Al Shabab defeated Oman Club 0-2 in Professional League. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 14 stage in the 2011 season. The full-time result capped a Oman Club vs Al Shabab meeting in Professional League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Oman Club and Al Shabab. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Professional League
Oman ClubRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Al Shabab defeated Oman Club 0-2 in Professional League. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 14 stage in the 2011 season. The full-time result capped a Oman Club vs Al Shabab meeting in Professional League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Oman Club and Al Shabab. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Professional LeagueIt has almost felt inevitable that this summer's headlines would centre on Iliman Ndiaye. There have been claims for some time that clubs from around the globe were monitoring the winger but, with three years left on his current deal, has he really played his last game for Everton? For at least the past season, it has been known the Senegal international was someone of interest to not just fellow Premier League sides, but also clubs in Europe - but David Moyes remained adamant Ndiaye would not be sold.
If Everton were to sell star forward Iliman Ndiaye to Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, they would likely receive a significant financial windfall. The Senegal international may have chipped in with a modest six goals — two of which were penalties — and three assists in the Premier League last season. For Everton last season, he attempted 136 dribbles and completed 73, 77 and 46 more than any other player in the squad, respectively.
Colorado Rapids defender Lucas Herrington is a reported target for Liverpool, Manchester United and Barcelona after his World Cup displays. The post Colorado not entertaining interest in Liverpool, Man Utd and Barcelona target Herrington appeared first on SoccerNews.
Roma has made its choice in attack: Crysencio Summerville. The Giallorossi have identified the Dutch winger as the right player to raise the level of their attack. The Roman club has reached an agreem...
Liverpool are continuing their search for a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah and Bournemouth winger Rayan has emerged as a player of interest, according to Teamtalk. The Reds have made enquiries about the Brazilian youngster, who is understood to be a player discussed in detail with new head coach Andoni Iraola. As Liverpool plan for […] The post Liverpool enquire about Rayan appeared first on SoccerNews.
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Geopolitics World Cup Week is upon us, baby. We stand on the edge of greatness. Who will dream, who will dare to stay up on Friday night for the 3am (BST) kick-off of South Korea v Czechia, and live to tell the tale? Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone. Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone. Silence the pianos and, with muffled drum, bring out the television, let the morning come.Podcast-wise, I only listen to Football Weekly of course (ahem …) but I did happen to hear an interview with Jürgen Klinsmann. What’s fascinating about him is that whenever he’s interviewed he always trots out a story about Diego Maradona at Napoli doing a famous warm-up with ‘Live is Life’ playing in the background with him and his teammates warming up in the corner of the pitch and looking at him in awe. The problem is, that happened in a game in 1989 between Bayern Munich and Napoli in the semi-final of the old Big Vase but Klinsmann was at Stuttgart at the time. Stuttgart did play Napoli in the final, but Maradona didn’t do that warmup then, so he must have seen footage of the warmup so many times that he’s conflated the two. Memory is a funny old thing” – Noble Francis.Re: Graham Potter’s claim to be the best non-Swede to take the country to the World Cup (Friday’s Quote of the Day). Either he is unaware of the remarkable achievement of the English manager George Rayner who took them to the 1958 final (where they lost to Pelé’s Brazil) or he expects to win the whole damn thing! I’m weighing up whether to put this month’s housekeeping on them at 150-1” – Bob WilcoxImagine my shock when I read Friday’s Football Daily only to find that Neale Redington – whom I’m sure meant nothing by it – suggested that my questioning whether Andoni Iraola really wanted the potentially thankless job of Liverpool gaffer/convenient target meant that I might be a fan of Tottenham. But in the interest of full disclosure: no. I don’t really have a horse in the Premier League race, other than enjoying recent seasons of Manchester City for the sake of watching Erling Haaland turn world-class defenders into so many kanelsnurr. The team of my heart is the San Jose Earthquakes, but while I pull for a club that hasn’t won anything in quite some time, I still do not have the level of masochism necessary to be a Spurs supporter. Sorry. Wishing Iraola luck (he’s likely to need it)” –Ray Anselmo.May I ask who this Ricardo Lopes is who plays for Cape Verde and ‘Shamrock’? It couldn’t possibly be Roberto “Pico” Lopes of Shamrock Rovers, could it?” – Neill McGowan (and 1,056 others). Continue reading...
