Saudi Arabia vs Oman

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Match headlines

Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly set to see Al Nassr vs Al Hilal derby in SPL moved from Al Awwal Park

worldsoccertalk.com · …

Cristiano Ronaldo could reportedly suffer a change of venue for the next game between Al Nassr and Al Hilal for the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League, moving the derby away from Al Awwal Park. Cristiano Ronaldo will once again see Al Hilal stand as his primary obstacle in pursuit of the Saudi Pro League title during the 2026-27 campaign. However, a sudden logistical shift is set to alter their upcoming showdown, as the Al Nassr captain reportedly faces a venue change that takes the marquee fixture away from Al Awwal Park. Al Nassr and Al Hilal currently sit atop the SPL table after winning all four of their opening fixtures, setting the stage for another head-to-head battle for the domestic crown. The first league derby between the two rivals was originally scheduled for Friday, December 11, with Al Nassr hosting at Al Awwal Park, but league organizers are preparing a major relocation. According to reporting from Saudi outlet Arriyadiyah, the Saudi Pro League is moving to relocate the capital derby between Al Nassr and Al Hilal to King Fahd Sports City Stadium. While the match remains in Riyadh, the venue change removes the contest from Al Nassr’s primary home ground. The initiative behind the move serves as an “operational test” for the facility ahead of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. With the continental tournament hosted across Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027, King Fahd Sports City Stadium is scheduled to host four matches, including the tournament final. A general view of the King Fahd International Stadium. (Michael Regan/Getty Images) King Fahd Stadium, a favorable venue for Al Hilal While the venue change has not yet been officially finalized by the league, the Saudi Pro League is expected to contact Al Nassr to coordinate logistics while maintaining the club’s administrative home-team privileges. However, King Fahd Sports City Stadium represents a favorable venue not for the nominal hosts, but for visiting rivals Al Hilal. Since Ronaldo arrived in Saudi Arabia, Al Nassr and Al Hilal have met twice at King Fahd Sports City Stadium, with Al Hilal serving as the home team on both occasions. Their first encounter on Matchday 25 of the 2022-23 SPL season resulted in a 2-0 victory for Al Hilal, followed by a commanding 3-0 win for Al Hilal on Matchday 15 of the 2023-24 campaign. Cristiano Ronaldo during the SPL match vs. Al Hilal at King Fahd International Stadium on December 1, 2023. (Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) Al Nassr could lose a key home advantage King Fahd Sports City Stadium is reopening in late 2026 following a venue expansion that increases capacity from 58,398 to 70,200 seats, leaving Al Nassr to negotiate ticketing terms to ensure maximum home supporter allocation. Nevertheless, departing Al Awwal Park strips the squad of a distinct home-field edge based on recent domestic form. During the 2025-26 SPL season, where Ronaldo secured his first major silverware in Saudi Arabia, Al Nassr finished as the top home team in the league. Across 17 home fixtures at Al Awwal Park, the Riyadh side compiled 15 wins, one draw, and just one defeat to gather 46 points, surpassing Al Ahli’s 45-point home mark and establishing Al Awwal Park as a fortress for Ronaldo and company.

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Manchester CIty: 'Do you want another season like at Milan?' — the tough conversation between Guardiola and Reijnders

sportsmole.co.uk · …

Tijjani Reijnders has revealed the tough conversation he had with Pep Guardiola during his struggles at Manchester City, before his move to Saudi Arabia.

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Enzo Fernandez surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo for transfer fees generated, but remains far from Neymar’s record

