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.

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.

According to Inter Miami insider Jose Armando, both players are still without the necessary visas to join the squad, with interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos noting that their arrivals need a few more days to be finalized.

Galarza, a Paraguayan midfielder, arrived on loan with a purchase option from River Plate, while Fillipi, a Brazilian forward, joined on a permanent transfer from Palmeiras. Both signings were brought in to add depth to Inter Miami’s squad as the club continues chasing silverware on multiple fronts this season.

Their absence comes at a pivotal moment, with Inter Miami looking for revenge after Nashville thrashed them 4-1 back in August, a result that also has major implications for the Supporters’ Shield race as the two sides battle for positioning in the league’s overall standings down the stretch.

Nashville currently sit atop the Supporters’ Shield standings with 53 points from 24 matches, while Inter Miami trail in third with 44 points from the same number of games. A win at Nu Stadium wouldn’t close that gap entirely, but it would deliver a psychological blow to the league’s frontrunners and keep Miami’s outside chances at the Shield alive heading into the season’s final stretch.

Inter Miami’s injury list adds to the squad crunch

The delay in getting Galarza and Fillipi onto the field comes as Inter Miami continue to manage its own list of absentees. Mateo Silvetti remains sidelined after undergoing surgery on a dislocated left shoulder sustained against Atlanta United, while Tadeo Allende is out for the remainder of the season following knee surgery performed in Barcelona.

There was better news elsewhere, as Micael, Gonzalo Lujan, Santiago Morales and Sergio Reguilon have all returned to full training with the group after their respective injury layoffs, giving the coaching staff a few more healthy options to lean on while the club’s newest arrivals wait to be cleared to play.

The two Portugal internationals have shared countless moments together over the years, including their country’s historic Euro 2016 triumph. Their familiarity was obvious as Ronaldo approached Danilo during the match, with cameras catching the pair exchanging smiles after an unusual moment involving the Al-Ittihad defender.

The incident happened during Al-Nassr’s 2-1 defeat to Al-Ittihad on September 5, a result that ended the defending champions’ perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season. While the match was fiercely contested, Ronaldo briefly turned his attention away from the action when he noticed Danilo holding a tactical note.

Danilo had received instructions from Al-Ittihad’s coaching staff and was looking at the piece of paper when Ronaldo moved behind him. The Al-Nassr captain leaned over in an apparent attempt to see what was written, creating an amusing scene that was quickly picked up by television cameras.

Danilo eventually noticed Ronaldo standing behind him, and rather than reacting angrily, the former teammates appeared to laugh about the situation. The moment was soon shared widely online, with Al-Ittihad even joining in with the banter. “Cheating and still losing!”, Al-Ittihad took to X (formerly Twitter) to write.

Danilo finally reveals what Ronaldo asked

Almost a week after the match, Danilo finally explained what happened between the two players. Speaking after Al-Ittihad’s victory over Al-Fayha, the defender confirmed that Ronaldo had indeed managed to see the tactical instructions on the paper.

But the funniest detail was what Ronaldo actually said to him. “Yes, it’s true… Cristiano asked me, ‘Are you going to play like this?’, he told reporters, via Al-Riyadiah. Danilo explained that he had not initially realized Ronaldo was standing behind him.

Once he heard the Portuguese star speaking, however, the situation became clear: “I didn’t know he was behind me, and then I heard him talking behind my back, asking me, ‘Are you going to play like this?’ My answer was, ‘Yes, yes… we’ll play like this.’”

Ronaldo’s competitive instincts were on display

The exchange was funny, but it also offered a glimpse of Ronaldo’s mentality. Even during a heated league match, the 41-year-old was looking for any piece of information that could give Al-Nassr an advantage, although this particular attempt clearly became more entertaining than useful.

Danilo later played down the incident, insisting that there were no hard feelings between the pair. When asked whether Ronaldo had actually read what was on the paper, he confirmed that he had, before making clear that it contained tactical information rather than anything particularly sensitive. “He was behind me and he did indeed read what was written on the paper, but there is no problem, it was only about tactics.”

