Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 1-2 in La Liga. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 28 stage in the 2024 season. The match was played at Estadio de la Cerámica in Villarreal. Gil Manzano officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Villarreal vs Real Madrid meeting in La Liga 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 Villarreal and Real Madrid. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
La LigaRecorded meetings: 20 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 1-2 in La Liga. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 28 stage in the 2024 season. The match was played at Estadio de la Cerámica in Villarreal. Gil Manzano officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Villarreal vs Real Madrid meeting in La Liga 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 Villarreal and Real Madrid. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
La LigaRecorded meetings: 20 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
After Thiago Mendes denied him a handshake, Neymar issued a harsh response to the midfielder: "He's a nobody." Neymar was involved in one of the most talked-about moments of the weekend in Brazil after Thiago Mendes snubbed him during the pre-match handshakes before Santos faced Vasco da Gama. Following the match, the former Barcelona star offered a blunt response regarding the midfielder, stating: “He’s a nobody.” Santos traveled to face Vasco on Sunday, August 16, in a critical match to climb out of the relegation zone. Tensions flared early when the teams lined up for pre-game greetings, as Thiago Mendes was captured on camera refusing to shake Neymar’s hand, leaving the forward’s hand hanging before Neymar smirked and proceeded to greet the match officials. الاسطورة نيمار يمد يده ليصافح تياغو مينديز ولكنه يتجاهل نيمار 😨😨😨😨😨😨😨😨 pic.twitter.com/rYOAdTpbgR— Team Neymar (@TeamNey10) August 16, 2026 Behind goals from Gabriel Barbosa, Willian Arao, and Luan Peres, Santos secured a vital 3-0 victory in the Campeonato Brasileiro, but post-match discussions remained centered on the pre-game friction between the two captains. Speaking in the mixed zone at the Estadio Sao Januario, Neymar was asked directly about the snub and pulled no punches: “To be honest, I don’t care much about that guy. To me, he is a nobody. In 2020, he broke my ankle, which I think he did on purpose. And I didn’t let it go: we had a little fight in our last match against each other, which I think is normal in a football match.” Reflecting on their history across European and Brazilian soccer, Neymar continued his critique. “I wasn’t even thinking much about him in today’s match because I don’t care. He refused to shake my hand, which I see as very disrespectful. The most important thing is that we still won against them and he can keep crying. Everyone knows Neymar Jr., but nobody even knew Thiago Mendes’s name until today,” he concluded. The viral moment drew widespread attention across social media, with Santos’ official Instagram account adding fuel to the fire by posting a video referencing the snub. Neymar commented on the post with a laughing-crying emoji, adding the caption: “Pride comes before a fall.“ Neymar and Mendes’ history of friction Despite both hailing from Brazil, the rivalry between Neymar and Thiago Mendes dates back to their time playing in Europe, specifically in France. During a Ligue 1 clash between PSG and Olympique Lyonnais in 2020, Mendes committed a heavy tackle on Neymar that resulted in a severe ankle injury, forcing the superstar off the pitch in tears. Essa foi a famosa entrada do Thiago Mendes "para quebrar" o Neymar.Uma fake criada em época que o Neymar era intocável para os brasileiros.Alguém sem clubismo acha realmente que isso é uma falta absurdamente dura?Você sabia que o piti do Neymar era um lance "normal" assim? pic.twitter.com/wTgZ66BWGc— Rafael Rocha (@RR_VASCO) August 18, 2026 Medical reports later confirmed Neymar suffered a severe left ankle sprain, though initial fears had pointed to a fracture. The two players crossed paths again in February 2026 during a 2-1 victory for Santos, where they engaged in a heated mid-pitch argument that ended with Mendes aiming a headbutt at the Santos captain. Following that February incident, Neymar addressed Mendes’ conduct during his post-match press conference: “He is always the one starting problems, he always tries to act tough, he is always like that. With all due respect, he is an idiot. He broke me once at PSG and he made me a promise today. Let’s see if he has the manhood to break me again.“
Spain’s World Cup-winning captain has completed his move to Camp Nou where he is a natural successor to club legendBy the time Flight PTN27B started its descent into El Prat a bit before 8pm on Monday evening, a small crowd had gathered by the terminal doors, waiting for it to land. A few people stood and watched the sky, cameras out to capture its arrival. A lot more watched on their phones. In the two hours it had taken to get there from Manchester, taking off at 5.11pm, 101 minutes behind schedule, the Pilatus PC-24 had become the most tracked plane on the planet. Everyone knew that Rodrigo Hernández was on board. Unless, of course, he had been sneaked away in a catering cart.Five days earlier, Rodri had been seen, and recorded, at Barajas airport waiting to get on a flight back to Manchester from Madrid. He wheeled a small RFEF (Spanish football federation) case with his name on, stood alone in the queue, the World Cup winning-captain just a bloke in shorts and T-shirt, and his stay in the UK was supposed to be brief, just long enough to say goodbye. The plane he was boarding was a Ryanair one: that was the detail everyone homed in on, something extraordinary in the ordinariness. This time, though, he came on a private jet, one way. His family travelled with him. He came to sign for FC Barcelona. Continue reading...