Now the curtain has come down on the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, here is my end-of-season review - with a look back to what I predicted in August. Everton were in position to reach Europe with a few weeks of the season to go, but a late collapse left supporters very frustrated with manager David Moyes and his players. Jack Grealish played his part before a season-ending foot injury, but the workload heaped on Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall eventually took its toll.
The Cooligans break down the leaked USMNT World Cup roster and debate the biggest snubs, surprises, and Mauricio Pochettino’s toughest decisions, including whether players like Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, Gio Reyna, and Alejandro Zendejas deserved a place. Then, Mexican legend Javier “Chicharito” Hernández joins the show for an honest conversation about the state of Mexican soccer, fan culture, the pressures of representing El Tri, his striker mentality, and why Hugo Sánchez deserves more respect among football’s all-time greats. Plus, the guys recap one of the wildest Premier League decision days in years, from West Ham’s relegation and Tottenham narrowly surviving to Sunderland’s European qualification and Pep Guardiola’s emotional farewell.
Amid a disappointing season, Tottenham face Everton seeking either a win or a draw to remain in the Premier League. Nevertheless, the absence of Cristian Romero remains crucial in the defensive line, potentially proving decisive. Despite being the recent UEFA Europa League champions, Tottenham Hotspur are enduring a disappointing season, fighting to avoid relegation to the EFL Championship. To achieve this, they face Everton today, looking to avoid defeat in order to remain in the Premier League. However, head coach Roberto De Zerbi faces a major challenge, as he will be without Cristian Romero in defense, a highly significant absence. After suffering a serious knee injury against Sunderland, Cristian Romero has remained sidelined since April 12, 2026, missing the remainder of the season. While he is expected to return just in time for the 2026 World Cup with Argentina, he will miss Tottenham Hotspur’s decisive match for Premier League survival. In addition, the 28-year-old defender’s future appears to be in serious doubt, with numerous transfer rumors. In recent days, Romero’s commitment to the Spurs has been heavily questioned, as he was spotted training at the facilities of Club Atlético Belgrano in Argentina. As captain of the English side, fans expected him to be with the team, leading to widespread criticism. However, head coach Roberto de Zerbi revealed that the team and the player decided to have him undergo rehabilitation under the supervision of Argentina and their medical staff. Even though he had permission from Tottenham Hotspur to continue his recovery process in Argentina, Cristian Romero decided to return to London, even being seen at a barber shop through social media posts. Following this, Ben Jacobs, well-known journalist within Premier League, reported that the 28-year-old defender will be present in the stands to support his team, demonstrating his commitment to the dressing room. Tottenham captain Cristian Romero. Tottenham Hotspur lineup vs Everton Tottenham Hotspur enter as clear favorites to defeat Everton, as they are fighting for their survival in the Premier League. In the absence of Cristian Romero, head coach Roberto De Zerbi will once again rely on Kevin Danso and Micky van de Ven, who have impressed in recent matches. In addition, Richarlison and Mathys Tel will expected to lead the attack, looking to make the difference against David Moyes’ team. With this in mind, Spurs will lineup as follows: Antonín Kinský; Djed Spence, Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Rodrigo Bentancur, João Palhinha; Pedro Porro, Conor Gallagher, Mathys Tel; Richarlison. Everton lineup vs Tottenham Hotspur Unlike Tottenham, Everton no longer have anything at stake in the Premier League, as they are neither at risk of relegation nor able to qualify for European competitions. However, head coach David Moyes will still field his strongest roster, as they have not enjoyed a particularly impressive season and would look to finish with a solid victory. To achieve this, the goalscoring presence of Thierno Barry and the contribution of Iliman Ndiaye could prove completely decisive. Considering this, Everton will play as follows: Jordan Pickford; Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, Vitali Mykolenko; James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam; Merlin Röhl, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Iliman Ndiaye; Thierno Barry.