The relaxed reaction reflected the long relationship between the two players. Ronaldo and Danilo spent years together with Portugal and were part of the squad that won Euro 2016, giving the incident an almost friendly feel despite their fierce club rivalry.

Footage from the session has quickly circulated among Inter Miami supporters, with fans immediately connecting the moment to Messi’s previous muscle problems. There is currently no official confirmation that the Argentine has suffered a new injury, however, leaving the situation open to interpretation.

The video, filmed during Inter Miami’s training session this Friday, shows Messi taking part in light work before appearing uncomfortable at one point. He bends over and appears to check or hold his leg while moving more cautiously for a short period.

Messi subsequently continues with the session and is seen carrying on with light drills involving the ball. That detail is important because the footage alone does not establish that Messi has suffered an injury or that he will miss an upcoming match.

The clip was shared by independent Inter Miami accounts on X (formerly Twitter), with footage originally attributed to Ramao Sports. The images have nevertheless been enough to trigger concern among supporters familiar with Messi’s recent fitness issues.

Why Messi’s history makes the footage worrying

The reaction is understandable because Messi has experienced several lower-body muscle problems during the past year. Earlier in 2026, a left hamstring muscle overload or fatigue issue forced him off during Miami’s MLS match against Philadelphia Union in May, while he had also dealt with related discomfort earlier in the season.

At 39, Messi’s workload is naturally being monitored more closely than it was earlier in his career. His demanding schedule has included club football with Inter Miami as well as another major international campaign with Argentina, placing additional emphasis on managing his physical condition.

That history means even relatively minor signs of discomfort can generate significant attention. Still, players can occasionally stretch, check a muscle or move cautiously during training without the incident developing into an actual injury. For now, the biggest takeaway is that Inter Miami has not announced a new injury involving Messi.

There has also been no confirmed medical update indicating that the forward is facing another hamstring problem or any other specific issue. The circulating footage therefore needs to be treated carefully. While it does show the Argentine appearing to experience a moment of discomfort, there is no evidence from the video alone that he has sustained an injury that will affect his availability.

Why Inter Miami cannot afford Messi setback

The timing would be particularly significant for Inter Miami, which is entering an important stage of the MLS campaign. Messi remains the club’s most influential attacking player, and his availability can have a major effect on the team’s ability to compete across a demanding schedule.

Supporters have also raised broader questions about player workload, particularly with MLS teams facing congested periods and limited opportunities to rotate their biggest stars. Managing Messi’s minutes could become increasingly important as Inter Miami approaches the decisive part of the season.

The club will therefore have little reason to take unnecessary risks with its captain. If Messi is feeling any discomfort, careful monitoring during the next few training sessions should provide a much clearer indication of whether the moment was simply temporary stiffness or something more serious.

Brozovic’s future has been the subject of growing speculation in recent weeks, with potential destinations in Europe also discussed. However, the latest developments suggest that the 33-year-old is preparing to remain in the region, although his next club is outside the Saudi Pro League.

According to Win Win journalist Ismael Mahmoud and journalist Ahmed Ragab, negotiations over the Croatian’s next transfer have reached their final stages. The midfielder is reportedly close to completing a move after becoming a free agent following the end of his Al-Nassr contract.

Brozovic remains in Riyadh for the time being and is expected to travel next weekend to undergo his medical examination. The final details are reportedly being completed before contracts are signed, meaning the transfer could soon become official.

The situation represents a change from earlier speculation surrounding his future. Brozovic’s agent, Marina Mikulic, recently admitted that the midfielder was still considering his options. “Brozović is currently in Riyadh. We still don’t know what his next destination will be. We are waiting for offers, and we have not been in contact with Al Ittihad or Al Ahli.”

Where will Brozovic reportedly continue his career?