The club is taking no chances with its captain after his extended summer break, and the latest update suggests supporters may not have to wait much longer to see him back on the pitch. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s return to competitive action with Al-Nassr is beginning to take clearer shape after the Portuguese superstar was handed a carefully managed fitness plan. The club is taking no chances with its captain after his extended summer break, and the latest update suggests supporters may not have to wait much longer to see him back on the pitch. Ronaldo has already returned to training, but Al-Nassr has decided to ease him back into competitive football rather than immediately throw him into the opening fixtures. A special fitness program has now been designed to prepare the 41-year-old for his comeback, with his workload being closely monitored by the club’s fitness staff. The Portuguese forward spent an extended period away from Al-Nassr following Portugal’s campaign at the 2026 World Cup. He subsequently returned to the Saudi club last week after enjoying time away from soccer, including his holiday with Georgina Rodriguez. Although Ronaldo missed the club’s preseason preparations in Lisbon, reports indicate that he maintained a good level of physical condition during his break. That has allowed Al-Nassr’s coaching staff to focus primarily on restoring his match sharpness rather than starting his conditioning work from scratch. The return of the GOAT is more likely than ever!🐐🥵 https://t.co/0mFElPY1dA pic.twitter.com/6zER04pEBD— The Nassr Tribune™️ (@AlNassrTribune) August 18, 2026 Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah reported that Ronaldo has been placed on a special fitness plan designed by Al-Nassr’s fitness coach to raise his physical levels ahead of his return. Special 90-minute session forms part of comeback plan The latest update came as Ronaldo was scheduled to complete a 90-minute fitness session on Tuesday at Al-Nassr’s training center in Riyadh. The session is part of a tailored program intended to prepare him for competitive action in the coming weeks. Al-Riyadiyah reported that the club’s fitness coach had prepared a special program for the Portuguese star to build his fitness ahead of the upcoming matches. The session comes after Ronaldo missed Al-Nassr’s opening Saudi Pro League match against Al-Fateh, which the club won 3-0. He was also expected to sit out Tuesday’s King’s Cup Round of 32 clash against Al-Diriyah, with the coaching staff continuing to prioritize his gradual return. Cristiano Ronaldo in Al-Nassr training The exact return date is finally taking shape With the Al-Diriyah match effectively serving as another game Ronaldo will miss, attention now turns to Al-Nassr’s next league fixture. Ronaldo is now expected to return against Al-Riyadh on Friday, August 21, assuming he completes the fitness plan without any setbacks. That would give the veteran forward several more days to work on his conditioning before being reintroduced to competitive play. The timing also makes sense for Al-Nassr, which has little reason to rush its biggest star this early in a long campaign. Reports from Al-Riyadiyah also suggest Ronaldo has lost little of his sharpness during his time away from the club, providing further encouragement that his return could arrive sooner rather than later. The special fitness plan is therefore less about rebuilding his physical condition completely and more about making sure he is ready to handle the intensity of a competitive match.
