Ivan Toney's brace in Al Ahli's win over Al Hazem stretched his Saudi Pro League scoring lead to 10 goals, leaving Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest of the chasing pack well behind early in the Golden Boot race. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s pursuit of another Golden Boot in the Saudi Pro League has gotten off to a rocky start this season. The Al Nassr captain missed the club’s opening match, as he continued easing back into full fitness following his extended break after the 2026 World Cup. That slow start has left him chasing the pack early in the scoring race, and Friday’s result did little to close the gap. Ivan Toney has emerged as the outright leader of the Saudi Pro League scoring charts, and he added to his tally once again on Friday. The Al Ahli forward scored a brace as his side overturned an early deficit to beat Al Hazem 3-1 in Jeddah. This has become a habit for Toney lately. Friday’s brace was his third consecutive brace, following identical two-goal outings against Al Riyadh and in the defeat to Al Qadsiah, and it added to a hat-trick he had already produced earlier in the campaign in a 4-0 win over Abha. That level of production has carried him to the top of the scoring standings with 10 goals while several of the league’s biggest names, Ronaldo included, have struggled to keep pace. The second with that Toni touch! 💚⚽#AlAhli_AlHazem | #RoshnSaudiLeague pic.twitter.com/HfsD5VpSrs— Al-Ahli Saudi Club (@ALAHLI_FCEN) September 11, 2026 Ronaldo, for his part, has needed time to get going. After sitting out the season opener, he scored his first goal of the campaign in the 83rd minute of a 4-0 win over Al Riyadh in Matchday 2. Since then, however, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has managed to find the net only three times in total, leaving him well off the pace Toney has set atop the Saudi Pro League‘s Golden Boot race. How the Saudi Pro League scoring chart looks through Matchday 7 Toney’s brace against Al Hazem stretched his advantage at the top of the standings to a wide margin, with the Al Ahli forward now sitting on 10 goals through seven matches, six clear of the chasing pack. George Ilenikhena, Steven Bergwijn, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Iker Kortajarena, Mateo Retegui and Youssef En-Nesyri round out the top seven, all tied on four goals apiece. Ronaldo, meanwhile, sits in eighth place with three goals from just five appearances, a tally that leaves him firmly on the outside of the race Toney currently dominates.
Petr Cech believes Lionel Messi still has a real shot at winning a record-extending ninth Ballon d'Or this year. The 2026 Ballon d’Or conversation continues to heat up ahead of October’s ceremony, and one of the game’s most respected former goalkeepers has thrown his support behind Lionel Messi as the sport’s biggest individual honor edges closer. Petr Cech, speaking in an interview with Kalshi Sports, was asked directly who he expects to win the award. “The winner of the Ballon d’Or? That’s a good question, but I think Messi has a good chance,” the former Chelsea goalkeeper said. Messi’s case rests on a remarkable year, at 39 years old, that included leading Inter Miami to the MLS title, registering 45 goals and 30 assists across 49 matches, and driving Argentina back to the World Cup final with eight goals and four assists in the tournament. A win would give him a record-extending ninth Ballon d’Or, well clear of any other player in the award’s history. Still, Messi faces stiff competition from a shortlist led by Harry Kane, who scored 73 goals for club and country during the review period, along with Kylian Mbappe, who topped the scoring charts in LaLiga, the Champions League and the World Cup, and Lamine Yamal, who won a domestic treble with Barcelona and lifted the World Cup with Spain. 🚨 Petr Čech: "Who will win the Ballon d'Or? That's a good question. I think Messi has a good chance of winning it." ✨✨ pic.twitter.com/VD3UwPLEu8— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) September 9, 2026 Current betting odds still list Messi as an outside contender, but the ceremony, scheduled for October 26 in London, remains wide open with journalists yet to cast their votes. Messi’s Ballon d’Or nomination history Messi’s 2026 nod marks his 17th career Ballon d’Or nomination, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo’s record 18, in a streak that began back in 2007 and has continued nearly every year since. Of those 17 nominations, he has converted eight into wins, first in 2009 and most recently in 2023, giving him more Ballon d’Or trophies than any other footballer ever. No other player has come close to matching Messi’s level of sustained excellence in the eyes of voters, with only Ronaldo’s five Ballon d’Or wins even approaching that mark. A ninth trophy in October would only widen Messi’s lead over Ronaldo and the rest of the award’s history in terms of total victories, even as Ronaldo continues to hold the record for nominations.
Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo have agreed a deal to sign Wolves starlet Pedro Lima on loan until December but have no option to buy. The post ‘Agreed’ – Club Signing Wolves Star On Loan Deal appeared first on Inside Futbol | Latest Football News, Transfer Rumours & Articles.
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