worldsoccertalk.com · …

With his move to Manchester City, ENzo Fernandez surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo in total career transfer fees generated, but still trails Neymar's record at the top. Enzo Fernandez completed a blockbuster transfer to Manchester City on transfer deadline day of the 2026 summer window, with Chelsea collecting a massive fee in the transaction. Factoring in his entire career history, the Argentine international has officially surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo in total career transfer fees generated, though he remains well behind the all-time standard established by Neymar. As reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic on Tuesday, August 1, Manchester City and Chelsea reached an agreement for the transfer of Enzo Fernandez for £125 million (€145 million / $169 million USD). The move elevates Fernandez into a tie for the fourth-most expensive individual transfer in soccer history alongside Alexander Isak following his move from Newcastle United to Liverpool. Despite Chelsea’s previous £120 million valuation window expiring earlier in the summer, head coach Enzo Maresca, who maintains a strong relationship with the midfielder, pushed aggressively to finalize the deal. Manchester City accelerated negotiations to lock down the signing, formally introducing him across their social channels on Tuesday night. Manchester City will become Fernandez’s fifth professional club, though only three of his moves required transfer payments. A product of the River Plate academy, Benfica acquired the midfielder for €44.25 million in July 2022 before Chelsea paid €121 million to bring him to England in January 2023. Manchester City’s latest outlay of €145 million pushes his cumulative transfer volume to €310.25 million ($360.6 million USD). Introducing our new Argentinian Blue 🇦🇷🩵 pic.twitter.com/nEHQ1oM855— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 1, 2026 Enzo Fernandez surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo’s mark Cristiano Ronaldo once held the title of the most expensive transfer in soccer history following his landmark 2009 move from Manchester United to Real Madrid. While Neymar eventually claimed that record, Fernandez’s latest move allows the 25-year-old playmaker to pass the Portuguese legend in career transfer volume. Rising through Sporting CP’s youth system, Manchester United signed Ronaldo for €19 million in 2003 before Real Madrid shattered the global transfer record by paying €94 million in 2009. Juventus made a blockbuster €117 million move to acquire him in 2018, and Manchester United paid €17 million to secure his return in 2021. Ronaldo’s subsequent move to Al Nassr in December 2022 occurred as a free agent following his contract termination with Manchester United, meaning no transfer fee was exchanged. Across five paid transfers, Ronaldo generated €247 million ($286.5 million USD) in fees, a mark now passed by Fernandez following his arrival at Etihad Stadium. Neymar remains firmly in the top spot Neymar‘s 2017 move from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain set the record for the highest transfer fee ever paid for a soccer player when the French club activated his €222 million ($257.5 million USD) buyout clause. That figure remains untouched at the top of the single-transfer leaderboard and is unlikely to be challenged in the immediate future. Combined with his other moves, the Brazilian icon stands comfortably clear atop the career transfer volume rankings. Neymar poses with PSG’s jersey next to president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. (Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images) After breaking through at Santos, Barcelona acquired Neymar for €88 million in 2013, followed by his €222 million move to PSG and a subsequent €90 million transfer to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Although his 2025 return to Santos was completed on a free transfer, Neymar has generated €400 million ($464 million USD) in cumulative transfer fees throughout his career. Second place on the all-time career list belongs to Romelu Lukaku, who has accumulated €375.92 million ($436.1 million USD) across 10 career t

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Nashville SC’s four straight wins put them on track to surpass Messi’s Inter Miami as best MLS regular-season team in history

worldsoccertalk.com · …

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.

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Ollie Watkins scores on Saudi debut after appearing to refuse to play for Aston Villa before securing £51m Al-Hilal move

dailymail.com · …

Ollie Watkins scored on his Al-Hilal debut in Saudi Arabia after agitating for a move away from Aston Villa. The England international headed home for his new side.

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Pakistan's wholesale changes 'most shocking ever', says Afridi

skysports.com · …

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has called the selectors' decision to make sweeping changes to the squad and remove head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed ahead of the third and final Test against England as the "most shocking ever".

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Barcelona out-of-favour midfielder leaning towards Bayer Leverkusen move

sports.yahoo.com · …

FC Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado has attracted interest from numerous clubs over the past few weeks. Clubs from Saudi Arabia and Turkey have been among those to show interest, although neither opti...

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Lionel Messi’s Argentina retirement leaves Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of goals against most different national teams out of reach

