Cristiano Ronaldo is facing another difficult moment with Al-Nassr after the club's first Saudi Pro League defeat of the season, with Kingsley Coman, Inigo Martinez and Joao Felix all set to complicate Ange Postecoglou's plans. Cristiano Ronaldo is facing another difficult moment with Al-Nassr after the club’s first Saudi Pro League defeat of the season, with Kingsley Coman, Inigo Martinez and Joao Felix all set to complicate Ange Postecoglou’s plans. The trio’s absences come at an awkward time for a team trying to respond quickly to its setback against Al-Ittihad. Al-Nassr had opened the campaign with four consecutive league victories before suffering a 2-1 defeat in Jeddah. Now, Postecoglou must find solutions without several important options while Ronaldo and his teammates look to get their title challenge back on track. Al-Ittihad made the perfect start against Al-Nassr, with George Ilenikhena opening the scoring after only four minutes. He doubled his tally in the 22nd minute after Houssem Aouar found him behind the visiting defense, leaving Ilenikhena to produce a composed left-footed finish. Al-Nassr eventually found a way back into the match before halftime through Angelo. Ronaldo played a major role in the goal with a brilliant first-touch lob that released Joao Felix, before the ball eventually reached Angelo, who fired home to make it 2-1. The visitors pushed hard after the break and created several opportunities to level the score. Ronaldo tested Predrag Rajkovic, while Felix also threatened, but the Al-Ittihad goalkeeper made five saves in the second half to preserve the home side’s advantage. The defeat ended Al-Nassr’s perfect start and left the club second on 12 points. Joao Felix adds another problem Felix will be unavailable for the next league fixture for a completely different reason. The Portugal international picked up his fourth yellow card of the season against Al-Ittihad, automatically triggering a one-match suspension. That means Felix will miss Al-Nassr’s meeting with Abha on Wednesday, September 9. His absence is particularly significant considering the forward has made an excellent start to his Saudi Pro League career, registering two goals and two assists in his first five league appearances. Felix’s frustration was also evident after the defeat, when he declined to give reporters a full interview and delivered a cryptic message about the league’s officiating. “I won’t speak to you, because if I do, I’ll expose this league,” Felix reportedly told the media. Joao Felix: “I won't speak to you, because if I do, I'll expose this league” pic.twitter.com/oMzsoQBvzO— Al Nassr Zone (@TheNassrZone) September 5, 2026 When could Coman and Martinez return? While Felix is unavailable because of suspension, Coman and Martinez are dealing with injuries. According to Arriyadiyah, medical examinations carried out on Sunday confirmed that both players require at least seven days of rest, ruling them out of Al-Nassr’s next two league fixtures. Kingsley Coman of Al Nassr. Coman suffered a minor hamstring tear, while Martinez sustained a muscle strain accompanied by knee pain. As a result, both players are expected to miss the upcoming clash with Abha and the following Saudi Pro League fixture against Al-Khaleej. Coman’s 2026-27 Stats👕 Matches⚽ Goals🅰️ Assists🔝 Goal ContributionsAll competitions6000Saudi Pro League5000 The current expectation is that Coman and Martinez could return for Al-Nassr’s opening AFC Champions League Elite match against Al Ain next Tuesday, September 15. Their availability will depend on how they respond to the rehabilitation program prepared by the club’s medical staff, meaning the proposed return remains subject to their recovery. Inigo Martinez of Al Nassr celebrates with the Saudi Pro League Trophy The timing creates a significant selection headache for Postecoglou. Coman has featured in all five of Al-Nassr’s matches across competitions this season, although he has yet to record a goal o
