Other Leagues
Brazil great Ronaldo selling stake in boyhood club Cruzeiro
Brazil great Ronaldo has agreed to sell his majority stake in Cruzeiro, the club where he made his senior debut, the Brazilian Serie A team announced on Monday.
Ronaldo, 47, agreed with BPW Sports company to sell the 90% stake he acquired in 2021 for $70 million through his company Tara Sports Brasil.
No details were given on how much BPW Sports are paying for the stake.
The former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid forward helped clear the club’s $195 million debt and led their return to the domestic top flight in 2022 after three seasons in Serie B.
However, a recent run of poor results sparked criticism and led to some fans to call for his departure.
“Ronaldo and BPW Sports signed an agreement to acquire all the shares of Tara Sports Brasil, the company that owns 90% of Cruzeiro SAF,” the club said in a statement.
“(Ronaldo) led an administration that brought a new perspective to the club, implementing professional management and a governance structure in line with international best practice.
“Cruzeiro’s credibility was restored, attracting important partners and sponsors, with contracts that set record figures for the club.”
Ronaldo, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 and 2002, will continue to serve as a member of Cruzeiro’s board of directors upon approval of the deal by Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense, the club added.
Ronaldo made his professional debut with Cruzeiro as a 16-year-old in 1993 before going on to become one of the best strikers in world football.
“A mix of feelings hit me today, but above all, the feeling of fulfilment,” he told a news conference. “It’s impossible not to remember when I took on the great challenge of buying Cruzeiro.
“We’ve faced many challenges, the majority of which we’ve overcome. We’ve stumbled along the way, but today I can say that I’m handing Cruzeiro over with a sense of having done my duty, given that the club’s situation was very precarious.”
Ronaldo now looks set to sell his 51% stake in Spanish second-tier side Real Valladolid.
“Valladolid is next,” he told reporters.
-Reuters
Soccer great, Ronaldo presents to Sports Village Square publisher, Kunle Solaja a miniature World Cup trophy as acknowledgement of achievement for coverage of nine World Cup editions
Paul Onuachu is back where the goals flowed after the Nigerian striker completed a 5.6 million euros ($6.60 million) move to Trabzonspor from Southampton on Friday, turning a successful loan spell into a permanent stay on Turkey’s Black Sea coast.
Nicknamed “Tall Paul” by Saints fans, the 2.01-metre forward never found his stride in the Premier League, scoring just four goals as Southampton dropped out of the top flight.
But in Turkey, he looked like his old self — hitting 15 goals in 21 league games while on loan last season and quickly winning over the fans and board alike.
Once prolific at Genk, with 73 goals in 103 league games, 31-year-old Onuachu’s return to Trabzonspor feels more like a reset than a gamble.
The new Super Lig season kicks off on August 8, with champions Galatasaray defending their crown. Trabzonspor, who finished seventh last term, will hope their returning striker picks up right where he left off.
-Reuters
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A celebration turned tragic on Saturday, June 22, 2025, when three spectators lost their lives and more than 70 others sustained injuries following a fence collapse at the July 5 Stadium in Algiers. The incident occurred after MC Alger clinched the Algerian top-flight football title for the second consecutive season.
According to a statement released on Facebook by the Algerian Ministry of Health, the collapse took place in the stadium’s south bend upper stand. Emergency services responded swiftly, with 38 injured fans taken to Beni Messous University Hospital, 27 to Ben Aknoun Hospital, and 16 to Bab El Oued Hospital.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed condolences to the victims’ families and extended wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.
MC Alger also mourned the loss of one of their fans. “It is with great sadness and sorrow that we received the news of our supporter Younes Amguzzi, who passed away after falling from the upper stands,” the club said in a statement posted on Instagram.
The club has not yet issued a formal comment on the additional reported fatalities.
Local media attributed the tragedy to a structural failure, reporting that part of the upper-tier fencing gave way, causing fans to fall into the lower stands. A video posted by El Heddaf TV showed the damaged railing and the chaotic aftermath.
The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, while MC Alger players, staff, and club officials visited to donate blood in support of the victims. The trophy presentation ceremony was postponed out of respect for the incident.
Authorities are expected to launch an investigation into the cause of the collapse and the safety standards at the stadium.
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Libyan football is once again under fire after a highly anticipated derby match between Al-Ahli Tripoli and Al-Ittihad spiralled into chaos on Wednesday evening, forcing an early end to the game and leaving a trail of violence and destruction in its wake.
What was meant to be a showcase of local rivalry quickly turned into a disaster.
The match, part of Libya’s national championship, took a dark turn in the 38th minute when Moroccan midfielder Nawfel Zerhouni curled in a beautiful free-kick to give Al-Ittihad the lead. But the celebrations were short-lived. Tensions flared, players clashed, and a full-blown melee broke out on the pitch.
Things only got worse from there.
Despite being officially designated a behind-closed-doors fixture, fans from both clubs found their way into the stadium and took over the stands. Fights erupted, and the terraces turned into battlegrounds. The referee had no choice but to abandon the match.
The violence didn’t stop at the stadium gates.
Reports suggest that live ammunition was fired at Al-Ahli supporters, and the Al-Ittihad team bus was set ablaze in the aftermath. Shocking scenes like these are a grim reminder of how unchecked football passion can spiral into outright mayhem.
Both clubs reacted swiftly with official statements condemning the violence. Al-Ahli Tripoli and Al-Ittihad called for calm and restraint, stressing the importance of upholding the values of sport. They also urged authorities to launch a full investigation to uncover those behind the violence and ensure accountability.
This disturbing episode comes on the heels of previous controversies involving Libya’s football scene, including the troubled AFCON qualifier against Nigeria and riots during the Libya–Benin Republic match. It raises fresh concerns over the safety and stability of football in the country.
Libyan football is at a crossroads. Whether this serves as a wake-up call or just another chapter in a worrying trend remains to be seen.
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