Cristiano Ronaldo – Sports Africa

Nagelsmann to apply Ronaldo blueprint for Champions League success

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BERLIN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) — Bayern Munich crushed Bayern Leverkusen 5-1 on Sunday and fans might know coach Julian Nagelsmann’s admiration of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is seems unlimited.

“There is no one better than him when it comes to preparation and training effort,” Nagelsmann stated ahead of his clubs’ Champions League group match against Benfica upcoming Wednesday.

Nagelsmann added that Ronaldo’s former Juve teammate Sami Khedira told him of the striker’s intense efforts. “He is a training monster,” Nagelsmann concluded.

At the same time, the Bayern coach is paying attention to 36-year-old Ronaldo’s inquiring mind when it comes to new ways of recovery to cope with the packed schedule.

While Bayern ruthlessly continues its successful journey in the German national league, the coach has discovered the importance of smart stress management.

To address his club’s demands to perform at the highest level in the Champions League, the Bayern coach is vigilantly watching his players’ recovery process.

“We need our players in top condition to perform successfully. That’s vital to compete in a campaign like the Champions League the way we intend to,” Nagelsmann said.

Taking several of his key performers off the pitch after half-time at Leverkusen might tell the story of Nagelsmann’s approach.

“Deciding as many games as possible at an early stage gives us the opportunity to keep the load under control. At present, we seem to be doing pretty well in that,” the Bayern coach added.

Nagelsmann is aware that if Bayern can count on the majority of its players in the best shape, the team is one of the favorites for the Champions League title.

“We don’t have to fear any European team when all around are at their highest level,” stated Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer.

Instead of turning things upside down, Nagelsmann follows a more subtle pattern.

“Well-oiled teams such as Bayern don’t need the same amount of influence by their coach than less well-equipped teams. Top class teams require gentle changes,” he stated.

Gentle advice delivered by a caring coach makes top teams develop further, according to Nagelsmann.

Ronaldo’s impact on Nagelsmann continues when it comes to an unbreakable will and never-ending determination. Mentality is the key, the Bayern coach said.

Nagelsmann and his players praised their stunning performance in Leverkusen. But more often, they talk about their failures.

“The first 15 minutes, when we didn’t manage to take full control. But that’s what we want, to entirely dominate the game from the first to the last minute,” the Bavarians’ manager added after his team closed the gaps and discovered spaces in which to attack.

Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Old Trafford

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LONDON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) — Manchester United confirmed they had agreed terms with Juventus to take Cristiano Ronaldo back to the club 12 years after he left for Spain.

The agreement was confirmed by Manchester United with a communique which reads, “Manchester United is delighted to confirm that the club has reached agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo, subject to agreement of personal terms, visa and medical.”

Ronaldo returns to the club where he scored 118 goals in 292 appearances between 2003 and 2009 before moving to Real Madrid.

“Cristiano, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, has so far won over 30 major trophies during his career, including five UEFA Champions League titles, four FIFA Club World Cups, seven league titles in England, Spain and Italy, and the European Championship for his native Portugal.”

“Everyone at the club looks forward to welcoming Cristiano back to Manchester,” concludes the communique.

Just 24-hours ago Ronaldo had appeared to be bound for United’s neighbors and bitter rivals, Manchester City, only them to pull out of the move after failing to agree a fee for the 36-year-old with Juventus.

That allowed his former club to step in and seal the deal for an estimated 20 million euros after Ronaldo had spoken to former Man Utd coach Sir Alex Ferguson and several former team-mates.

UEFA EURO Day 5: Record breaker Ronaldo

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BOXSCORE: BUDAPEST (June 15, 2021) – The first match of the day saw a fantastic Portuguese generation, combined with the legend that is Ronaldo, show once again that the defending European champions areable to overcome schedule difficulties and continue to find ways to win – and win convincingly.

Hungary started the game in the Catenaccio, chain style, of Italian coach Marco Rossi with a defensive line of five defenders with even the two strikers, Attila Szalai and Rolland Sallai, provide man-marking in Portugal’s midfield. Fernando Santos opted for two double-pivot players as defensive ones in Danilo and William Carvalho.

Even with the clearest chances in the first half, overall Portugal lacked creativity and when the game was appearing to be heading towards a draw, Santos decided to put the UEFA Euro 2016 talisman and Golden Boy Renato Sanches in the place of William to bring creativity to the game.

The move paid off and in one of his speed runs, together with Rafa Silva, the ball reached left defender Raphael Guerreiro and his who was able to convert past Peter Gulacsi who minutes earlier made a fantastic save on Bruno Fernandes’ shot.

