he big question heading into the match is Cristiano Ronaldo's availability and his place in Postecoglou's plans. Cristiano Ronaldo is set for another major Saudi Pro League test as Al-Nassr travels to face Al-Ittihad in a heavyweight clash on Saturday. The defending champion has made a perfect start to the new campaign, while Al-Ittihad enters the meeting unbeaten, creating plenty of intrigue around who will be trusted from the opening whistle. The fixture brings together two of Saudi Arabia’s biggest clubs at the Alinma Stadium in Jeddah. With Al-Nassr sitting near the top after four wins and Al-Ittihad looking to disrupt that momentum, the latest team news could have a major impact on the contest. Al-Nassr has won all four of its Saudi Pro League matches this season, scoring 12 goals and conceding only three. Ange Postecoglou’s side opened with a 3-0 victory over Al-Fateh, followed it with a 4-0 win against Al-Riyadh, and then showed its resilience by coming from two goals behind to defeat Al-Ettifaq 3-2. On the other hand, Al-Ittihad has collected eight points from its opening four games, remaining unbeaten despite dropping points in two matches. The team began with a draw against Al-Kholood, defeated Al-Qadsiah and Al-Hazem, then drew with Al-Fateh. DateCompetitionMatchResultAug 28, 2026Saudi Pro LeagueAl-Nassr vs. Al-Taawoun2 – 1 WinAug 25, 2026Saudi Pro LeagueAl-Ettifaq vs. Al-Nassr3 – 2 WinAug 21, 2026Saudi Pro LeagueAl-Riyadh vs. Al-Nassr4 – 0 WinAug 15, 2026Saudi Pro LeagueAl-Nassr vs. Al-Fateh3 – 0 Win Jens Wissing’s side has been more impressive defensively than in front of goal. Al-Ittihad has scored only five times, despite creating 16 big chances, and has missed 13 of those opportunities. DateCompetitionMatchResultAug 29, 2026Saudi Pro LeagueAl-Fateh vs. Al-Ittihad0 – 0 DrawAug 24, 2026Saudi Pro LeagueAl-Ittihad vs. Al-Hazem3 – 2 WinAug 21, 2026Saudi Pro LeagueAl-Qadsiah vs. Al-Ittihad1 – 0 WinAug 15, 2026Saudi Pro LeagueAl-Ittihad vs. Al-Kholood1 – 1 Draw Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing today? The big question heading into the match is Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability and his place in Postecoglou’s plans. Ronaldo has been confirmed to start for Al-Nassr, with the Portuguese superstar leading the attack alongside Joao Felix. Ronaldo has already scored twice in the team’s first four league matches. His first goal came as a substitute against Al-Riyadh on August 21, while his second was particularly significant, with his 978th career goal proving decisive in the 2-1 victory over Al-Taawoun on August 28. His record against Al-Ittihad also makes him a player the hosts will have to watch closely. The 41-year-old superstar has scored six goals in his last six appearances against Al-Ittihad, including four in his last three away appearances in the fixture. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr. Al-Ittihad vs Al-Nassr: Confirmed lineups Al-Ittihad confirmed XI (4-4-2): Rajkovic; Danilo, Kadesh, Faris, Al-Julaydan; Lopy, Mukhtar, Aouar, Ahmed; Bergwijn, Ilenikhena. Al-Nassr confirmed XI (4-3-3): Al-Aqidi; Alnajdi, Al-Amri, Simakan, Boushal; Costa, Angelo, Felix; Coman; Mane, Ronaldo.
Currently with a streak of four consecutive wins, Nashville SC are in contention to surpass Lionel Messi's Inter Miami record as the team with the most points in an MLS regular season. Nashville SC have put on a dominant display over recent weeks, cementing their position atop the 2026 MLS standings with just under half of the regular-season slate remaining. Currently riding a four-match winning streak, the Boys in Gold remain in prime position to shatter the all-time MLS regular-season points record set by Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami. On Saturday, Nashville delivered a statement 4-0 victory over FC Cincinnati at Geodis Park to extend their lead at the top of the league table. Sam Surridge opened the scoring in the 43rd minute before Hany Mukhtar (53′), Bryan Acosta (89′), and Ahmed Qasem (96′) added second-half strikes to secure all three points, lifting the club to 52 points through 22 matches. The Vancouver Whitecaps currently serve as Nashville’s closest pursuers with 43 points through 21 matches, meaning the side led by Thomas Muller hold a game in hand to narrow the gap. One point behind Vancouver sit Messi’s Inter Miami, who recently weathered a severe slump during a five-match winless slide that ended over the weekend with a 7-1 rout of CF Montreal. Nashville’s chances to make history remain alive Positioned firmly at the top of the 2026 MLS standings, Nashville SC still have 12 regular-season matches remaining, leaving 36 maximum points on the table. While running the table represents an optimistic scenario, their current form and four-match winning streak in league play make a historic finish increasingly plausible. Lionel Messi #10 and Inter Miami lift the 2024 Supporters’ Shield. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) Inter Miami set the high-water mark for the most points in a single MLS regular season during their 2024 Supporters’ Shield campaign, accumulating 74 points. In Messi’s first full season in North America, he guided the Herons to the title with an extraordinary 22-4-8 record. To match that mark, Nashville would need to secure 22 points out of the final 36 available, while 23 points would give them sole possession of the all-time single-season scoring record. While mathematically both Vancouver and Inter Miami could still challenge for the Supporters’ Shield, they would need near-flawless runs through Matchday 34 to overtake the pace-setters. Nashville could also set a defensive record Beyond their push for the 2026 Supporters’ Shield, Nashville boast the stingiest defense in Major League Soccer, conceding just 17 goals. By comparison, the second-place Whitecaps have allowed 18 goals, while third-place Inter Miami have surrendered a concerning 41 goals. Goalkeeper Brian Schwake has played a central role in that defensive rigidity, earning a spot on the MLS Team of the Matchday 23 as the club pursues historical benchmarks. The current record for the fewest goals conceded in a full MLS regular season belongs to Real Salt Lake, who allowed just 20 goals during the 2010 campaign. While that record was set during a 30-match schedule, conceding three or fewer goals over their final 12 fixtures would solidify Nashville as one of the most elite defensive units in modern MLS history.