The mystery surrounding Brozovic’s next club has now largely been solved, with Qatari powerhouse Al Sadd reportedly agreeing a one-season contract with the Croatian, including an option for another year.

The proposed deal is structured as a 1+1 contract, allowing Brozovic to remain with Al Sadd beyond the initial campaign if both sides decide to extend the agreement. The move would also keep the experienced midfielder in the Gulf after three seasons in Saudi Arabia.

For Brozovic, it is a significant decision because a Saudi stay and a return to Europe had remained a possibility. Italian clubs, including Fiorentina and Lazio, were reportedly linked with the former Inter star, but those options ultimately failed to materialize.

When could Ronaldo face his former teammate again?

The most intriguing aspect of the move for Al-Nassr supporters is what it could mean for Ronaldo. Al-Nassr is scheduled to face Al Sadd at Al-Awwal Park in the AFC Champions League Elite on November 24, potentially putting the Portuguese superstar against his former midfield partner.

Brozovic and Ronaldo spent three seasons together in Riyadh after the Croatian arrived from Inter in 2023. Their partnership became an important part of Al-Nassr’s midfield, with Brozovic providing control and defensive balance behind the club’s attacking stars.

If the transfer is completed before their continental meeting, Ronaldo and Brozovic could find themselves on opposite sides of the pitch only months after sharing the same dressing room. It would add an extra layer of intrigue to an already important AFC Champions League fixture.

The 41-year-old would go on to play a decisive role himself, scoring the opening goal in a 2-1 victory at Al-Awwal Park. Yet before the match even began, Ronaldo had already attempted to set the tone inside the dressing room with a speech that reflected the mentality that has defined his career.

Al-Nassr entered the Abha match looking to recover from a 2-1 defeat against Al-Ittihad, the club’s first loss of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League campaign. The setback had come in the fifth round and provided the defending champions with their first real setback of the new season.

Rather than allowing the result to linger, Ronaldo urged his teammates to draw a line under it. His message focused heavily on the opening stages of the Abha game and the importance of establishing control immediately.

“Let me tell you something, the last match is over, and it has become the past”, he said. The forward then made his expectations even clearer, calling on the team to attack the match with maximum intensity. For Ronaldo, the response had to begin from the first whistle rather than develop gradually as the game progressed.

Ronaldo reveals exactly what he wanted from Al-Nassr

Ronaldo’s pre-match speech centered on one simple demand: Al-Nassr had to start with overwhelming strength and make Abha believe that winning was almost impossible. “Today, in the first twenty minutes, we have to go in with all our strength, make them believe that winning today is impossible. The first twenty minutes will be decisive, lads; let’s start with great strength today, let’s go”, Ronaldo ended passionately.

The 41-year-old stressed the same principles, telling his teammates to play with maximum focus from the beginning and impose their style immediately. The message was direct, aggressive and unmistakably Ronaldo.

Interestingly, his emphasis on the first 20 minutes almost became prophetic. Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, rising to meet a corner from Ângelo and sending a powerful header toward the far post, with the ball striking the post before crossing the line.

Ronaldo then led by example

For Ronaldo, the evening was another example of his relentless approach to soccer. He demanded intensity from his teammates before kickoff, then backed up his words by scoring himself, helping Al-Nassr immediately put its first league defeat of the season behind it.

His pursuit of 1,000 goals continues to attract most of the headlines, but the Abha match offered another glimpse into why he remains such an influential figure inside the Al-Nassr dressing room. His speech was built around urgency, confidence, and refusing to carry a previous defeat into the next game.

At 41, Ronaldo still expects the same standards from himself and those around him. Against Abha, his message was simple: forget the defeat, start aggressively, and make the opponent feel Al-Nassr’s presence immediately.

According to The Nassr Tribune, Coman continues his recovery from the hamstring injury he picked up during Al Nassr‘s match against Al Ittihad, when he was forced off in the 60th minute. An MRI scan confirmed the issue as a mild hamstring tear, with the Frenchman advised to take at least a week of rest before being reassessed.