Cristiano Ronaldo indicated this could be his final season as a professional and revealed which sport he'll take up in the future. Cristiano Ronaldo opened up about what could be the final chapter of his professional career in a wide-ranging interview with Vogue. The 41-year-old Portuguese forward didn’t rule out that this campaign with Al Nassr could be his last as a professional. “This is probably my last year of football,” he told the magazine, adding that he wants to leave behind a legacy fitting of his career. Asked about life after football, Ronaldo made clear he already has a plan in place, and that padel will be a central part of it. “I have my future all mapped out… Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one. And also have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and continue to enjoy what I’ve earned, what we’ve earned,” he said. None of it means Ronaldo is walking away just yet. He missed Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al Fateh on August 15 and also sat out their King’s Cup debut against Al-Diriyah, as he continues working his way back into match fitness after his wedding with Georgina Rodriguez. He’s expected to return for Al Nassr’s Matchday 2 clash with Al Riyadh on August 21, as the club looks to defend their title and secure back-to-back championships for the first time in more than 11 years. Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez are married! For weeks, the internet was awash with speculation—about the date, the location, the guest list. (The rumored celebrity attendees included everyone from Rio Ferdinand to Rihanna.) In the end, the couple’s wedding took place on… pic.twitter.com/uBNOBVteye— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) August 16, 2026 On an individual level, he remains just 24 goals shy of becoming the first player in history to reach 1,000 career goals, giving this potential farewell season no shortage of storylines regardless of how it ends. Ronaldo’s own padel club in Lisbon Ronaldo is far from the only elite athlete drawn to the sport, but few have invested in it quite like he has. In 2024, he acquired 100% of the shares in the Lisboa Racket Club, a premier complex in the Alvalade neighborhood featuring eight tennis courts, seven padel courts and five squash courts, making him the outright owner of one of Lisbon’s top racket-sports venues. Ronaldo isn’t the only star who plays padel Several other big football names have shown a taste for the sport too. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have also been spotted playing padel together in Miami, squaring off in a friendly match that went viral after Suarez lost a bet tied to it. Vinicius Junior has had a padel court installed at his own home, where he regularly plays with several Real Madrid teammates, and former Dutch international Arjen Robben has gone as far as competing in padel professionally since hanging up his boots.
Al Nassr face Al Diriyah today, August 18, in the 2026–27 King Cup of Champions, with the big question on why Cristiano Ronaldo won't play. Al Nassr and Al Diriyah meet in the Round of 32 of the 2026–27 King Cup of Champions, and all eyes are on Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability for this match. After the starting XI was announced, it was confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will sit out Al Nassr’s match against Al Diriyah. The Portuguese star did not feature in his team’s debut for the 2026–27 Saudi Pro League season either. Head coach Ange Postecoglou has decided to give the 41-year-old rest to regain match fitness following the 2026 World Cup and his recent wedding. Al-Nassr’s confirmed lineup While it is a Round of 32 cup match, Postecoglou deployed a strong starting XI similar to the squad featured in Matchday 1 of the 2026–27 SPL season against Al Fateh. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr. Al Nassr confirmed XI (4-3-3): Bento; Salem, Simakan, Alamri, Boushal; Coman, Costa, Angelo; Mane, Felix, Hamdan. Al Diriyah’s confirmed lineup As for Al Diriyah, the start of the season did not go as planned following a home defeat against Al Ahli Saudi. The club is aiming to get back on track in the King Cup of Champions. Al Diriyah confirmed XI (4-2-3-1): Vasilj; Al Faraj, Djimsiti, Mbemba, Al Obaid; Gueye, Al Malki; Diandy, Rodriguez, N’Koudou, Laborde.
