CELEBRITY
Bill Gates, Beckham, Drogba, predict Morocco’s defeat of France
The achievements of the Atlas Lions at the ongoing Qatar World Cup have received praise from many world-class celebrities.
According to Morocco’s news outlet, Morocco World News, Bill Gates, David Beckham, Didier Drogba, and Michael Essien joined the list of public figures in supporting Morocco and predicted that the Atlas Lions will defeat France in the semi-finals.
It was on the sidelines of a panel discussion at the Gates Foundation event in Doha when Dr. Alaa Murabit, medical doctor, and director of health at the Gates Foundation asked participants about their predictions for the FIFA World Cup 2022 winner.
Murabit reportedly asked all participants to hold voting cards depicting Moroccan and French flags and to choose a side, jokingly saying, “it’s an easy one.”
Drogba, Gates, Essien, Beckham, and Murabit held up the side of the Moroccan flag, predicting the Atlas Lions’ victory over France in the World Cup semi-final
Morocco became the first African and Arab-speaking country to reach the World Cup semi-finals after defeating European football giant Portugal (1-0).
This momentous accomplishment sparked wild celebrations across the globe from not only fans but also celebrities, public figures, and officials from various nations.
King Mohammed VI received phone calls from President of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of France Emmanuel Macron, Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, and King of Jordan Abdullah II, who all joined in congratulating the monarch for the Atlas Lions’ historic achievement.
The monarch also received calls from the President of Mauritania Mohammed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, and the President of the UAE Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
A long list of famous names, including the Colombian singer Shakira, the American producer, director, and actor Shelton Jackson, and the billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, have also congratulated Morocco on reaching the semi-finals.
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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