Lamine Yamal should be the overwhelming favourite for this year's Ballon d'Or award, according to Barcelona sporting director Deco. The post Yamal ‘no doubt’ the favourite for the Ballon d’Or, says Barca sporting director Deco appeared first on SoccerNews.
Both superstars are now investing in Spanish soccer, and their growing involvement with clubs outside the top flight has attracted attention from the highest levels of the domestic game. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi spent years defining soccer’s greatest rivalry on the pitch, but their latest connection is taking place in a very different arena. Both superstars are now investing in Spanish soccer, and their growing involvement with clubs outside the top flight has attracted attention from the highest levels of the domestic game. Ronaldo already owns a significant stake in a Spanish second-tier club, while Messi has been linked with a potential takeover of another. The developments have raised questions about what the two icons could bring to Spanish soccer after building extraordinary careers as players. Multiple reports have emerged that Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire Segunda Division side Eldense, an Alicante-based club looking to establish itself in Spain’s second tier. However, the deal has yet to be officially confirmed by either Messi’s representatives or the club. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is already involved in Spanish soccer ownership through fifth-tier Cornella, based in Barcelona. A takeover of Eldense would represent a significantly larger investment and could give the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner an even more prominent role in the Spanish soccer pyramid. 🚨 BREAKING: Lionel Messi becomes new owner of La Liga 2 side CD Eldense. 🇪🇸Messi buys 100% of the club’s currently established in La Liga 2 in Spain — follows the investment made in Catalunya side UD Cornellá.🎥➕ https://t.co/TQeEVFTS51 pic.twitter.com/jyhQIOXg9X— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 9, 2026 The possibility has naturally attracted widespread attention because of Messi’s status and his long history in Spain. He spent a total of 21 years with Barcelona, becoming the club’s all-time great before leaving in 2021 amid the club’s financial difficulties. Tebas reveals his unexpected reaction La Liga president Javier Tebas was asked about the Eldense reports during the presentation of the Panini LaLiga EA Sports sticker album. Interestingly, despite his position at the top of Spanish soccer, Tebas admitted that he had learned about the potential deal through the media rather than through official channels. “I found out about Eldense from the media. I don’t know if it’s true or not, whether Messi has bought it or not, whether it’s a group or just him,” Tebas told reporters, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo and ESPN. While the La Liga president could not confirm Messi’s plans, his overall reaction was overwhelmingly positive. He also pointed to Ronaldo’s existing involvement with Spanish soccer as an example of the two legends extending their influence beyond the pitch. “But we must remember that 25% of Almeria is owned by Cristiano Ronaldo, so it’s an honor that the two greatest players in the world in recent years are thinking of investing part of their savings in Spanish football and helping to make it even bigger,” Tebas added. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr. Ronaldo already has foothold in Spain Ronaldo acquired a 25% stake in UD Almeria in February, giving the Portuguese superstar a direct financial connection to a Spanish second-tier club. Almeria is therefore already part of Ronaldo’s growing business interests away from his playing career. Messi’s potential move into Eldense would create a fascinating parallel. Both players could soon have significant interests in Segunda Division clubs, although their exact ownership structures and ambitions would be very different. The contrast is particularly striking given their history. Ronaldo and Messi spent nine seasons competing directly against one another for Real Madrid and Barcelona, respectively, while accumulating an extraordinary collection of individual awards and team trophies.