Coman won’t be the only absentee for the trip, as Abdulrahman Ghareeb and Ayman Yahya will also stay behind and miss out on the match, further thinning Ronaldo’s supporting cast for the fixture.

The good news for Al Nassr is that Coman’s absence is expected to be short-lived, with the club’s medical staff targeting his return in time for the AFC Champions League Elite opener against Al Ain on September 15, a continental debut Ronaldo will be eager to have his full squad available for.

Logistics are also being managed with that fixture in mind: rather than flying back to Riyadh after facing Al Khaleej in Dammam, the squad will travel directly to the UAE, a decision made by Ange Postecoglou to cut down on fatigue and give his players extra recovery time before kickoff against Al Ain.

Postecoglou could rotate his squad against Al Khaleej

With Al Nassr eager to start their AFC Champions League Elite campaign on the right foot against Al Ain just three days later, Postecoglou is reportedly expected to manage his squad’s workload against Al Khaleej, limiting minutes for some of his key players, Ronaldo included, to ensure the team arrives at peak fitness for the continental opener.

Al Nassr came agonizingly close to continental glory last season, falling 1-0 to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final back in May. With Ronaldo and company now moving up to the more prestigious AFC Champions League Elite, the club is determined to put together a strong campaign in Asia’s top club competition after last season’s heartbreak.

At 41, Ronaldo has already confirmed that the tournament in North America was his final World Cup, while Portugal’s early elimination has only intensified speculation about what comes next. With the Nations League approaching, attention has now turned toward whether the legendary No. 7 will continue wearing the Portugal shirt.

The veteran’s international career stretches back more than two decades, beginning with his senior debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003. Since then, he has developed into Portugal’s most famous player and one of the greatest international players in history, collecting records for goals and appearances along the way.

He has scored 146 goals in 233 appearances for Portugal, while his international résumé includes the 2016 European Championship and the 2019 UEFA Nations League. However, after the nation’s last 16 defeat to Spain at the 2026 World Cup, the focus has shifted from what Ronaldo has achieved to how much longer he intends to continue.

The forward remains under contract with Al-Nassr until the summer of 2027, although his long-term playing future is also becoming increasingly uncertain. Ronaldo has previously indicated that his current club career could be approaching its final stage, making the next few months particularly significant.

Joao Cancelo finally addresses Ronaldo’s Portugal future

Cancelo was asked directly about Ronaldo’s international future after Barcelona’s Champions League victory over Feyenoord on September 10. Rather than offering a firm prediction, the Portugal defender gave a short response that reflected the uncertainty around the situation. “We hope so, we’ll see,” Cancelo told TNT Sports, giving supporters reason to remain hopeful while making it clear that he does not know whether Ronaldo will continue.

The response is particularly significant because Cancelo has repeatedly shown his support for Ronaldo throughout their time together with the national team. His latest comments suggest that even those closest to the veteran forward may still be waiting for the 41-year-old himself to make the final call.

Could Ronaldo say goodbye to Portugal soon?

Portugal’s upcoming Nations League campaign could provide the first real indication of Ronaldo’s plans. New head coach Jorge Jesus, who previously worked with Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, has already made it clear that age alone will not prevent the forward from being selected.

“As long as he’s playing and is in a condition to be selected, I will pick him, within certain limits and under the conditions that I consider best for the national team“, he said recently. Jesus has also described Ronaldo as a symbol of Portuguese soccer and insisted that he would never become a problem for the Selecao. That stance leaves the door firmly open, provided the Al-Nassr captain wants to continue.

There has also been speculation that Ronaldo could choose a Nations League match in Lisbon as his farewell appearance, with Wales reportedly emerging as a possible opponent. The potential symbolism would be enormous given the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s connection to Sporting and the beginning of his professional career in Lisbon, although there has been no official confirmation that he has chosen such a farewell.

Pulisic has been back in training for several weeks after recovering from his World Cup injury, yet his return has been slower than expected. Now, with Milan preparing to face Lazio, Amorim has finally provided clarity on what comes next for the American.

