looked to prove to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer he is ready to start against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Here are five things we noticed in Tuesday’s training session.
1. Back with the ball at his feet
Ronaldo spent five days in quarantine after returning from international duty last Thursday, so he will have been relieved to be back out on the training pitch.
The Portugal captain was allowed to travel to the United Kingdom after his yellow card in the dramatic victory over Republic of Ireland saw him suspended from Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier with Azerbaijan.
Ronaldo scored two late goals in the win over ROI – and looked as sharp and determined as ever in his first training session since his return to Manchester United.
2. The student has become the master
Cristiano Ronaldo spent six years honing his trade under Sir Alex Ferguson after arriving at Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon as a teenager in 2003.
The young winger was nurtured by senior forwards in the squad and former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would later coach him as a member of Ferguson’s staff.
Now embarking on his second spell with the Red Devils, Ronaldo will be looked up to by the latest crop of emerging talent, and was seen working with 17-year-old striker Joe Hugill, as well as 18-year-old prospect Hannibal Mejbri.
3. Catching up with familiar faces…
Cristiano Ronaldo was seen chatting with Mike Phelan during the training session – a figure he knows well from his first stint at Manchester United.
Phelan served as Sir Alex Ferguson’s right-hand man for many years and worked alongside Ronaldo for the 2008/09 season, during which the Red Devils won the Premier League.
Ronaldo was also seen with his former teammate Darren Fletcher, who serves as United’s technical director.
4. …And forging new friendships
As well as talking to the Manchester United coaches he already knows, Cristiano Ronaldo made an effort with his new teammates and was seen laughing with midfielder Fred, who speaks his native Portuguese.
Diogo Dalot watched on and could hardly contain his happiness at playing alongside his national team colleague at club level, while Ronaldo appeared equally delighted throughout the training session.
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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