Behind the scenes, however, the aftermath of that celebration would soon take a far more serious turn for Al-Bulayhi, even as Ronaldo’s side walked away with another crucial victory. Cristiano Ronaldo once again found himself at the center of Saudi Pro League drama after a decisive performance against Al-Shabab, while Ali Al-Bulayhi became the subject of intense scrutiny following a provocative goal celebration involving Al-Hilal. The match carried extra tension because of Al-Nassr’s ongoing title fight with its direct rival club. Behind the scenes, however, the aftermath of that celebration would soon take a far more serious turn for Al-Bulayhi, even as Ronaldo’s side walked away with another crucial victory. The Portuguese superstar played a key role in Al-Nassr’s 4-2 victory over Al-Shabab, scoring a second-half goal that restored control during a tense period of the match. The win helped the club extend its lead over Al-Hilal at the top of the Saudi league table. Joao Felix stole headlines with a hat-trick, but Ronaldo’s contribution carried major weight in the title race. His finish came at a stage when Al-Shabab had begun to threaten a comeback, making the goal even more significant in context. The match took a dramatic turn when Ali Al-Bulayhi, playing against Al-Nassr while on loan at Al-Shabab, scored to bring the scoreline to 3-2. What followed quickly became one of the most talked-about incidents of the season. After finding the net, loanee Al-Bulayhi pulled out a shin guard displaying the crest of Al-Hilal and kissed it in front of the cameras. The gesture was widely interpreted as a bold reference to his parent club, which is also locked in a fierce title race with Al-Nassr. 🔥🚨COINCIDENCIA QUE #ALBULAYHI HALLA CELEBRADO CON LA ESPINILLERA DEL ALHILAL?Una corrupción en la Liga Saudí!🤯Al-Bulayhi era jugador del #Alhilal🤯Unos días antes el Ministerio de Deportes pagó las deudas pendientes que el club @AlShababSaudiFC tenía acumuladas!#CR7𓃵7 pic.twitter.com/KtxUK63OUy— ©𝑫𝑪𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𓃵🇩🇴 (@DCuesto) May 8, 2026 The celebration divided opinion immediately. Some saw it as harmless loyalty to his parent club, while others viewed it as disrespectful toward Al-Shabab, the club he was representing at the time. Al-Shabab makes strong internal decision The situation escalated quickly after the match, with reports confirming a severe reaction from within Al-Shabab. Apparently, Ali Al-Bulayhi has now been removed from the squad following the controversy surrounding his celebration, as revealed by Shabab1World on X (formerly Twitter). The club views the incident as disrespectful toward the institution. The removal effectively sidelines the defender from the upcoming three fixtures, against Neom, Al-Ittihad, and the Saudi Pro League final matchday, against Al-Najma. What initially looked like a bold act of defiance toward Ronaldo and Al-Nassr suddenly became a moment that could seriously damage the defender’s standing at his current club. The reports created even more tension because Al-Bulayhi’s goal had briefly threatened to reopen the title race. Had Al-Shabab found an equalizer, Al-Hilal would have gained a massive psychological advantage heading into the upcoming derby against Al-Nassr. Instead, the Knight of Najd survived the scare and sealed the victory deep into stoppage time when Joao Felix converted a penalty to complete his hat-trick. Ali Al-Bulayhi of team AL Shabab FC What did Al-Bulayhi say? Former Saudi international Fahad Al Harifi also criticised the gesture, insisting that “professionalism and respect should always come first, regardless of loan situations or previous club affiliations.” As criticism intensified, the 36-year-old released a public apology addressing both the club and its supporters. He insisted that the celebration was spontaneous and not intended to offend anyone. “I present my apology to the historic Al-Shabab club and its loyal supporters… my expression of joy was spontaneous, without any intention of