Minues later Sanches would bring even more havoc by dribbling past three Hungarian who let Rafa enter the area resulting in a penalty kick converted by Ronaldo. The goal-giving the Portuguese legend a record 10th goal – one more than Michel Platini’s record nine The Five Top Goals Scorers in UEFA Euros History (boxscorenews.com)

In the dying minutes of the match, another play by Rafa, Ronaldo, and Sanches allowed the Portuguese genius to score a vital third goal giving Ronaldo 11 goals in the European Championships and counting putting him as the top scorer of the tournament.

Portugal 3-0 Hungary
Goals: Guerreiro 84′, Ronaldo 87′ (pk), 90+2′
Puskás Arena, Budapest – HUN
Referee: Cüneyt Çakır – TUR
YC: Rubén Dias – Orban, Négo

Portugal (4-2-3-1) – Rui Patrício – Semedo, Pepe, Rúben Dias, Guerreiro – Danilo, William (Renato Sanches) – Bernardo (Rafa Silva), Bruno Fernandes (João Moutinho), Ronaldo (c) – Diogo Jota (André Silva)
Coach: Fernando Santos

Hungary (5-1-2-2) – Gulacsi – Lovrencsics, Botka, Orban, At.Szalai, Fiola (K.Varga) – Nagy – Kleinheisler (Siger), Schäfer (Négo) – Ad.Szalai (c), Sallai (Schön)
Coach: Marco Rossi – ITA

Man of the Match – Cristiano Ronaldo – POR

Despite hosting France in Munich, the current World Champions showed why they are miles better than the current German team are the favorites to win the competition. The French midfield dominated as Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté allowed the trio of Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, and Karim Benzema the freedom to create.

A fantastic pass by Pogba to Lucas Hernandez resulted in a Mats Hummels own goal.

Germany didn’t manage much of an attack all game long being fully dominated by the French style, which could have easily been 2-0 or 3-0 by goals by Mbappé and Benzema were overturned by VAR.

Today’s effort by the French showed not only the technical superiority of France and a Euro heavyweight.

France 1-0 Germany
Goal: Hummels 29′ (og)
Allianz Arena, Munich – GER
Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande – ESP
YC: Kimmich

France (4-1-2-1-2) – Lloris (c) – Pavard, Varane, Kimpembe, Hernández – Kanté – Rabiot (Dembélé), Pogba – Griezmann – Mbappé, Benzema (Tolisso)
Coach: Didier Deschamps

Germany (3-4-2-1) – Neuer (c) – Ginter (Volland), Hummels, Rüdiger – Kimmich, Gündogan, Kroos, Gosens (Can) – Havertz (Sané), Müller – Gnabry (Werner)
Coach: Joachim Löw

Man of the Match: Paul Pogba – FRA

Ronaldo makes history as Juventus win ninth Supercoppa

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ROME, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — Cristiano Ronaldo became the top goalscorer in football history as his Juventus side won the Italian Super Cup (Supercoppa) for the ninth time, beating Napoli 2-0 at Mapei Stadium on Wednesday.

Victory for the Bianconeri came despite a shaky performance in Serie A, with the defending champions currently ranking only fifth in the 2020-21 table.

The Supercoppa is a traditional clash between the previous season’s Serie A and Coppa Italia winners.

Juventus was missing Paulo Dybala, Matthijs de Ligt and Alex Sandro, but Juan Cuadrado returned to the starting line-up after recovering from Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Napoli had to do without Victor Osimhen and Fabian Ruiz.

Juve dominated possession in the first half, but Napoli had the best chance in the 29th minute when Diego Demme rolled across from the left and Hirving Lozano’s diving header forced a stunning save from Wojciech Szczesny.

Federico Chiesa picked up an injury, making way for Federico Bernardeschi who almost found the net right after the interval. Juve started to lay siege to Napoli’s goal as time wore on, and it paid off in the 64th minute when a corner bounced off Tiemoue Bakayoko and bobbled kindly for Ronaldo to sweep in from point-blank range.

It was Portuguese’s 760th career goal for club and country, making him the top goalscorer of all-time, surpassing the record of 759 set by Josef Bican.

Lorenzo Insigne should have scored an equalizer and his 100th goal for Napoli, but the captain missed a penalty earned by Dries Mertens in the 80th minute.

Juve punished Napoli deep into stoppage time, as after a textbook counter, Cuadrado surged forward and squared for Alvaro Morata to seal the win.

The Supercoppa is Juve’s first title in the current 2020-21 season, and also Andrea Pirlo’s maiden trophy as a head coach.