The league is entering a new financial phase, with clubs becoming more cautious about how much they spend on first-team players while still trying to maintain the star power that has transformed the competition in recent years. Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema remain the Saudi Pro League’s two biggest earners, but the spending landscape around them has taken an unexpected turn. The league is entering a new financial phase, with clubs becoming more cautious about how much they spend on first-team players while still trying to maintain the star power that has transformed the competition in recent years. The change is especially striking because the Saudi Pro League built much of its global reputation through enormous investments in internationally renowned players. Ronaldo remains the face of that transformation, while Benzema continues to rank among the competition’s highest-paid stars, yet the latest figures suggest the era of unchecked wage growth is beginning to cool. According to estimates from salary data provider Capology, cited by Saudi newspaper Al-Eqtisadiah, the Saudi Pro League‘s fixed player wage bill has fallen by around 13% for the 2026-27 season. Base salaries are now estimated at approximately $1.11 billion, compared with roughly $1.28 billion last season. When bonuses and other estimated incentives are included, the total wage package stands at around $1.38 billion, down from approximately $1.58 billion previously. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr lifts the Saudi Pro League Trophy That represents a substantial reduction for a competition that has spent the past few years aggressively recruiting some of football’s biggest names. The decline reflects a combination of expensive contracts leaving the books and new financial controls designed to encourage more sustainable spending. Ronaldo remains the league’s highest-paid star Despite the overall reduction, Ronaldo remains comfortably at the top of the salary rankings. Capology estimates that the Al-Nassr captain earns approximately $241 million in fixed annual salary, equivalent to roughly $4.6 million per week before bonuses are taken into account. Benzema follows in second place, with an estimated fixed salary of around $142 million per year. Sadio Mane ranks third at approximately $46 million, while Kalidou Koulibaly is next at around $40 million, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ivan Toney both estimated at roughly $30 million. SPL WAGE BILL DROPS 13% THIS SEASON… 🇸🇦💰Total fixed salaries down to €959.5M — total package including bonuses around €1.2B, per @aleqtisadiah pic.twitter.com/8Jhyz0NdmL— All About SPL 🔔 🇸🇦 (@Saudifutbol) August 17, 2026 These figures are particularly significant because they highlight how much the league’s financial structure still revolves around elite talent. However, the gap between the biggest contracts and the broader spending environment could become more controlled as clubs adapt to the new regulations. New spending rules change the landscape The reduction in wages is closely connected to stricter financial regulations introduced for the new season. Clubs are now limited to spending no more than 75% of their revenue on first-team costs, down from the previous 80% threshold. The remaining portion is intended to support areas such as youth development, infrastructure and other long-term projects. The aim is to ensure that clubs can continue competing at a high level without allowing wage commitments to grow beyond what their revenues can reasonably support. Karim Benzema of Al Hilal during the AFC Champions League Elite. The Saudi Pro League’s aggressive recruitment strategy succeeded in raising its profile around the world. Ronaldo’s arrival at Al-Nassr in 2023 helped trigger a wave of major transfers, with other clubs subsequently attracting players such as Benzema, Mane and Neymar.
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After Thiago Mendes denied him a handshake, Neymar issued a harsh response to the midfielder: "He's a nobody." Neymar was involved in one of the most talked-about moments of the weekend in Brazil after Thiago Mendes snubbed him during the pre-match handshakes before Santos faced Vasco da Gama. Following the match, the former Barcelona star offered a blunt response regarding the midfielder, stating: “He’s a nobody.” Santos traveled to face Vasco on Sunday, August 16, in a critical match to climb out of the relegation zone. Tensions flared early when the teams lined up for pre-game greetings, as Thiago Mendes was captured on camera refusing to shake Neymar’s hand, leaving the forward’s hand hanging before Neymar smirked and proceeded to greet the match officials. الاسطورة نيمار يمد يده ليصافح تياغو مينديز ولكنه يتجاهل نيمار 😨😨😨😨😨😨😨😨 pic.twitter.com/rYOAdTpbgR— Team Neymar (@TeamNey10) August 16, 2026 Behind goals from Gabriel Barbosa, Willian Arao, and Luan Peres, Santos secured a vital 3-0 victory in the Campeonato Brasileiro, but post-match discussions remained centered on the pre-game friction between the two captains. Speaking in the mixed zone at the Estadio Sao Januario, Neymar