Lionel Messi's international career included a perfect record at River Plate's Monumental, never once losing with Argentina at the historic venue. Lionel Messi closes his international career with a perfect record at one particular venue, having never lost a match with Argentina at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental. The stat resurfaced this week as clubs and fans across Argentine football paid tribute to Messi following his retirement announcement from the national team, with River among those honoring his legacy. Across 28 appearances at the Monumental, spanning two decades of World Cup qualifiers and friendlies, Messi finished with 22 wins and six draws, never once suffering a defeat on that ground. He also found the net 19 times in that stretch, further cementing the Monumental as one of the most fruitful stages of his international career. The gesture reflected the broader wave of tributes that followed Messi’s retirement letter, in which he described the decision as one that “hurt and still hurts the soul,” while thanking teammates, coaches and fans for two decades of shared history with the Albiceleste. 🏟️ Una historia 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮 en el Monumental: 28 partidos, 19 goles, 22 victorias y 6 empates.Gracias por tu magia en casa, Leo 🇦🇷🐐 pic.twitter.com/kjRbmBk4kI— River Plate (@RiverPlate) August 31, 2026 Every Messi match with Argentina at the Monumental DateResultCompetitionOct 9, 2005Argentina 2-0 PeruWorld Cup QualifiersOct 13, 2007Argentina 2-0 ChileWorld Cup QualifiersNov 17, 2007Argentina 3-0 BoliviaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 15, 2008Argentina 1-1 EcuadorWorld Cup QualifiersSep 4, 2008Argentina 1-1 ParaguayWorld Cup QualifiersOct 11, 2008Argentina 2-1 UruguayWorld Cup QualifiersMar 28, 2009Argentina 4-0 VenezuelaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 6, 2009Argentina 1-0 ColombiaWorld Cup QualifiersOct 10, 2009Argentina 2-1 PeruWorld Cup QualifiersSep 7, 2010Argentina 4-1 SpainFriendlyJun 20, 2011Argentina 4-0 AlbaniaFriendlyOct 7, 2011Argentina 4-1 ChileWorld Cup QualifiersNov 11, 2011Argentina 1-1 BoliviaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 2, 2012Argentina 4-0 EcuadorWorld Cup QualifiersMar 22, 2013Argentina 3-0 VenezuelaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 7, 2013Argentina 0-0 ColombiaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 4, 2014Argentina 3-0 Trinidad and TobagoFriendlyMar 24, 2017Argentina 1-0 ChileWorld Cup QualifiersSep 6, 2017Argentina 1-1 VenezuelaWorld Cup QualifiersSep 9, 2021Argentina 3-0 BoliviaWorld Cup QualifiersOct 10, 2021Argentina 3-0 UruguayWorld Cup QualifiersMar 23, 2023Argentina 2-0 PanamaFriendlySep 7, 2023Argentina 1-0 EcuadorWorld Cup QualifiersOct 12, 2023Argentina 1-0 ParaguayWorld Cup QualifiersOct 10, 2024Argentina 1-1 VenezuelaWorld Cup QualifiersOct 15, 2024Argentina 6-0 BoliviaWorld Cup QualifiersJun 10, 2025Argentina 1-1 ColombiaWorld Cup QualifiersSep 4, 2025Argentina 3-0 VenezuelaWorld Cup Qualifiers Messi’s trophy haul with Argentina Messi’s international career with Argentina was defined not just by numbers, but by six major titles across youth and senior level. He won the U-20 World Cup in 2005 and Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Games with Argentina’s youth sides, laying the foundation for what was to come with the senior national team. As an adult, he added four more to that tally: the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the 2024 Copa America. Those six trophies, combined with his unbeaten record at the Monumental, round out a legacy that stands as the most decorated in Argentine football history.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY CRAIG HOPE: 'Disgraced and hairy, that's all your lot ever call me,' says Richard Keys. Instinctively, I look to his hands. Where's the hair gone?
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