Messi, Ronaldo grateful for Ballon d’Or Dream Team spot

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BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) — Lionel Messi, Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo said Monday they felt honored to be named in the greatest team of all time by France Football.

Having cancelled its annual Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best footballer because of the coronavirus pandemic, the weekly magazine instead announced its best XI in history, as voted by journalists from 170 countries and regions.

“For me it is an honor to have been included in the eleven of the Ballon d’Or Dream Team,” Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or a record six times, said in an Instagram post. “I want to thank you for choosing me and also congratulate all the players who were selected … and all the nominees, there are real phenomena on that list.”

As expected, the esteemed line-up included Brazil’s three-time World Cup winner Pele and legendary Argentinian Diego Maradona, who died last month of a heart-attack.

The team also included goalkeeper Lev Yashin; defenders Cafu, Franz Beckenbauer and Paolo Maldini; and midfielders Xavi and Lothar Matthaus. Ronaldo, a two-time World Cup winner and dual Ballon d’Or recipient, expressed pride at being named in the No. 9 position.

“It’s such an honor to be elected the best centre forward of all time in the Dream Team by France Football,” Ronaldo said on Instagram. “I gave my life for football and followed my dreams. No matter the obstacle I faced and the pain I had to overcome I was always focused to get where I wanted.”

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the Ballon d’Or five times, said: “I’m very honoured to be part of France Football’s all-time 11. What an amazing Dream Team. They all deserve my respect and admiration and I’m obviously proud to be amongst such extraordinary players. Thank you!”

Ronaldo returns to Juventus on special medical flight

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ROME, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo, who tested positive for Covid-19 while leading Portugal in the Uefa Nations League, travelled from Portugal to Italy on Wednesday on a special medical flight.

Ronaldo, who is under contract with Juventus for 31 million euros (36.6 million U.S. dollars) per year, will continue his coronavirus quarantine under the care of Juventus physicians.The Portugal skipper first tested positive for the virus on Monday, but his status was not revealed until the result of Tuesday’s second test was available.

Italian media reported that within hours of the second test, Juventus began arranging a special flight for him to return to Italy.

“Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Italy with a medical flight authorized by the competent health authorities at the request of the player and will continue his fiduciary isolation at his home,” Juventus said in a statement.

The team said Ronaldo was asymptomatic and in good health, despite the positive test. Italian media speculated that Ronaldo may have been infected by two members of the Portuguese national team who tested positive on Monday.

Portugal beat Sweden 3-0 on Wednesday night in Lisbon without the three infected players.

Juve doctors will oversee Ronaldo’s recovery, along with that of teammate Weston McKennie, a member of the United States’ national team. Juventus revealed Wednesday that McKennie had also tested positive for Covid-19.

Juventus, who will play its next game on Saturday against winless Crotone, is currently in a three-way tie for third place just three games into the Serie A season, with two wins and one loss.

Ronaldo surpasses 100 international goals

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LONDON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) — Cristiano Ronaldo made history in Portugal’s 2-0 win over Sweden, as the legendary footballer became the first European to reach 100 international goals with the first of his two goals in the Uefa Nations League on Tuesday.

The reigning champions visited Sweden with their captain Ronaldo back in the squad after the 35-year-old Juventus forward missed their opening Nations League match due to a toe problem three days earlier.

The veteran opened the score by firing a freekick before the break, then added a second by curling home from the edge of the penalty area in the 73rd minute.

“I managed to beat this milestone of 100 goals and now for the record (109),” said Ronaldo, who is only outscored by Iran’s Ali Daei with 109 international goals.

“It’s step-by-step. I am not obsessed because I believe the records come in a natural way.” It’s the second straight victory for Portugal, as they defeated Croatia 4-1 at home last Saturday. They will visit France in October in their third match in Group 3.

In Paris, France came from behind to repeat their triumph in the final of the 2018 World Cup, beating Croatia 4-2, despite the absence of striker Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe, scoring the only goal in France’s victory over Sweden on Saturday, tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday and was separated from Didier Deschamps’ squad right after receiving the result.

Dejan Lovren scored first for the visitors in the 18th minute, but Antoine Griezmann’s close-range effort and Dominik Livakovic’s own goal gave France the lead before the interval.

Josip Brekalo managed to score an equalizer in the 56th minute, but Dayot Upamecano’s header and Olivier Giroud’s penalty secured the win for the hosts.

Belgium swept Iceland 5-1 at home to lead Group 2 with two wins, and Denmark drew 0-0 with England as both teams failed to create good chances.

Lewandowski on his way to breaking Ronaldo’s record

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BERLIN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) — The bag of Robert Lewandowski was packed in no time before the Pole boarded the plane heading for Portugal’s capital Lisbon this Sunday afternoon.