was asked directly about the snub and pulled no punches: “To be honest, I don’t care much about that guy. To me, he is a nobody. In 2020, he broke my ankle, which I think he did on purpose. And I didn’t let it go: we had a little fight in our last match against each other, which I think is normal in a football match.” Reflecting on their history across European and Brazilian soccer, Neymar continued his critique. “I wasn’t even thinking much about him in today’s match because I don’t care. He refused to shake my hand, which I see as very disrespectful. The most important thing is that we still won against them and he can keep crying. Everyone knows Neymar Jr., but nobody even knew Thiago Mendes’s name until today,” he concluded. The viral moment drew widespread attention across social media, with Santos’ official Instagram account adding fuel to the fire by posting a video referencing the snub. Neymar commented on the post with a laughing-crying emoji, adding the caption: “Pride comes before a fall.“ Neymar and Mendes’ history of friction Despite both hailing from Brazil, the rivalry between Neymar and Thiago Mendes dates back to their time playing in Europe, specifically in France. During a Ligue 1 clash between PSG and Olympique Lyonnais in 2020, Mendes committed a heavy tackle on Neymar that resulted in a severe ankle injury, forcing the superstar off the pitch in tears. Essa foi a famosa entrada do Thiago Mendes "para quebrar" o Neymar.Uma fake criada em época que o Neymar era intocável para os brasileiros.Alguém sem clubismo acha realmente que isso é uma falta absurdamente dura?Você sabia que o piti do Neymar era um lance "normal" assim? pic.twitter.com/wTgZ66BWGc— Rafael Rocha (@RR_VASCO) August 18, 2026 Medical reports later confirmed Neymar suffered a severe left ankle sprain, though initial fears had pointed to a fracture. The two players crossed paths again in February 2026 during a 2-1 victory for Santos, where they engaged in a heated mid-pitch argument that ended with Mendes aiming a headbutt at the Santos captain. Following that February incident, Neymar addressed Mendes’ conduct during his post-match press conference: “He is always the one starting problems, he always tries to act tough, he is always like that. With all due respect, he is an idiot. He broke me once at PSG and he made me a promise today. Let’s see if he has the manhood to break me again.“
Spain’s World Cup-winning captain has completed his move to Camp Nou where he is a natural successor to club legendBy the time Flight PTN27B started its descent into El Prat a bit before 8pm on Monday evening, a small crowd had gathered by the terminal doors, waiting for it to land. A few people stood and watched the sky, cameras out to capture its arrival. A lot more watched on their phones. In the two hours it had taken to get there from Manchester, taking off at 5.11pm, 101 minutes behind schedule, the Pilatus PC-24 had become the most tracked plane on the planet. Everyone knew that Rodrigo Hernández was on board. Unless, of course, he had been sneaked away in a catering cart.Five days earlier, Rodri had been seen, and recorded, at Barajas airport waiting to get on a flight back to Manchester from Madrid. He wheeled a small RFEF (Spanish football federation) case with his name on, stood alone in the queue, the World Cup winning-captain just a bloke in shorts and T-shirt, and his stay in the UK was supposed to be brief, just long enough to say goodbye. The plane he was boarding was a Ryanair one: that was the detail everyone homed in on, something extraordinary in the ordinariness. This time, though, he came on a private jet, one way. His family travelled with him. He came to sign for FC Barcelona. Continue reading...
The club is taking no chances with its captain after his extended summer break, and the latest update suggests supporters may not have to wait much longer to see him back on the pitch. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s return to competitive action with Al-Nassr is beginning to take clearer shape after the Portuguese superstar was handed a carefully managed fitness plan. The club is taking no chances with its captain after his extended summer break, and the latest update suggests supporters may not have to wait much longer to see him back on the pitch. Ronaldo has already returned to training, but Al-Nassr has decided to ease him back into competitive football rather than immediately throw him into the opening fixtures. A special fitness program has now been designed to prepare the 41-year-old for his comeback, with his workload being closely monitored by the club’s fitness staff. The Portuguese forward spent an extended period away from Al-Nassr following Portugal’s campaign at the 2026 World Cup. He subsequently returned to the Saudi club last week after enjoying time away from soccer, including his holiday with Georgina Rodriguez. Although Ronaldo missed the club’s preseason preparations in Lisbon, reports indicate that he maintained a good level of physical condition during his break. That has allowed Al-Nassr’s coaching staff to focus primarily on restoring his match sharpness rather than starting his conditioning work from scratch. The return of the GOAT is more likely than ever!