The American forward’s problems began during the 2026 World Cup, where he managed only 224 minutes as injuries limited his involvement with the United States. Reports indicated that he suffered a bone bruise and microfracture around the tibia and fibula in his right leg, while previous injury problems also continued to cause discomfort.

After returning to Rossoneri training in August, Pulisic appeared close to making his comeback. However, a knock during his first training session back forced another interruption, adding to the caution surrounding his return.

That has left the 27-year-old without a single competitive minute for the San Siro outfit this season. He was included in the squad for all three Serie A matches but remained an unused substitute each time, including the 1-1 draw against Juventus.

Amorim sends Pulisic harsh warning

The biggest issue for Pulisic is that his reputation alone will not guarantee him a starting place under Amorim. The Milan coach has made it clear that he will reward players who are performing well, even if that means keeping an established star on the bench. “Christian Pulisic is not happy because he didn’t play so far,” he said. “But I like him a lot as a player, remember he was injured this summer.”

Amorim then made his philosophy unmistakable. “I will never pick my starting lineup based on big names. These are my principles and won’t change.” That is the reality Pulisic now faces at Milan. The coach is refusing to disrupt a winning formula simply to accommodate a high-profile player, particularly while 19-year-old Alphadjo Cisse has taken his opportunity and impressed.

Cisse has scored twice in Milan’s opening three league games, giving Amorim a compelling reason to continue trusting the teenager. Pulisic’s absence has therefore coincided with the emergence of a young player who has quickly established himself in the attacking midfield role. Amorim acknowledged that situation rather directly.

“I won’t remove anyone who’s doing well just to name a player. This is my way of managing the group, and I’ll die with these principles.” For Pulisic, that means his route back into the starting lineup must be earned through performances rather than reputation. The positive side is that Amorim has repeatedly stressed that he considers Pulisic an important player for the team.

Pulisic finally has something to look forward to

The good news for Pulisic is that his wait is finally coming to an end. Amorim confirmed ahead of Saturday’s trip to Lazio that the American will receive minutes at the Stadio Olimpico, although the coach has deliberately kept the starting lineup under wraps. “You’ll see him tomorrow [Saturday]. I don’t know if he’ll start or play during the game. I think he’ll play a few minutes,” the Portuguese said.

That frustration could actually work in Pulisic’s favor. Amorim sees his disappointment as evidence of the competitive mentality he wants from his players, provided the winger channels that emotion into his performances once he gets onto the pitch.

Amorim also offered Pulisic a much broader reason to remain patient. Milan’s schedule is about to become significantly more demanding, particularly after the international break, when the club will face a period containing multiple matches every week.

“After the break, we’ll have eight weeks with three games per week. I think they are going to be tired of playing, so there’ll be time for everyone,” Amorim said. He added that Pulisic is “very important” and will play a lot of games, suggesting that the current lack of minutes is more about managing his recovery and rewarding current form than pushing him out of the project.

Al Nassr next travel to face Al Khaleej on Saturday for Matchday 7 of the Saudi Pro League. However, manager Ange Postecoglou is expected to manage squad rotation and limit minutes for stars like Ronaldo ahead of Tuesday, September 15, when the club opens its continental schedule against Al Ain.

One key status to monitor leading into the match is Coman, who sustained an injury during the recent fixture against Al Ittihad. Diagnostic testing proved optimistic, with an MRI confirming the French international suffered only a mild hamstring tear.

According to Saudi outlet Arriyadiyah, Al Nassr’s medical staff could clear Coman to return for the AFC Champions League Elite opener against Al Ain. While continuing his recovery protocol at the club’s training facilities, he has already been ruled out for Saturday’s league match against Al Khaleej.

The start of the 2026-27 campaign has proven frustrating for Coman, who has yet to record a goal or assist through six appearances for Al Nassr. However, his 1-v-1 isolation skills and service remain vital components of the attack alongside Ronaldo, making his inclusion a potential game-changer.

