CELEBRITY

Ronaldo, Messi roll back the years in nine-goal thriller

Published

2 years ago

January 20, 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi transported fans back in time to the heyday of their storied rivalry, as both forwards got on the scoresheet in an exhibition match on Thursday before Hugo Ekitike earned 10-man PSG a 5-4 win over the Riyadh Season Team.

While the match may not have much significance for the teams involved, soccer fans around the world got plenty of bang for their buck as a story that has dominated the sport for over a decade appeared to come to an end in a memorable goalfest.

In an action-packed first half at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, goals from Messi and Marquinhos were cancelled out by a Ronaldo brace, while PSG’s Juan Bernat was sent off for a lunging tackle on Saudi international Salem Al-Dawsari.

Both teams kept their foot on the gas in the second half, but Ekitike’s 78th-minute strike eventually made the difference on the night.

“We saw lots of goals in a magnificent stadium with an incredible atmosphere,” PSG coach Cristophe Galtier said.

“This evening, we played in a lively stadium with lots of support. I enjoyed the way that they honoured the numerous stars that were on the pitch.”

Decked in a new black and gold kit, PSG made a blistering start to the game, racing into the lead in the third minute thanks to a deft finish from Messi.

Played through on goal by Neymar, Messi was able to poke the ball past goalkeeper Mohamed Al-Owais, who he last faced in Saudi Arabia’s shock World Cup win over Argentina in November.

Despite going behind early, the Riyadh Season Team – a combined Saudi Pro League XI featuring players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal – had numerous chances.

Ronaldo was an ever-present threat and won a penalty when goalkeeper Keylor Navas clattered into him. Sporting a bright red bruise on his cheek as a result of the collision, Ronaldo picked himself up to calmly convert the spot kick and level the game.

Bernat was shown a red card right after the equaliser, but the Ligue 1 club responded well to going a man down, scoring through defender Marquinhos.

Their lead would not last long, as Ronaldo once again levelled the game on the verge of halftime, hammering home a rebound after Sergio Ramos botched a straightforward clearance.

The goals continued to come thick and fast after the break, as Ramos turned in a Kylian Mbappe cross before South Korean Jang Hyun-soo replied with a near-post header from a corner to make it 3-3.

A handball by Ali Al-Bulaihi gave the visitors a penalty, which was expertly dispatched by Mbappe on the hour. It was Mbappe’s last contribution, as he was taken off shortly after, along with team mates Messi and Neymar, as well as Ronaldo.

Ekitike then extended PSG’s lead to 5-3 with a thumping finish following a lung-busting run from the halfway line before Anderson Talisca scored a late consolation goal for the Saudis in added time.

Though he was unable to get his newest chapter in Saudi Arabia off to a winning start, 37-year-old Ronaldo will take heart from his performance as he prepares to make his first competitive appearance for Al Nassr when they host Al Ettifaq on Sunday.

-Reuters

CELEBRITY

Super Eagles player Iwobi takes to music

Published

3 weeks ago

November 1, 2024

Kunle Solaja

ADWAIDH RAJAN, BBC

He’s better known as a Premier League and international footballer, but Alex Iwobi wants his music – as well as his on-pitch exploits – to inspire young people.

After starting his rap career earlier this year, the Fulham and Nigeria midfielder has released his second single, titled What’s Luv?.

Iwobi’s debut offering was Don’t Shoot in June, which has been streamed almost 60,000 times on Spotify.

The 28-year-old, who goes by the name ’17’, collaborated with his former Arsenal team-mate Chuba Akpom (performing as Skoli) and former England youth international Medy Elito (Don-EE) for his first release.

Iwobi’s debut song was aimed at deterring youngsters from street violence, while his latest release is a “celebration of his African roots”.

“Growing up in an area of London that is challenging for some people, I know how hard it can be and I’m grateful to have a platform to try and make a difference,” Iwobi said.

“I hope that my music is another way of proving that young people do not have to feel they have to fit in just one box. I want them to be encouraged to achieve their dreams, to put their focus into positive things.”

Iwobi has started all nine Premier League matches for Marco Silva’s Fulham this season and scored his second goal of the campaign in a 1-1 draw against his old club Everton last week.

“Creating music doesn’t take anything away from my football, it helps me switch off. I will always work hard and try to improve in my sport, but this is a good use of my spare time,” he said.

Footballer forays into music

Iwobi, however, is not the first footballer to go into music.

A reworked version of folk rock band Lindisfarne’s track Fog on the Tyne, with vocals by Paul Gascoigne, reached number two on the UK singles chart in 1990.

Former England striker Andy Cole’s cover of the Gap Bands’ song Outstanding peaked at number 68 while then Tottenham and Three Lions team-mates Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle released Diamond Lights, which reached number 12 in 1987.

Kevin Keegan’s 1979 song Head over Heels in Love made it to 31 in the charts.

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is an accomplished drummer, while former Aston Villa striker Dion Dublin invented his own musical instrument which he called the Dube.

A masked rapper named ‘Dide’ rose to fame last year, claiming to be a Premier League footballer.

-BBC

CELEBRITY

Ronaldo reaches one billion followers on social media

Published

2 months ago

September 13, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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

CELEBRITY

Over a million subscribe as Ronaldo launches YouTube channel

Published

3 months ago

August 21, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Euro 2024 - Quarter Final - Portugal v France - Hamburg Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany - July 5, 2024 Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo after taking a penalty during the penalty shootout REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File photo

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