Cristiano Ronaldo reached on Thursday 100 goals in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr, prompting comparisons with Lionel Messi and his current record in the MLS. Cristiano Ronaldo’s prolific scoring form has shown no signs of slowing since his arrival at Al Nassr, as the legendary forward just hit the century mark in Saudi Pro League play. As Ronaldo joins an elite circle of goalscorers to reach the 100-goal milestone in the kingdom, the feat naturally reignites the debate with his longtime rival, Lionel Messi, and where the Argentine stands in his own quest for 100 MLS goals. With the 2025-26 SPL season winding down, Al Nassr traveled to Al Shabab for a high-stakes clash essential to maintaining their lead over a surging Al Hilal. With the match deadlocked in a tense 2-1 battle, Ronaldo provided the knockout blow in the 75th minute, clinicaly slotting home a left-footed strike to give the visitors a crucial two-goal cushion. The strike didn’t just cement Al Nassr’s status at the top of the table; it marked Ronaldo’s 100th goal in the Saudi Pro League. Since his debut on January 22, 2023, against Al Ettifaq, the Portuguese icon has reached the century mark in less than four seasons, needing just 105 appearances to do so—an absurd scoring rate that averages nearly a goal per game. The statistical breakdown of Ronaldo’s march to 100 SPL goals is a masterclass in consistency: 2022-23 season: 14 goals in 16 games.2023-24 season: 35 goals in 31 games and Golden Boot winner.2024-25 season: 25 goals in 30 games and Golden Boot winner.2025-26 season: 25 goals in 25 games (current campaign). Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr celebrates scoring against Al Shabab. According to Transfermarkt, Ronaldo now sits 6th on the all-time Saudi Pro League scoring list, trailing legends like Omar Al-Somah and Nasser Al-Shamrani. Remarkably, if Al Hilal managed to snatch the title away from Al Nassr this season, Ronaldo could become the only player in league history to score 100 goals without ever lifting the domestic trophy. Tracking Messi’s record in MLS Ronaldo and Messi both exited the European stage within a seven-month window, Ronaldo to Al Nassr in December 2022 and Messi to Inter Miami in July 2023. However, the Argentine maestro has logged significantly fewer minutes stateside, missing a total of 29 MLS matches due to a combination of nagging injuries, international duty, and load management. To date, Lionel Messi has notched 58 goals in 63 MLS appearances for the Herons, leaving him 42 goals shy of the century mark in league play. In his most recent outing against rivals Orlando City, Messi celebrated his 100th official appearance for the Miami franchise across all competitions, bringing his total club tally to 86 goals. When could Messi join the 100-goal club? While Ronaldo hit his milestone with just two fixtures remaining in the Saudi campaign, Messi’s path is complicated by the upcoming 2026 World Cup. However, if the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner maintains his current torrid pace, the “century” remains well within his sights. With 58 goals in 63 league games, Messi is averaging 0.92 goals per contest. At that clip, he would likely need roughly 46 more matches to find the 42 goals required. With 23 regular-season games remaining for Inter Miami in 2026, Messi is on a trajectory to potentially hit the 100-goal milestone sometime during the 2027 MLS season.
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It has almost felt inevitable that this summer's headlines would centre on Iliman Ndiaye. There have been claims for some time that clubs from around the globe were monitoring the winger but, with three years left on his current deal, has he really played his last game for Everton? For at least the past season, it has been known the Senegal international was someone of interest to not just fellow Premier League sides, but also clubs in Europe - but David Moyes remained adamant Ndiaye would not be sold.
If Everton were to sell star forward Iliman Ndiaye to Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, they would likely receive a significant financial windfall. The Senegal international may have chipped in with a modest six goals — two of which were penalties — and three assists in the Premier League last season. For Everton last season, he attempted 136 dribbles and completed 73, 77 and 46 more than any other player in the squad, respectively.
Colorado Rapids defender Lucas Herrington is a reported target for Liverpool, Manchester United and Barcelona after his World Cup displays. The post Colorado not entertaining interest in Liverpool, Man Utd and Barcelona target Herrington appeared first on SoccerNews.
Roma has made its choice in attack: Crysencio Summerville. The Giallorossi have identified the Dutch winger as the right player to raise the level of their attack. The Roman club has reached an agreem...
Liverpool are continuing their search for a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah and Bournemouth winger Rayan has emerged as a player of interest, according to Teamtalk. The Reds have made enquiries about the Brazilian youngster, who is understood to be a player discussed in detail with new head coach Andoni Iraola. As Liverpool plan for […] The post Liverpool enquire about Rayan appeared first on SoccerNews.