Cristiano Ronaldo looking to conquer Asia

Ronaldo signaled ahead of the 2026-27 season that the campaign could mark his final year as a active professional. Having earned the moniker “Mr. Champions League” across Europe after lifting five titles while setting the competition’s all-time scoring record, the Portuguese forward aims to add an Asian continental trophy to his resume.

This season represents Ronaldo’s third appearance in the AFC Champions League with Al Nassr. His debut run came during the 2023-24 campaign, where he recorded six goals and two assists in nine matches before Al Nassr suffered a quarterfinal elimination against eventual champions Al Ain in a penalty shootout.

His second run in 2024-25 produced his finest individual returns, with Ronaldo scoring eight goals in eight matches. However, Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale ended Al Nassr’s run in the semifinals with a 3-2 victory on Saudi soil before falling to Al Ahli in the final.

Facing Abha on Wednesday, Al Nassr were short-handed in attacking options due to Kingsley Coman’s hamstring injury and Joao Felix’s suspension for accumulating four yellow cards. Forced to adapt his lineup, Postecoglou shifted from his traditional 4-4-1-1 formation to a 4-4-2 setup.

Brazilian midfielder Angelo shifted from a central pivot to the right wing, while Abdullah Al-Hamdan joined Cristiano Ronaldo in a two-man strike partnership up front. The tactical adjustment yielded immediate dividends, as Angelo set up Ronaldo’s opening header from a corner kick before Al-Hamdan doubled the lead by capitalizing on a second-half opportunity inside the box.

Following the match, Postecoglou addressed the tactical shift, praising the output of his central partnership: “Every match is different, and our squad is limited, so it’s natural for us to change the system. I think Al-Hamdan and Cristiano had a good game today, and it was a good choice for us.“

Postecoglou previously deployed the 4-4-2 shape during a 4-0 road victory over Al Riyadh on August 21. In that fixture, Joao Felix and Al-Hamdan initiated the attack before the Saudi Arabian forward was substituted in the second half for Ronaldo’s season debut.

New options for Postecoglou up front

While Kingsley Coman remains sidelined, Joao Felix will return from his one-match suspension, and with his status as SPL Player of the Season honors last year, making his return to the starting XI expected. However, Wednesday’s performance presents Postecoglou with alternative tactical setups ahead of their upcoming clash against Al Khaleej.

Against Abha, Cristiano Ronaldo registered nine touches inside the penalty area, while Al-Hamdan added eight, underlining Al Nassr’s territorial dominance inside the opponent’s box while liberating midfield runners. Facing an Al Khaleej defense anchored by tall center-backs Kiki Kouyate (6-foot-4) and Mohammed Al-Khabrani (6-foot-1), Postecoglou could favor a similar physical presence up front while shifting Joao Felix to a wide position.

Following Argentina‘s defeat in the 2026 World Cup final, Scaloni explicitly questioned his long-term future, even as his current deal runs through December. “I will honor my contract and then I’ll see. The truth is I feel the need to evaluate everything, because I don’t know if I’m going to be able to replicate something of this magnitude,” he stated during his post-match press conference.

Lionel Messi’s departure from international football has reshaped the national team landscape, delivering a major shockwave to AFA leadership and Scaloni’s long-term planning. Additionally, once his contract expires in December, assistant coach Walter Samuel plans to step down to begin his own head-coaching career, removing a core pillar from Scaloni’s technical staff.

Nevertheless, according to reporting from TyC Sports, formal contract extension negotiations between Scaloni and AFA are progressing. While federation leadership initiated dialogue, the manager has yet to issue a formal decision, with resolution expected over a extended timeline rather than the immediate future.

No financial issues on Scaloni’s side

Despite key departures like Messi and Samuel, AFA executives are working to resolve operational challenges, particularly on the financial side. Recent reports suggested the federation owed significant back pay in performance bonuses to players and staff, creating friction between team leadership and executives.