The 2-1 loss ended a perfect start for Ange Postecoglou's side, but another setback has emerged that could complicate the team's preparations for its next league fixture. Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix are facing a fresh challenge at Al-Nassr after the club suffered its first defeat of the Saudi Pro League season against Al-Ittihad. The 2-1 loss ended a perfect start for Ange Postecoglou’s side, but another setback has emerged that could complicate the team’s preparations for its next league fixture. Al-Nassr fought back after falling two goals behind in Jeddah, with Angelo pulling one back before the visitors piled on the pressure. Despite creating several chances late in the match, however, Al-Ittihad held on to claim a major victory and move within one point of Al-Nassr in the table. Al-Ittihad made a flying start, with George Ilenikhena opening the scoring after only four minutes. Steven Bergwijn’s effort was saved by Nawaf Al-Aqidi and came back off the post, allowing Ilenikhena to react quickest and head the rebound into the bottom corner. The young striker doubled his tally in the 22nd minute after Houssem Aouar found him with a clever ball behind the Al-Nassr defence. Ilenikhena kept his composure before producing a superb left-footed finish, giving the hosts a 2-0 advantage and putting Al-Nassr in serious trouble. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr reacts The visitors eventually found a route back into the contest through Angelo. Cristiano Ronaldo helped create the opening with a brilliant first-touch lob into the area, which released Felix before the ball eventually fell to Angelo, who fired home to make it 2-1 before half-time. Al-Nassr suffers first defeat despite strong push for equalizer Al-Nassr emerged from the interval with much greater intensity and began creating opportunities around the Al-Ittihad penalty area. Ronaldo tested Predrag Rajkovic with a left-footed effort, while Felix also threatened from a difficult angle. Rajkovic quickly became the difference between the two teams, making five saves in the second half alone as Al-Nassr searched desperately for an equaliser. His biggest intervention came late in the match when Felix played Sadio Mane through, only for the Serbian goalkeeper to produce another outstanding stop. The result represents a significant blow for Postecoglou, whose team had won each of its opening four league matches. Al-Nassr remains second on 12 points, while Al-Hilal has moved three points clear at the top, with Al-Ittihad now sitting fourth on 11 points. The defeat also means Ronaldo finished the match without adding to his league tally. The reason why Joao Felix will miss Abha clash The latest headache concerns Felix, who will miss Al-Nassr’s next Saudi Pro League match against Abha on Wednesday, September 9. The reason is connected to an incident late in the defeat to Al-Ittihad, when the Portuguese attacker was booked for a challenge on Richard Rios. That yellow card was his fourth caution of the season, triggering an automatic one-match suspension under the Saudi Pro League’s competition regulations. His absence leaves Postecoglou without one of the team’s most productive attacking players at a particularly important moment. Match DateOpponentFelix’s PerformanceMatch ResultAug. 15Al Fateh⚽ 1 Goal, 🟨 Yellow CardWon 3–0Aug. 21Al-Riyadh⚽ 1 GoalWon 4–0Aug. 25Al-Ettifaq🅰️ 2 Assists, 🟨 Yellow CardWon 3–2Aug. 28Al-Taawoun🟨 Yellow CardWon 2–1Sep. 5Al-Ittihad🟨 Yellow CardLost 1–2 Felix has made an excellent start to life in Saudi Arabia, scoring against Al-Fateh and Al-Riyadh while providing two assists against Al-Ettifaq. He has now contributed two goals and two assists in the league, but his disciplinary record will force him to watch the Abha match from the sidelines. The suspension was not the only frustration for Felix following the defeat. The forward appeared visibly angry with the officiating and declined to give reporters a full interview after the final whistle. Instead, the Por
Summer spending across the league’s 30 clubs has ballooned. Here are three takeaways from the league’s transfer windowWith the shadow of the 2026 World Cup hanging over the league and a potential set of rule changes looming, Major League Soccer’s summer transfer window was one defined by uncertainty, diverse strategies and record spending. It was the fourth transfer window since MLS allowed clubs to purchase players from other clubs using traditional transfer fees rather than general allocation money (GAM), the intraleague currency system. The new rule, which is now being used more frequently, has helped account for rapid growth in league expenditure, as has increased GAM allotted to each club.These trends have been seen broadly over the last two seasons, but this past window took it to a new level, smashing the previous record for summer spending. This summer, MLS teams spent 65% more year-over-year, with a total of nearly $190m spent, accounting for 45% of the 2026 total. The above factors combined to create one of the most consequential transfer windows in MLS history, which may give a glimpse into the league’s future trajectory. Continue reading...