🐐🥵 https://t.co/0mFElPY1dA pic.twitter.com/6zER04pEBD— The Nassr Tribune™️ (@AlNassrTribune) August 18, 2026 Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah reported that Ronaldo has been placed on a special fitness plan designed by Al-Nassr’s fitness coach to raise his physical levels ahead of his return. Special 90-minute session forms part of comeback plan The latest update came as Ronaldo was scheduled to complete a 90-minute fitness session on Tuesday at Al-Nassr’s training center in Riyadh. The session is part of a tailored program intended to prepare him for competitive action in the coming weeks. Al-Riyadiyah reported that the club’s fitness coach had prepared a special program for the Portuguese star to build his fitness ahead of the upcoming matches. The session comes after Ronaldo missed Al-Nassr’s opening Saudi Pro League match against Al-Fateh, which the club won 3-0. He was also expected to sit out Tuesday’s King’s Cup Round of 32 clash against Al-Diriyah, with the coaching staff continuing to prioritize his gradual return. Cristiano Ronaldo in Al-Nassr training The exact return date is finally taking shape With the Al-Diriyah match effectively serving as another game Ronaldo will miss, attention now turns to Al-Nassr’s next league fixture. Ronaldo is now expected to return against Al-Riyadh on Friday, August 21, assuming he completes the fitness plan without any setbacks. That would give the veteran forward several more days to work on his conditioning before being reintroduced to competitive play. The timing also makes sense for Al-Nassr, which has little reason to rush its biggest star this early in a long campaign. Reports from Al-Riyadiyah also suggest Ronaldo has lost little of his sharpness during his time away from the club, providing further encouragement that his return could arrive sooner rather than later. The special fitness plan is therefore less about rebuilding his physical condition completely and more about making sure he is ready to handle the intensity of a competitive match.
Cristiano Ronaldo indicated this could be his final season as a professional and revealed which sport he'll take up in the future. Cristiano Ronaldo opened up about what could be the final chapter of his professional career in a wide-ranging interview with Vogue. The 41-year-old Portuguese forward didn’t rule out that this campaign with Al Nassr could be his last as a professional. “This is probably my last year of football,” he told the magazine, adding that he wants to leave behind a legacy fitting of his career. Asked about life after football, Ronaldo made clear he already has a plan in place, and that padel will be a central part of it. “I have my future all mapped out… Because football could leave a big hole, you have to fill your time in various ways, not just one. And also have more fun, travel more, watch and play padel, which I really like, and continue to enjoy what I’ve earned, what we’ve earned,” he said. None of it means Ronaldo is walking away just yet. He missed Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al Fateh on August 15 and also sat out their King’s Cup debut against Al-Diriyah, as he continues working his way back into match fitness after his wedding with Georgina Rodriguez. He’s expected to return for Al Nassr’s Matchday 2 clash with Al Riyadh on August 21, as the club looks to defend their title and secure back-to-back championships for the first time in more than 11 years. Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez are married! For weeks, the internet was awash with speculation—about the date, the location, the guest list. (The rumored celebrity attendees included everyone from Rio Ferdinand to Rihanna.) In the end, the couple’s wedding took place on… pic.twitter.com/uBNOBVteye— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) August 16, 2026 On an individual level, he remains just 24 goals shy of becoming the first player in history to reach 1,000 career goals, giving this potential farewell season no shortage of storylines regardless of how it ends. Ronaldo’s own padel club in Lisbon Ronaldo is far from the only elite athlete drawn to the sport, but few have invested in it quite like he has. In 2024, he acquired 100% of the shares in the Lisboa Racket Club, a premier complex in the Alvalade neighborhood featuring eight tennis courts, seven padel courts and five squash courts, making him the outright owner of one of Lisbon’s top racket-sports venues. Ronaldo isn’t the only star who plays padel Several other big football names have shown a taste for the sport too. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have also been spotted playing padel together in Miami, squaring off in a friendly match that went viral after Suarez lost a bet tied to it. Vinicius Junior has had a padel court installed at his own home, where he regularly plays with several Real Madrid teammates, and former Dutch international Arjen Robben has gone as far as competing in padel professionally since hanging up his boots.