However, TyC Sports reports that all accounts remain in compliance, clarifying that 2026 World Cup bonuses are subject to a standard 180-day payout window following the tournament’s conclusion. Furthermore, sources close to Scaloni’s inner circle express optimism regarding his willingness to extend his stay with the national team.

No friendlies yet scheduled for Argentina

Few managers possess a deeper understanding of Argentina’s roster transition than Scaloni, though the lack of confirmed top-tier opposition for upcoming windows remains a point of contention. To complicate matters further, with an expanded international window scheduled in less than three weeks, AFA have yet to formally announce opponents after missing an initial launch target.

Reporting from ESPN indicates Bolivia, Burkina Faso, and Benin have emerged as primary candidates for Argentina’s autumn slate. However, scheduling lower-ranked opponents presents a point of friction in contract discussions for a manager seeking elite competition. Meanwhile, Moroccan publication Al Mountakhab reported discussions for a potential fixture against Morocco, though AFA’s preference to host matches on domestic soil presents logistical hurdles.

According to OptaJoe, Paz’s two assists made him the youngest Argentine to set up multiple goals in a single Champions League match since Messi did the same for Barcelona against Basel in October 2008, when Messi was 21 years and 120 days old.

Paz, at 22 years and two days old, becomes the first Argentine to repeat that feat since Messi accomplished it 18 years ago, though Messi still holds the record as the youngest player ever to do it.

Messi’s last Champions League assist came on November 2, 2022, setting up Kylian Mbappe’s opener in a 2-1 win over Juventus that closed out PSG’s group-stage campaign.

The Argentine finished that tournament with 4 goals and 4 assists in seven appearances, and the round-of-16 elimination to Bayern Munich that followed turned out to be his final Champions League run before his move to Inter Miami closed the book on his European career, a stretch of history Paz now finds his name attached to nearly two decades later.

Como’s debut win goes down in the Italian football history books

Como’s 4-1 rout of RB Leipzig stands as more than just three points to open their maiden Champions League campaign, it’s the widest winning margin ever recorded by an Italian club in a European competition debut.

Martin Baturina got things started before setting up Tasos Douvikas, and Assane Diao and substitute Maxi Perrone rounded out the scoring in the second half, with Andrija Maksimovic’s strike serving as Leipzig’s only reply.

At the end of the match, Nico Paz revealed that his desire to make history with Como was behind his decision to stay in Italy, despite rumors linking him to Real Madrid. “It was for nights like this that I wanted to stay, I knew this is where I would grow the most, and I am really pleased with my decision. I made the right choice,” the Argentine said.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Philippe Coutinho is set to join Santos through the conclusion of the 2026 season. With a verbal agreement finalized, the 34-year-old midfielder needs only to pass his medical examinations before the club formally announces the transaction.

After departing Aston Villa in 2025, Coutinho returned to his boyhood club, Vasco da Gama, in July. However, his tenure ended abruptly when he mutually terminated his contract in February following mounting friction with supporters to preserve his mental health.

Coutinho’s last competitive appearance came on February 14 for Vasco da Gama against Volta Redonda in the Campeonato Carioca. While sidelined without match action for seven months, the midfielder maintained a personal conditioning routine to prepare for his eventual return.

Neymar and Coutinho have been international teammates since their youth days with Brazil‘s U-17 team, featuring together in 41 senior international matches. During that span, Coutinho assisted on five of Neymar’s goals, while Neymar set up three of Coutinho’s strikes. Their move to Santos will mark the first time the two Brazilian veterans share a club locker room.

Coutinho previously arrived at Barcelona as Neymar’s high-profile replacement following his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, arriving from Liverpool in a €135 million ($148 million USD) deal. While Coutinho struggled to replicate Neymar’s statistical impact in Catalonia, he now joins his former Selecao teammate to help Santos push for international tournament qualification next season.

