Sports

Cristiano Ronaldo, Teammates Arrive Lagos on Pre-Season Tour

Published

6 months ago

August 6, 2025

Eric

Cristiano Ronaldo and his team, Al Nassr, have arrived in Lagos as they continue their preseason training.

They had been in Lisbon, Portugal, but have now moved to Lagos to keep preparing for the new season in the Saudi Pro League.

Ronaldo came with some of his teammates, including new player João Félix. The team shared pictures on social media, saying: “Lisbon chapter closed, Lagos chapter loading.” This message showed that they were done in Lisbon and ready for their next stop.

Earlier in the preseason, Al Nassr played a match against French club Toulouse and won 2-1. Ronaldo scored one of the goals. Now, the team is focusing on their next match, which will be against their rivals, Al Ittihad, in the Super Cup.

Al Nassr has added more star players like Sadio Mané and João Félix to strengthen the team. The club posted photos of their arrival in Lagos, and fans are excited to see these top footballers in their city.

During one of the training sessions, people noticed Ronaldo wearing a bib with the number 9 instead of his famous number 7. In some of his Instagram photos, he was seen in orange and yellow training bibs with “9” on them.

In another football update, Bruno Fernandes, the captain of Manchester United, criticized his team after their 2-2 draw with Everton in the Premier League Summer Series. He was unhappy with the way the team performed, even though they won the tournament.

Manchester United had their worst season last year, finishing 15th in the league. Fernandes said he had a chance to leave for another club, but decided to stay because he was promised improvements.

Even though the team had wins over West Ham and Bournemouth in preseason, Fernandes said they repeated old mistakes against Everton. He was honest about it, saying, “It’s improving, but it’s not where we want it to be. It’s a game of football; there’s always passion there. Whatever happens, happens. There was nothing spicy there; it’s normal; it is part of the game.”

He added that the U.S. tour helped the players connect more, but said, “We looked a bit lazy today and we need to change that.”

Fernandez also had a message for the club’s management. He said they need to sign more good players to create competition and help the team grow. “I don’t want to have a dig at anyone, but I think the club is doing the best they can in terms of all the financial situations they talk about,” he explained.

He continued: “I don’t know about it; I’m not involved in that. But obviously it was crystal clear we needed more competition for the players that were here. We needed more quality to get everyone to step up a bit more and to have more to do to get into the starting line-up. I think that’s what the club and the manager are trying to do and hopefully we can get one or two players more to help with that.”

New players such as Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha played well in the game against Everton. The club is now trying to sign Benjamin Sesko, but they are also facing competition from another club backed by big money.

Sports

Benfica Tackle Real Madrid Again in Champions League R16 Playoffs (Full List)

Published

5 days ago

January 30, 2026

Eric

The draw for the Champions League last 16 and knockout play-offs has been completed.

One of the most interesting fixtures, will see Benfica play Real Madrid.

The two teams clashed on the last day of the league phase with Jose Mourinho’s men winning 4-2 in Portugal.

That result saw Benfica sneak into the play-offs and denied Madrid an automatic spot.

Clubs have been paired together based on where they finished at the end of the league phase to form seeded and unseeded pairs.

The teams that finished ninth to 16th were in the seeded pairs, while 17th to 24th were in unseeded pairs.

PLAY-OFF DRAWS:

Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta

Olympiacos vs Bayer Leverkusen

Galatasaray vs Juventus

Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid

Monaco vs PSG

Qarabag vs Newcastle

Benfica vs Real Madrid

Bodo/Glimt vs Inter

Knockout play-off round: February 17-18, February 24-25

Sports

Super Eagles Defeat Egypt, Bags Bronze Medal As AFCON 2025 Grounds to a Halt

Published

2 weeks ago

January 19, 2026

Eric

The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 third-place playoff on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali proved the hero of the night with two crucial saves during the shootout, including one from Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.

Ademola Lookman then calmly converted the decisive penalty to secure the bronze medal —Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history.

The match itself was a tight, physical affair, high on running but low on clear chances.

Nigeria thought they had taken the lead just before halftime when Paul Onuachu turned in an effort from Akor Adams, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review.

With neither side able to break the deadlock in a cagey second half, the game ended 0-0, sending the contest directly to penalties.

Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria’s first kick, Nwabali’s immediate saved from Egypt’s first two attempts shifted the momentum.

Nigeria’s subsequent takers were flawless, allowing Lookman to seal the victory and preserve Nigeria’s perfect record in AFCON third-place matches.

Senegal on Sunday, defeated host Morocco by a lone goal after a pulsating, tension and crisis-ridden game, to emerge 2025 AFCON Champions.

Sports

CAF Acknowledges Akor Adams’ Goal Tribute to DR Congo Superfan

Published

3 weeks ago

January 11, 2026

Eric

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has publicly acknowledged Super Eagles striker Akor Adams following his goal celebration in Nigeria’s 2-0 quarter-final win over Algeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Adams scored Nigeria’s second goal against the Desert Foxes, making amends for earlier missed chances and helping the Super Eagles secure a place in the semifinals.

However, it was his celebration, rather than the finish itself, that drew widespread attention across the continent.

Tribute to DR Congo superfan

After finding the net, the Sevilla forward marked the moment with a gesture inspired by DR Congo superfan Mboladinga ‘Lumumba’.

The Congolese supporter has become a familiar figure at the tournament for standing throughout all DR Congo matches as a tribute to the legacy of former prime minister Patrice Lumumba.

Adams’ celebration mirrored Mboladinga’s stance, a move widely interpreted as a sign of respect and solidarity beyond national lines. The moment resonated with fans and officials alike, quickly gaining traction on social media.

CAF Reaction and fan response

CAF highlighted the gesture on its official X account, sharing an image of Adams’ celebration alongside a brief but pointed message. “Standing still. Akor.,” the continental body wrote.

The post prompted a wave of reactions from football fans across Africa. A user identified as @MrChirenga commented, “Love the fact that Africans are becoming more and more united fam … Love from Zimbabwe.”

Another fan, @abuagoody, praised Adams’ qualities, writing, “Such an impressive player. The last players that played like him for Nigeria are John Utaka, Brown Ideye and Uche.”

Others focused on Adams’ technical ability, with @MouxCaa adding, “Akor Adams is a type of player you see touching the ball and you automatically know it’s a professional footballer.”