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Geopolitics World Cup Week is upon us, baby. We stand on the edge of greatness. Who will dream, who will dare to stay up on Friday night for the 3am (BST) kick-off of South Korea v Czechia, and live to tell the tale? Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone. Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone. Silence the pianos and, with muffled drum, bring out the television, let the morning come.Podcast-wise, I only listen to Football Weekly of course (ahem …) but I did happen to hear an interview with Jürgen Klinsmann. What’s fascinating about him is that whenever he’s interviewed he always trots out a story about Diego Maradona at Napoli doing a famous warm-up with ‘Live is Life’ playing in the background with him and his teammates warming up in the corner of the pitch and looking at him in awe. The problem is, that happened in a game in 1989 between Bayern Munich and Napoli in the semi-final of the old Big Vase but Klinsmann was at Stuttgart at the time. Stuttgart did play Napoli in the final, but Maradona didn’t do that warmup then, so he must have seen footage of the warmup so many times that he’s conflated the two. Memory is a funny old thing” – Noble Francis.Re: Graham Potter’s claim to be the best non-Swede to take the country to the World Cup (Friday’s Quote of the Day). Either he is unaware of the remarkable achievement of the English manager George Rayner who took them to the 1958 final (where they lost to Pelé’s Brazil) or he expects to win the whole damn thing! I’m weighing up whether to put this month’s housekeeping on them at 150-1” – Bob WilcoxImagine my shock when I read Friday’s Football Daily only to find that Neale Redington – whom I’m sure meant nothing by it – suggested that my questioning whether Andoni Iraola really wanted the potentially thankless job of Liverpool gaffer/convenient target meant that I might be a fan of Tottenham. But in the interest of full disclosure: no. I don’t really have a horse in the Premier League race, other than enjoying recent seasons of Manchester City for the sake of watching Erling Haaland turn world-class defenders into so many kanelsnurr. The team of my heart is the San Jose Earthquakes, but while I pull for a club that hasn’t won anything in quite some time, I still do not have the level of masochism necessary to be a Spurs supporter. Sorry. Wishing Iraola luck (he’s likely to need it)” –Ray Anselmo.May I ask who this Ricardo Lopes is who plays for Cape Verde and ‘Shamrock’? It couldn’t possibly be Roberto “Pico” Lopes of Shamrock Rovers, could it?” – Neill McGowan (and 1,056 others). Continue reading...
Now the curtain has come down on the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, here is my end-of-season review - with a look back to what I predicted in August. Everton were in position to reach Europe with a few weeks of the season to go, but a late collapse left supporters very frustrated with manager David Moyes and his players. Jack Grealish played his part before a season-ending foot injury, but the workload heaped on Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall eventually took its toll.
The Cooligans break down the leaked USMNT World Cup roster and debate the biggest snubs, surprises, and Mauricio Pochettino’s toughest decisions, including whether players like Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, Gio Reyna, and Alejandro Zendejas deserved a place. Then, Mexican legend Javier “Chicharito” Hernández joins the show for an honest conversation about the state of Mexican soccer, fan culture, the pressures of representing El Tri, his striker mentality, and why Hugo Sánchez deserves more respect among football’s all-time greats. Plus, the guys recap one of the wildest Premier League decision days in years, from West Ham’s relegation and Tottenham narrowly surviving to Sunderland’s European qualification and Pep Guardiola’s emotional farewell.
Amid a disappointing season, Tottenham face Everton seeking either a win or a draw to remain in the Premier League. Nevertheless, the absence of Cristian Romero remains crucial in the defensive line, potentially proving decisive. Despite being the recent UEFA Europa League champions, Tottenham Hotspur are enduring a disappointing season, fighting to avoid relegation to the EFL Championship. To achieve this, they face Everton today, looking to avoid defeat in order to remain in the Premier League. However, head coach Roberto De Zerbi faces a major challenge, as he will be without Cristian Romero in defense, a highly significant absence. After suffering a serious knee injury against Sunderland, Cristian Romero has remained sidelined since April 12, 2026, missing the remainder of the season. While he is expected to return just in time for the 2026 World Cup with Argentina, he will miss Tottenham Hotspur’s decisive match for Premier League survival. In addition, the 28-year-old defender’s future appears to