CELEBRITY
Ronaldo not in Man United squad for Chelsea trip
Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo will not be in their squad for Saturday’s Premier League game at Chelsea, the club said in a statement on Thursday.
Ronaldo, an unused substitute in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, walked down the tunnel with a few minutes of the match remaining after being left on the bench again by manager Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag said after the game that he would deal with the matter on Thursday, adding that his focus was on the team.
“Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of the Manchester United squad for this Saturday’s Premier League game against Chelsea,” United said.
“The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture.”
Ronaldo’s behaviour on Wednesday drew criticism, with former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel saying the 37-year-old has become a distraction at Old Trafford. read more
Ronaldo scored 24 goals in all competitions for United last season after joining them for a second spell from Juventus, but the Portugal international has started only two league games this campaign.
A five-times Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo scored his 700th career goal in United’s win at Everton this month, adding another milestone to his glittering trophy-laden career. read more
Ronaldo, who won three Premier League titles and the Champions League in his first spell with United, helped Portugal win the 2016 European Championship.
He was linked with a move away during the summer transfer window, though Ten Hag said he still featured in his plans for the season.
United are fifth in the Premier League table on 19 points, one behind fourth-placed Chelsea after 10 games.
-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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