worldsoccertalk.com · …

With Lionel Messi announcing his retirement from Argentina national team, Cristiano Ronaldo's record of goals against most different national teams will be without contention. Lionel Messi‘s retirement from Argentina national team dropped a massive bombshell across global soccer, leaving fans stunned following his unexpected announcement. However, the timing also cements a historic benchmark for Cristiano Ronaldo, whose record for goals scored against the most unique national teams now stands permanently out of reach for his long-time rival. Both Messi and Ronaldo dominated the global stage for over two decades at both the club level and as iconic international captains for Argentina and Portugal, becoming the all-time leading scorers for their respective countries. The Argentine made his debut for the Albiceleste in 2005 before concluding his international career in 2026, while Ronaldo debuted in 2003 and remains active, torturing defenses across the international calendar. Heading into his final World Cup campaign having scored against 41 different national teams, Messi expanded his victim list with Argentina by adding a brace against Austria, a set-piece strike against Jordan, and goals against Cape Verde and Egypt. With an international break approaching in September and October, Messi had an opportunity to push his tally even higher, but his decision to step down closes his ledger permanently. In total, Lionel Messi scored 125 international goals for Argentina against 45 different national teams worldwide, with Bolivia serving as his most frequent target with 11 goals. Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates with Julian Alvarez #9 after scoring against Egypt. To put that accomplishment into context, FIFA currently recognizes 211 member associations worldwide, a figure exceeding total membership in the United Nations (193). Under that standard, Messi scored against nearly a quarter of FIFA’s total global membership, specifically finding the net against 21 percent of all affiliated nations. Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record outright With 233 caps for Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo stands as the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international football history with 146 goals for Selecao. Competing continuously across European Qualifiers, UEFA European Championships, Nations League fixtures, and World Cups allowed the Portuguese forward to accumulate an even wider array of national opponents. In total, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored against 49 different national teams, holding a four-nation lead over Lionel Messi. His most recent addition to the list came against Uzbekistan at the World Cup where he netted twice, while Luxembourg remains Ronaldo’s most frequent victim with 11 goals. List of nations Lionel Messi scored against AlbaniaAlgeriaAngolaAustraliaAustriaBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBrazilCanadaCape VerdeChileColombiaCroatiaCuracaoEcuadorEgyptEstoniaFranceGermanyGuatemalaHaitiHondurasHong KongIcelandIranJamaicaJordanMexicoNetherlandsNicaraguaNigeriaPanamaParaguayPeruPortugalSaudi ArabiaSerbia and MontenegroSloveniaSpainSwitzerlandUnited Arab EmiratesUnited StatesUruguayVenezuelaZambia List of nations Cristiano Ronaldo scored against AndorraArgentinaArmeniaAzerbaijanBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaCameroonCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEcuadorEgyptEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceGermanyGhanaGreeceHungaryIcelandIranIsraelKazakhstanLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMoroccoNetherlandsNew ZealandNorthern IrelandNorth KoreaPanamaPolandQatarRepublic of IrelandRussiaSaudi ArabiaScotlandSerbiaSlovakiaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUkraineUzbekistanWales

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Match headlines

Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly set to see Al Nassr vs Al Hilal derby in SPL moved from Al Awwal Park

worldsoccertalk.com · …

Cristiano Ronaldo could reportedly suffer a change of venue for the next game between Al Nassr and Al Hilal for the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League, moving the derby away from Al Awwal Park. Cristiano Ronaldo will once again see Al Hilal stand as his primary obstacle in pursuit of the Saudi Pro League title during the 2026-27 campaign. However, a sudden logistical shift is set to alter their upcoming showdown, as the Al Nassr captain reportedly faces a venue change that takes the marquee fixture away from Al Awwal Park. Al Nassr and Al Hilal currently sit atop the SPL table after winning all four of their opening fixtures, setting the stage for another head-to-head battle for the domestic crown. The first league derby between the two rivals was originally scheduled for Friday, December 11, with Al Nassr hosting at Al Awwal Park, but league organizers are preparing a major relocation. According to reporting from Saudi outlet Arriyadiyah, the Saudi Pro League is moving to relocate the capital derby between Al Nassr and Al Hilal to King Fahd Sports City Stadium. While the match remains in Riyadh, the venue change removes the contest from Al Nassr’s primary home ground. The initiative behind the move serves as an “operational test” for the facility ahead of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. With the continental tournament hosted across Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027, King Fahd Sports City Stadium is scheduled to host four matches, including the tournament final. A general view of the King Fahd International Stadium. (Michael Regan/Getty Images) King Fahd Stadium, a favorable venue for Al Hilal While the venue change has not yet been officially finalized by the league, the Saudi Pro League is expected to contact Al Nassr to coordinate logistics while maintaining the club’s administrative home-team privileges. However, King Fahd Sports City Stadium represents a favorable venue not for the nominal hosts, but for visiting rivals Al Hilal. Since Ronaldo arrived in Saudi Arabia, Al Nassr and Al Hilal have met twice at King Fahd Sports City Stadium, with Al Hilal serving as the home team on both occasions. Their first encounter on Matchday 25 of the 2022-23 SPL season resulted in a 2-0 victory for Al Hilal, followed by a commanding 3-0 win for Al Hilal on Matchday 15 of the 2023-24 campaign. Cristiano Ronaldo during the SPL match vs. Al Hilal at King Fahd International Stadium on December 1, 2023. (Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) Al Nassr could lose a key home advantage King Fahd Sports City Stadium is reopening in late 2026 following a venue expansion that increases capacity from 58,398 to 70,200 seats, leaving Al Nassr to negotiate ticketing terms to ensure maximum home supporter allocation. Nevertheless, departing Al Awwal Park strips the squad of a distinct home-field edge based on recent domestic form. During the 2025-26 SPL season, where Ronaldo secured his first major silverware in Saudi Arabia, Al Nassr finished as the top home team in the league. Across 17 home fixtures at Al Awwal Park, the Riyadh side compiled 15 wins, one draw, and just one defeat to gather 46 points, surpassing Al Ahli’s 45-point home mark and establishing Al Awwal Park as a fortress for Ronaldo and company.