When asked to name his top three candidates for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembele left out Lamine Yamal. Now, the Barcelona star has responded with a clear message that includes Kylian Mbappe. With the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist finalized, several players have been asked to name their top candidates. After Ousmane Dembele left Lamine Yamal off his ballot, the Barcelona winger offered a swift response. On Tuesday, Dembele was asked to reveal his top three picks for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. The PSG winger selected Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe. The omission of Yamal surprised many, including Yamal himself. Asked about Dembele’s picks a few hours later, the Barcelona star responded with a gentle jab aimed at Mbappe. “He is good friends with Kylian, right?” Yamal answered with a laugh. “I’m very happy with the season I had. I think every time we faced each other, I probably did something that made them dislike me! And that’s normal. My relationship with Ousmane is very good, and I understand that he wants to choose other players. But I’m very happy with what I delivered this year, and I’m confident that everyone watched it, even if he didn’t.” Lamine Yamal unfazed by individual awards With the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist officially released—featuring Lionel Messi while omitting Cristiano Ronaldo—speculation has intensified over who will claim this year’s honor. Lionel Messi attends the 67th Ballon D’Or Ceremony Yamal is widely considered a frontrunner following a stellar season with FC Barcelona and a summer campaign that saw him lift the 2026 World Cup trophy with Spain at just 19 years old. Nevertheless, the young winger insists the outcome is out of his hands. “I’m not gonna campaign for anything. I won’t be begging to win anything… the Ballon d’Or is up to you [journalists], not me,” Yamal said. “We had a great year with Barça and the national team. That makes me proud.” Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe recently declared himself the favorite for the award on the back of his 10-goal performance at the World Cup, highlighting just how competitive this year’s race has become.
Sporting director disappointed to lose Bruno GuimarãesManchester United target Lewis Hall agrees new contractNewcastle’s sporting director, Ross Wilson, has revealed he began planning at the start of this year for Eddie Howe’s departure.Howe stepped down as manager in late July and the club turned to Matthias Jaissle, who had been identified as the preferred successor. Continue reading...
Cristiano Ronaldo missed out on a 2026 Ballon d'Or nomination for the second straight year, with the Portuguese forward's last win of the award coming back in 2017. Cristiano Ronaldo is once again absent from the list of 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, confirmed on Tuesday by France Football, marking the fourth consecutive year the Portuguese forward has failed to make the cut for football’s most prestigious individual honor. The snub comes as Ronaldo continues his career with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, a competition that has historically received little attention from Ballon d’Or voters. Ronaldo last won the award back in 2017, edging out Lionel Messi for his fifth and most recent Ballon d’Or, a trophy he claimed while playing for Real Madrid. That victory capped a run of dominance that also included wins in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016, cementing his status as one of the two most decorated players in the award’s history alongside Messi. Nearly a decade has now passed since that last triumph, and Ronaldo’s exclusion from this year’s shortlist underlines how far his candidacy has fallen since his move away from Europe’s top leagues. Cristiano Ronaldo shows his fifth Ballon d’Or trophy at the Santiago Bernabeu. (Getty Images) Still, while Messi holds the record for most Ballon d’Or wins with eight trophies to Ronaldo’s five, it’s the Portuguese forward who owns the record for most total nominations in the award’s history, with 18 compared to the 17 Messi now has after this year’s shortlist. When was Cristiano Ronaldo last nominated for the Ballon d’Or? Ronaldo’s last Ballon d’Or nomination came for the 2022 award, when he finished the voting without a single point from the jury despite making the 30-man list that year. It marked a sharp fall from the sustained excellence that had kept him among the nominees every year dating back to the early 2000s. Since then, he has been left off the shortlist entirely for four consecutive editions, missing out in 2023, 2024, 2025 and now 2026. It’s by far the longest drought of his career, having been nominated every single year without interruption from his debut nomination in 2004 through 2022, an 18-year run that this current stretch has now more than doubled in terms of consecutive absences.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
