CELEBRITY
Solskjaer feels the good times roll again with Ronaldo
The celebratory atmosphere at Old Trafford, as Cristiano Ronaldo marked his return to the club with two goals in a 4-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United, left manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recalling the club’s best days.
Solskjaer, who played with Ronaldo towards the end of his career, said he had no hesitation in throwing the Portuguese striker straight into his side for his first game since his move from Juventus last month.
“I’m so happy for him, so happy for the team, the supporters, you can sense the atmosphere around the club since Cristiano signed but it could so easily have been an anti-climax because expectations were so high – but he has delivered again,” said the Norwegian.
Asked about the atmosphere at the ground – where fans stayed behind long after the whistle singing Ronaldo’s name – Solskjaer couldn’t resist the sense of nostalgia.
“It feels like the old days to be honest, it is special, Cristiano is a special man, a special player in the history of the club and coming here he has just shown his love for the club and the supporters love him, of course,” he said.
Solskjaer added that the 36-year-old has returned after 12 years an improved all-round product.
“He’s developed into a miles better footballer than when he was here, through the years. Sometimes he can drift up to the sides, you’re not going to use him as a battering ram. He likes to roam.
“He senses the big moments when to arrive in the box and I thought he played the game very, very mature. He gave one ball away. But he was very efficient with his football,” he said.
Bruno Fernandes crowned the celebration with a long range goal to make it 3-1 and Solskjaer said he had no doubt that the pair could combine well together.
“Good players can always play together. They have a mutual respect and play for Portugal together,” he said.
But despite the euphoria of the occasion, Solskjaer wasn’t reading too much into the team going top of the standings after four games.
“It’s too early for me to predict where we’ll end up. We have to be consistent and let’s see where we are,” he said.
-Reuters
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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