Al Nassr face Al Diriyah today, August 18, in the 2026–27 King Cup of Champions, with the big question on why Cristiano Ronaldo won't play. Al Nassr and Al Diriyah meet in the Round of 32 of the 2026–27 King Cup of Champions, and all eyes are on Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability for this match. After the starting XI was announced, it was confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will sit out Al Nassr’s match against Al Diriyah. The Portuguese star did not feature in his team’s debut for the 2026–27 Saudi Pro League season either. Head coach Ange Postecoglou has decided to give the 41-year-old rest to regain match fitness following the 2026 World Cup and his recent wedding. Al-Nassr’s confirmed lineup While it is a Round of 32 cup match, Postecoglou deployed a strong starting XI similar to the squad featured in Matchday 1 of the 2026–27 SPL season against Al Fateh. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr. Al Nassr confirmed XI (4-3-3): Bento; Salem, Simakan, Alamri, Boushal; Coman, Costa, Angelo; Mane, Felix, Hamdan. Al Diriyah’s confirmed lineup As for Al Diriyah, the start of the season did not go as planned following a home defeat against Al Ahli Saudi. The club is aiming to get back on track in the King Cup of Champions. Al Diriyah confirmed XI (4-2-3-1): Vasilj; Al Faraj, Djimsiti, Mbemba, Al Obaid; Gueye, Al Malki; Diandy, Rodriguez, N’Koudou, Laborde.
The league is entering a new financial phase, with clubs becoming more cautious about how much they spend on first-team players while still trying to maintain the star power that has transformed the competition in recent years. Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema remain the Saudi Pro League’s two biggest earners, but the spending landscape around them has taken an unexpected turn. The league is entering a new financial phase, with clubs becoming more cautious about how much they spend on first-team players while still trying to maintain the star power that has transformed the competition in recent years. The change is especially striking because the Saudi Pro League built much of its global reputation through enormous investments in internationally renowned players. Ronaldo remains the face of that transformation, while Benzema continues to rank among the competition’s highest-paid stars, yet the latest figures suggest the era of unchecked wage growth is beginning to cool. According to estimates from salary data provider Capology, cited by Saudi newspaper Al-Eqtisadiah, the Saudi Pro League‘s fixed player wage bill has fallen by around 13% for the 2026-27 season. Base salaries are now estimated at approximately $1.11 billion, compared with roughly $1.28 billion last season. When bonuses and other estimated incentives are included, the total wage package stands at around $1.38 billion, down from approximately $1.58 billion previously. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr lifts the Saudi Pro League Trophy That represents a substantial reduction for a competition that has spent the past few years aggressively recruiting some of football’s biggest names. The decline reflects a combination of expensive contracts leaving the books and new financial controls designed to encourage more sustainable spending. Ronaldo remains the league’s highest-paid star Despite the overall reduction, Ronaldo remains comfortably at the top of the salary rankings. Capology estimates that the Al-Nassr captain earns approximately $241 million in fixed annual salary, equivalent to roughly $4.6 million per week before bonuses are taken into account. Benzema follows in second place, with an estimated fixed salary of around $142 million per year. Sadio Mane ranks third at approximately $46 million, while Kalidou Koulibaly is next at around $40 million, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ivan Toney both estimated at roughly $30 million. SPL WAGE BILL DROPS 13% THIS SEASON… 🇸🇦💰Total fixed salaries down to €959.5M — total package including bonuses around €1.2B, per @aleqtisadiah pic.twitter.com/8Jhyz0NdmL— All About SPL 🔔 🇸🇦 (@Saudifutbol) August 17, 2026 These figures are particularly significant because they highlight how much the league’s financial structure still revolves around elite talent. However, the gap between the biggest contracts and the broader spending environment could become more controlled as clubs adapt to the new regulations. New spending rules change the landscape The reduction in wages is closely connected to stricter financial regulations introduced for the new season. Clubs are now limited to spending no more than 75% of their revenue on first-team costs, down from the previous 80% threshold. The remaining portion is intended to support areas such as youth development, infrastructure and other long-term projects. The aim is to ensure that clubs can continue competing at a high level without allowing wage commitments to grow beyond what their revenues can reasonably support. Karim Benzema of Al Hilal during the AFC Champions League Elite. The Saudi Pro League’s aggressive recruitment strategy succeeded in raising its profile around the world. Ronaldo’s arrival at Al-Nassr in 2023 helped trigger a wave of major transfers, with other clubs subsequently attracting players such as Benzema, Mane and Neymar.
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