Lionel Scaloni's contract renewal with Argentina is reportedly complicated by lingering doubts, unpaid bonuses and disputes over the quality of upcoming friendly opponents. Lionel Scaloni’s future at the helm of Argentina has become a subject of growing uncertainty just months after guiding the team to the 2026 World Cup final. With Lionel Messi having already confirmed his retirement from the national team, the prospect of starting a new cycle without the sport’s biggest star appears to be weighing heavily on the World Cup-winning coach as his contract nears its expiration at the end of the year. According to ESPN journalist Gustavo Yarroch, a renewal reportedly agreed upon verbally through 2030 has yet to be formalized, and the negotiation has grown complicated in recent days despite an optimistic outlook from AFA officials just a week earlier. Yarroch cautioned that no final decision has been made, but described the current climate as tense. Compounding matters further, longtime assistant Walter Samuel is reportedly set to leave the coaching staff to pursue his own path as a head coach, which would force any renewal to also address a reshuffling of Scaloni‘s inner circle. Scaloni himself hinted at his own doubts in the aftermath of the World Cup final loss to Spain, telling reporters he needed time to think things over. “I feel the need to think, because I no longer know if something this big can be done again. To continue, you need a lot of things, above all resetting yourself and rebuilding a group like this one, which is hard to put together again,” he said, adding that he would honor his 2026 commitments before deciding on what comes next. Lionel Messi and Lionel Scaloni during the 2022 World Cup. (Getty Images) The three reasons behind the uncertainty Yarroch broke down three central factors clouding the renewal. The first concerns Scaloni’s own doubts about whether, after eight years in the job, he still has the energy and motivation to rebuild the team from scratch, a rebuild that becomes even more daunting with Messi no longer part of the equation. The second involves money, as the AFA reportedly owes players and staff a significant amount in unpaid bonuses, a sticking point that has generated frustration given the federation is currently earning more revenue than ever before. The third reason centers on the organization of Argentina‘s friendlies. Scaloni has long pushed for tougher opposition, a frustration reflected in this year’s own preparation schedule: a mooted friendly against France for the March window fell through after the finalissima against Spain was scrapped, and the AFA instead lined up matches against Guatemala, Venezuela, Mauritania and Angola, before closing out the send-off with a 5-0 win over Zambia and further tests against Honduras and Iceland in June. That pattern appears set to continue, with Burkina Faso, Benin and Bolivia reportedly among the likely rivals for the next international window. Compounding the issue, the federation has reportedly missed its own self-imposed deadlines to officially confirm those matches, adding to Scaloni’s frustration even as the AFA continues to push for him to sign a new deal.
Cristiano Ronaldo's dream to claim the 2026 World Cup with Portugal has begun, currently at the Round of 32. Cristiano Ronaldo, even at 41 years old, remains a central figure for both his club, Al Nassr, and the Portugal national team. Still drawing global attention, the key question now is when the legendary striker will take the field again. Cristiano Ronaldo’s next game with Al Nassr is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, when they visit Al Khaleej for Matchday 7 in the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League at Ego Stadium. The Portuguese star heads to the game after scoring the opening goal in the 2-1 win against Abha. The icon’s 2026-27 international campaign with Portugal following the 2026 World Cup is set to begin on Thursday, September 24, when they host Wales for Matchday 1 of the of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League. The forward’s last World Cup game came on July 6th, where Spain beat the Selecao in the Round of 16 with a narrow 1-0 win. In the 2026-27 season, which he has stated could be his last one as professional soccer player, the Portuguese icon scored 3 goals and provided 0 assists in 5 games for Al Nassr, while netting 5 goals in 5 UEFA World Cup qualifiers and 3 in the 2026 World Cup for Portugal, with his personal account in 979 career goals. Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal celebrates scoring a goal. Ronaldo faced long break due to FIFA schedule After his stunning bicycle-kick goal against Al Khaleej, Cristiano Ronaldo was rested for Al Nassr’s midweek AFC Champions League Two match. But from that point forward, the Portuguese star endured a 24-day gap without competitive action, a result of the upcoming FIFA competition schedule. From December 1 through 18, Qatar hosted the second edition of the FIFA Arab Cup, with the final between Morocco and Jordan played at Lusail Stadium, the same venue as the 2022 World Cup final. With several Saudi Pro League players involved, including stars of the Saudi Arabian national team, clubs, including Al Nassr, were unable to meet domestic player requirements, forcing the SPL into a temporary pause during the tournament.
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