be in serious doubt, with numerous transfer rumors. In recent days, Romero’s commitment to the Spurs has been heavily questioned, as he was spotted training at the facilities of Club Atlético Belgrano in Argentina. As captain of the English side, fans expected him to be with the team, leading to widespread criticism. However, head coach Roberto de Zerbi revealed that the team and the player decided to have him undergo rehabilitation under the supervision of Argentina and their medical staff. Even though he had permission from Tottenham Hotspur to continue his recovery process in Argentina, Cristian Romero decided to return to London, even being seen at a barber shop through social media posts. Following this, Ben Jacobs, well-known journalist within Premier League, reported that the 28-year-old defender will be present in the stands to support his team, demonstrating his commitment to the dressing room. Tottenham captain Cristian Romero. Tottenham Hotspur lineup vs Everton Tottenham Hotspur enter as clear favorites to defeat Everton, as they are fighting for their survival in the Premier League. In the absence of Cristian Romero, head coach Roberto De Zerbi will once again rely on Kevin Danso and Micky van de Ven, who have impressed in recent matches. In addition, Richarlison and Mathys Tel will expected to lead the attack, looking to make the difference against David Moyes’ team. With this in mind, Spurs will lineup as follows: Antonín Kinský; Djed Spence, Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Rodrigo Bentancur, João Palhinha; Pedro Porro, Conor Gallagher, Mathys Tel; Richarlison. Everton lineup vs Tottenham Hotspur Unlike Tottenham, Everton no longer have anything at stake in the Premier League, as they are neither at risk of relegation nor able to qualify for European competitions. However, head coach David Moyes will still field his strongest roster, as they have not enjoyed a particularly impressive season and would look to finish with a solid victory. To achieve this, the goalscoring presence of Thierno Barry and the contribution of Iliman Ndiaye could prove completely decisive. Considering this, Everton will play as follows: Jordan Pickford; Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, Vitali Mykolenko; James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam; Merlin Röhl, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Iliman Ndiaye; Thierno Barry.
Behind the scenes, however, the aftermath of that celebration would soon take a far more serious turn for Al-Bulayhi, even as Ronaldo’s side walked away with another crucial victory. Cristiano Ronaldo once again found himself at the center of Saudi Pro League drama after a decisive performance against Al-Shabab, while Ali Al-Bulayhi became the subject of intense scrutiny following a provocative goal celebration involving Al-Hilal. The match carried extra tension because of Al-Nassr’s ongoing title fight with its direct rival club. Behind the scenes, however, the aftermath of that celebration would soon take a far more serious turn for Al-Bulayhi, even as Ronaldo’s side walked away with another crucial victory. The Portuguese superstar played a key role in Al-Nassr’s 4-2 victory over Al-Shabab, scoring a second-half goal that restored control during a tense period of the match. The win helped the club extend its lead over Al-Hilal at the top of the Saudi league table. Joao Felix stole headlines with a hat-trick, but Ronaldo’s contribution carried major weight in the title race. His finish came at a stage when Al-Shabab had begun to threaten a comeback, making the goal even more significant in context. The match took a dramatic turn when Ali Al-Bulayhi, playing against Al-Nassr while on loan at Al-Shabab, scored to bring the scoreline to 3-2. What followed quickly became one of the most talked-about incidents of the season. After finding the net, loanee Al-Bulayhi pulled out a shin guard displaying the crest of Al-Hilal and kissed it in front of the cameras. The gesture was widely interpreted as a bold reference to his parent club, which is also locked in a fierce title race with Al-Nassr. 🔥🚨COINCIDENCIA QUE #ALBULAYHI HALLA CELEBRADO CON LA ESPINILLERA DEL ALHILAL?Una corrupción en la Liga Saudí!🤯Al-Bulayhi era jugador del #Alhilal🤯Unos días antes el Ministerio de Deportes pagó las deudas pendientes que el club @AlShababSaudiFC tenía acumuladas!