A brief smile went over the face of the 31-year-old Bayern Munich striker as the Bavarians took off to attend the 2019/20 Champions League quarterfinals.

Spanish giants Barcelona are waiting for their “tournament opener” in the last-8-round this Friday evening.

The striker admitted he couldn’t be happier to finish the season’s last chapter with another successful episode. But Lewandowski wouldn’t be Lewandowski if he did not take steps to hide his true intentions.

“We want to show we are one of the world’s best sides, and we are determined to reach the semifinal,” he said, talking about his team’s goals instead of his personal ones. Goal records or the Ballon d’Or is nothing he is thinking about, he insisted.

In Bayern’s training camp in Lagos, 300 kilometers away from Lisbon, the forward might nevertheless think about his desire to win the campaign for the first time and break the record of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese scored 17 goals in 2013/14 in the shirt of Real Madrid, taking the Spaniards all the way to the trophy. Having scored his goals number 12 and 13 in this season’s campaign when Bayern crushed Chelsea 3-1, the attacker is approaching Ronaldo’s all-time best in rapid strides.

“He is not only the world’s best striker, but the best performer in general,” Germany’s most capped international Lothar Matthaeus commented.

Never before had a player scored that many goals for a German club in the Champions League. 53 goals in 44 games of all competitions make him Europe’s current leading striker.

Three goals and five assists in both games against Chelsea give proof of his outstanding form. Teammate Leon Goretzka spoke about the “phenomenon Lewandowski” by praising his attitude. “He always told me to stay calm and focused,” Goretzka reported.

“After all, we had to deal with a break after the national league. We had only one test game to get on top-level again,” the midfielder added. Goretzka admitted to having been worried, but “Lewa” told him to concentrate on the duel against Chelsea and forget about the unusual circumstances.

“You could feel his determination, he carried us all away in every training session,” the German international said. This season’s key to success is to keep in mind that only one game will decide the next round, Lewandowski concluded.

Ronaldo scores twice as Juventus conquer Lazio in Serie A

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ROME, July 20 (Xinhua) — The race for the Scudetto seems a foregone conclusion as Juventus run away with the league after beating Lazio 2-1 in a highly-anticipated showdown on Monday.

The competition for the top scorer became intense as Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a brace and Ciro Immobile also managed to get on the scoresheet.

The two strikers are the league’s joint top scorers with 30 goals each. Lazio challenged Juve for a long time this season, and were only point behind the Bianconeri before the suspension of Serie A.

However, with a poor run after the restart, the Biancocelesti slipped to fourth place. Both sides had an opportunity to score in the first half as Alex Sandro’s header smacked the upright while Immobile’s screamer also rattled the woodwork.

Juve almost found the net straight after the break when Paulo Dybala’s attempt was blocked, and Ronaldo’s follow-up was cleared off the line.

The Old Lady broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when Ronaldo’s strike hit Bastos’ arm, the referee awarded Juve a penalty after viewing the VAR, and Ronaldo converted it, becoming the first player to score at least 50 goals in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A respectively.

The home side quickly rode the momentum three minutes later when Luiz Felipe’s error sparked a counterattack, Dybala surged forward, flicking the ball to a totally unmarked Ronaldo to tap in from a close range.

The Aquile pulled one goal back through a penalty after Leonardo Bonucci brought down Immobile, and the Italian international kept his cool to convert it.

Juventus now lead the table with 80 points, eight points ahead of second-placed Inter Milan with four rounds remaining, which means the Bianconeri only need four points to capture their ninth consecutive Scudetto.

Pogba wants Juventus move over Real Madrid to play alongside Ronaldo

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Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is reportedly prioritising a return to Juventus this summer to play alongside Cristino Ronaldo.

Pogba is Zinedine Zidane’s top remaining target, but Real Madrid are unwilling to stump up the £150million required.

Apart from playing alongside Ronaldo, Pogba would also prefers a switch back to his old club.

Zidane has already seen £344m worth of new players come through the door this summer.

Real president Florentino Perez is reluctant to spend the £150m that United would want for Pogba, meaning Juventus and PSG could outgun the Spanish side.

Reports indicate Ronaldo has meddled in the negotiations for Paul Pogba, Matthijs de Ligt and Joao Felix to ensure that they don’t strengthen direct Champions League rivals Real Madrid.

Ronaldo is said to be trying to ensure that Real Madrid do not strengthen significantly with Pogba and De Ligt now tilting towards Juventus over Real Madrid.

Madrid are especially interested in Paul Pogba, with Zidane informing Florentino Perez the French midfielder is hi top target this summer.

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