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Manchester CIty: 'Do you want another season like at Milan?' — the tough conversation between Guardiola and Reijnders

sportsmole.co.uk · …

Tijjani Reijnders has revealed the tough conversation he had with Pep Guardiola during his struggles at Manchester City, before his move to Saudi Arabia.

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Enzo Fernandez surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo for transfer fees generated, but remains far from Neymar’s record

worldsoccertalk.com · …

With his move to Manchester City, ENzo Fernandez surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo in total career transfer fees generated, but still trails Neymar's record at the top. Enzo Fernandez completed a blockbuster transfer to Manchester City on transfer deadline day of the 2026 summer window, with Chelsea collecting a massive fee in the transaction. Factoring in his entire career history, the Argentine international has officially surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo in total career transfer fees generated, though he remains well behind the all-time standard established by Neymar. As reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic on Tuesday, August 1, Manchester City and Chelsea reached an agreement for the transfer of Enzo Fernandez for £125 million (€145 million / $169 million USD). The move elevates Fernandez into a tie for the fourth-most expensive individual transfer in soccer history alongside Alexander Isak following his move from Newcastle United to Liverpool. Despite Chelsea’s previous £120 million valuation window expiring earlier in the summer, head coach Enzo Maresca, who maintains a strong relationship with the midfielder, pushed aggressively to finalize the deal. Manchester City accelerated negotiations to lock down the signing, formally introducing him across their social channels on Tuesday night. Manchester City will become Fernandez’s fifth professional club, though only three of his moves required transfer payments. A product of the River Plate academy, Benfica acquired the midfielder for €44.25 million in July 2022 before Chelsea paid €121 million to bring him to England in January 2023. Manchester City’s latest outlay of €145 million pushes his cumulative transfer volume to €310.25 million ($360.6 million USD). Introducing our new Argentinian Blue 🇦🇷🩵 pic.twitter.com/nEHQ1oM855— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 1, 2026 Enzo Fernandez surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo’s mark Cristiano Ronaldo once held the title of the most expensive transfer in soccer history following his landmark 2009 move from Manchester United to Real Madrid. While Neymar eventually claimed that record, Fernandez’s latest move allows the 25-year-old playmaker to pass the Portuguese legend in career transfer volume. Rising through Sporting CP’s youth system, Manchester United signed Ronaldo for €19 million in 2003 before Real Madrid shattered the global transfer record by paying €94 million in 2009. Juventus made a blockbuster €117 million move to acquire him in 2018, and Manchester United paid €17 million to secure his return in 2021. Ronaldo’s subsequent move to Al Nassr in December 2022 occurred as a free agent following his contract termination with Manchester United, meaning no transfer fee was exchanged. Across five paid transfers, Ronaldo generated €247 million ($286.5 million USD) in fees, a mark now passed by Fernandez following his arrival at Etihad Stadium. Neymar remains firmly in the top spot Neymar‘s 2017 move from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain set the record for the highest transfer fee ever paid for a soccer player when the French club activated his €222 million ($257.5 million USD) buyout clause. That figure remains untouched at the top of the single-transfer leaderboard and is unlikely to be challenged in the immediate future. Combined with his other moves, the Brazilian icon stands comfortably clear atop the career transfer volume rankings. Neymar poses with PSG’s jersey next to president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. (Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images) After breaking through at Santos, Barcelona acquired Neymar for €88 million in 2013, followed by his €222 million move to PSG and a subsequent €90 million transfer to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Although his 2025 return to Santos was completed on a free transfer, Neymar has generated €400 million ($464 million USD) in cumulative transfer fees throughout his career. Second place on the all-time career list belongs to Romelu Lukaku, who has accumulated €375.92 million ($436.1 million USD) across 10 career t

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Nashville SC’s four straight wins put them on track to surpass Messi’s Inter Miami as best MLS regular-season team in history

worldsoccertalk.com · …

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.