#CR7𓃵7 pic.twitter.com/KtxUK63OUy— ©𝑫𝑪𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𓃵🇩🇴 (@DCuesto) May 8, 2026 The celebration divided opinion immediately. Some saw it as harmless loyalty to his parent club, while others viewed it as disrespectful toward Al-Shabab, the club he was representing at the time. Al-Shabab makes strong internal decision The situation escalated quickly after the match, with reports confirming a severe reaction from within Al-Shabab. Apparently, Ali Al-Bulayhi has now been removed from the squad following the controversy surrounding his celebration, as revealed by Shabab1World on X (formerly Twitter). The club views the incident as disrespectful toward the institution. The removal effectively sidelines the defender from the upcoming three fixtures, against Neom, Al-Ittihad, and the Saudi Pro League final matchday, against Al-Najma. What initially looked like a bold act of defiance toward Ronaldo and Al-Nassr suddenly became a moment that could seriously damage the defender’s standing at his current club. The reports created even more tension because Al-Bulayhi’s goal had briefly threatened to reopen the title race. Had Al-Shabab found an equalizer, Al-Hilal would have gained a massive psychological advantage heading into the upcoming derby against Al-Nassr. Instead, the Knight of Najd survived the scare and sealed the victory deep into stoppage time when Joao Felix converted a penalty to complete his hat-trick. Ali Al-Bulayhi of team AL Shabab FC What did Al-Bulayhi say? Former Saudi international Fahad Al Harifi also criticised the gesture, insisting that “professionalism and respect should always come first, regardless of loan situations or previous club affiliations.” As criticism intensified, the 36-year-old released a public apology addressing both the club and its supporters. He insisted that the celebration was spontaneous and not intended to offend anyone. “I present my apology to the historic Al-Shabab club and its loyal supporters… my expression of joy was spontaneous, without any intention of
Cristiano Ronaldo reached on Thursday 100 goals in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr, prompting comparisons with Lionel Messi and his current record in the MLS. Cristiano Ronaldo’s prolific scoring form has shown no signs of slowing since his arrival at Al Nassr, as the legendary forward just hit the century mark in Saudi Pro League play. As Ronaldo joins an elite circle of goalscorers to reach the 100-goal milestone in the kingdom, the feat naturally reignites the debate with his longtime rival, Lionel Messi, and where the Argentine stands in his own quest for 100 MLS goals. With the 2025-26 SPL season winding down, Al Nassr traveled to Al Shabab for a high-stakes clash essential to maintaining their lead over a surging Al Hilal. With the match deadlocked in a tense 2-1 battle, Ronaldo provided the knockout blow in the 75th minute, clinicaly slotting home a left-footed strike to give the visitors a crucial two-goal cushion. The strike didn’t just cement Al Nassr’s status at the top of the table; it marked Ronaldo’s 100th goal in the Saudi Pro League. Since his debut on January 22, 2023, against Al Ettifaq, the Portuguese icon has reached the century mark in less than four seasons, needing just 105 appearances to do so—an absurd scoring rate that averages nearly a goal per game. The statistical breakdown of Ronaldo’s march to 100 SPL goals is a masterclass in consistency: 2022-23 season: 14 goals in 16 games.2023-24 season: 35 goals in 31 games and Golden Boot winner.2024-25 season: 25 goals in 30 games and Golden Boot winner.2025-26 season: 25 goals in 25 games (current campaign). Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr celebrates scoring against Al Shabab. According to Transfermarkt, Ronaldo now sits 6th on the all-time Saudi Pro League scoring list, trailing legends like Omar Al-Somah and Nasser Al-Shamrani. Remarkably, if Al Hilal managed to snatch the title away from Al Nassr this season, Ronaldo could become the only player in league history to score 100 goals without ever lifting the domestic trophy. Tracking Messi’s record in MLS Ronaldo and Messi both exited the European stage within a seven-month window, Ronaldo to Al Nassr in December 2022 and Messi to Inter Miami in July 2023. However, the Argentine maestro has logged significantly fewer minutes stateside, missing a total of 29 MLS matches due to a combination of nagging injuries, international duty, and load management. To date, Lionel Messi has notched 58 goals in 63 MLS appearances for the Herons, leaving him 42 goals shy of the century mark in league play. In his most recent outing against rivals Orlando City, Messi celebrated his 100th official appearance for the Miami franchise across all competitions, bringing his total club tally to 86 goals. When could Messi join the 100-goal club? While Ronaldo hit his milestone with just two fixtures remaining in the Saudi campaign, Messi’s path is complicated by the upcoming 2026 World Cup. However, if the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner maintains his current torrid pace, the “century” remains well within his sights. With 58 goals in 63 league games, Messi is averaging 0.92 goals per contest. At that clip, he would likely need roughly 46 more matches to find the 42 goals required. With 23 regular-season games remaining for Inter Miami in 2026, Messi is on a trajectory to potentially hit the 100-goal milestone sometime during the 2027 MLS season.
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