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Ollie Watkins scores on Saudi debut after appearing to refuse to play for Aston Villa before securing £51m Al-Hilal move

dailymail.com · …

Ollie Watkins scored on his Al-Hilal debut in Saudi Arabia after agitating for a move away from Aston Villa. The England international headed home for his new side.

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Pakistan's wholesale changes 'most shocking ever', says Afridi

skysports.com · …

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has called the selectors' decision to make sweeping changes to the squad and remove head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed ahead of the third and final Test against England as the "most shocking ever".

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Barcelona out-of-favour midfielder leaning towards Bayer Leverkusen move

sports.yahoo.com · …

FC Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado has attracted interest from numerous clubs over the past few weeks. Clubs from Saudi Arabia and Turkey have been among those to show interest, although neither opti...

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Lionel Messi’s Argentina retirement leaves Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of goals against most different national teams out of reach

worldsoccertalk.com · …

With Lionel Messi announcing his retirement from Argentina national team, Cristiano Ronaldo's record of goals against most different national teams will be without contention. Lionel Messi‘s retirement from Argentina national team dropped a massive bombshell across global soccer, leaving fans stunned following his unexpected announcement. However, the timing also cements a historic benchmark for Cristiano Ronaldo, whose record for goals scored against the most unique national teams now stands permanently out of reach for his long-time rival. Both Messi and Ronaldo dominated the global stage for over two decades at both the club level and as iconic international captains for Argentina and Portugal, becoming the all-time leading scorers for their respective countries. The Argentine made his debut for the Albiceleste in 2005 before concluding his international career in 2026, while Ronaldo debuted in 2003 and remains active, torturing defenses across the international calendar. Heading into his final World Cup campaign having scored against 41 different national teams, Messi expanded his victim list with Argentina by adding a brace against Austria, a set-piece strike against Jordan, and goals against Cape Verde and Egypt. With an international break approaching in September and October, Messi had an opportunity to push his tally even higher, but his decision to step down closes his ledger permanently. In total, Lionel Messi scored 125 international goals for Argentina against 45 different national teams worldwide, with Bolivia serving as his most frequent target with 11 goals. Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina celebrates with Julian Alvarez #9 after scoring against Egypt. To put that accomplishment into context, FIFA currently recognizes 211 member associations worldwide, a figure exceeding total membership in the United Nations (193). Under that standard, Messi scored against nearly a quarter of FIFA’s total global membership, specifically finding the net against 21 percent of all affiliated nations. Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record outright With 233 caps for Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo stands as the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international football history with 146 goals for Selecao. Competing continuously across European Qualifiers, UEFA European Championships, Nations League fixtures, and World Cups allowed the Portuguese forward to accumulate an even wider array of national opponents. In total, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored against 49 different national teams, holding a four-nation lead over Lionel Messi. His most recent addition to the list came against Uzbekistan at the World Cup where he netted twice, while Luxembourg remains Ronaldo’s most frequent victim with 11 goals. List of nations Lionel Messi scored against AlbaniaAlgeriaAngolaAustraliaAustriaBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBrazilCanadaCape VerdeChileColombiaCroatiaCuracaoEcuadorEgyptEstoniaFranceGermanyGuatemalaHaitiHondurasHong KongIcelandIranJamaicaJordanMexicoNetherlandsNicaraguaNigeriaPanamaParaguayPeruPortugalSaudi ArabiaSerbia and MontenegroSloveniaSpainSwitzerlandUnited Arab EmiratesUnited StatesUruguayVenezuelaZambia List of nations Cristiano Ronaldo scored against AndorraArgentinaArmeniaAzerbaijanBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaCameroonCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEcuadorEgyptEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceGermanyGhanaGreeceHungaryIcelandIranIsraelKazakhstanLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMoroccoNetherlandsNew ZealandNorthern IrelandNorth KoreaPanamaPolandQatarRepublic of IrelandRussiaSaudi ArabiaScotlandSerbiaSlovakiaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUkraineUzbekistanWales

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