Neymar’s massive help to Santos in the transfer market

With medical testing scheduled for Friday, Globo Esporte reported that Coutinho will travel on Thursday aboard a private jet provided by NR Sports, the management firm operated by Neymar’s family that spearheaded contract negotiations. Acquiring the former Liverpool playmaker was a direct request from Neymar, continuing a trend of high-profile recruitment at the club.

Santos recently confirmed that financial assistance from NR Sports allowed the club to resolve a FIFA-imposed transfer ban, reopening operational channels for roster additions. Since lifting the ban, Peixe have signed Rodinei, Lima, Everton Cebolinha, and former Barcelona midfielder Arthur Melo, with Coutinho set to become the fifth major arrival backed by Neymar’s agency.

With that strike, Kane has now scored in eight consecutive Champions League appearances, a feat that places him among just four players in the competition’s history to ever reach that mark, joining Cristiano Ronaldo, who has done it on two separate occasions, during the 2013-14 and 2017-18 campaigns.

The other two members of that exclusive club are Robert Lewandowski, who also managed the streak twice during his career, and Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose own run helped define an era of Champions League goalscoring in the early 2000s.

Kane’s goal came in the 60th minute, rising to head home a cross from Michael Olise after Jamal Musiala had opened the scoring earlier in the match. The strike also extended his tally to 33 Champions League goals since joining Bayern in the summer of 2023, the most of any player in the competition over that stretch.

Kane still chasing Ronaldo’s all-time record

Kane’s run leaves him three matches shy of the outright record of 11 consecutive Champions League appearances scoring, a mark Ronaldo set between September 2017 and April 2018 that remains unmatched.

With Bayern set to continue their group-phase campaign in the coming weeks, Kane will have every opportunity to keep the streak alive and push closer to a milestone that has stood since Ronaldo’s historic run at Real Madrid.

If Kane keeps the streak alive, his next three Champions League opponents to test him are Viking FK away on October 13, Arsenal at home on October 21, and Atletico Madrid away on November 3, a run that would take him to 11 consecutive matches scoring and level with Ronaldo’s all-time mark.

Should he then find the net again away to Lille on November 25, Kane would move to 12 straight games and surpass Ronaldo outright as the player with the longest goalscoring streak in Champions League history.

The numbers come from the latest CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post 552, published on September 9, 2026. Rather than measuring current player values, the report looks at the cumulative transfer fees and add-ons paid to assemble each club’s current first-team squad, offering a different way of examining the balance of power in Saudi soccer.

Al-Hilal sits comfortably at the top of the Saudi rankings, followed by Al-Ahli, Al-Qadsiah, Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr. The order highlights how heavily several clubs have invested in their current squads, while Al-Nassr’s position represents a significant change compared with the previous year.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the Saudi top five have collectively invested around €1.606 billion in transfer fees and add-ons for players currently on their books. Al-Hilal alone accounts for roughly one-third of that total.

The rankings are Al-Hilal at €535 million, Al-Ahli at €329 million, Al-Qadsiah at €257 million, Al-Ittihad at €251 million, and Al-Nassr at €234 million. Al-Qadsiah has made the biggest climb, rising 20 places globally, while Al-Nassr has suffered the largest fall among the five, dropping 11 places.

The spending gap finally revealed

That is where the scale of Al-Hilal’s advantage becomes particularly striking. Al-Hilal has spent €535 million assembling its current squad, compared with €234 million for Al-Nassr, a difference of €301 million, meaning Al-Nassr’s total is less than half of its Riyadh rival’s.

In Saudi currency, CIES puts Al-Hilal’s squad acquisition cost at approximately 2.34 billion Saudi riyals, while Al-Nassr stands at around 1.02 billion riyals. Al-Ahli follows at 1.44 billion riyals, with Al-Qadsiah at 1.12 billion and Al-Ittihad at 1.10 billion.

The figures are especially interesting because Al-Nassr remains the defending Saudi Pro League champion and continues to have some of the biggest names in the competition, including Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman. Its current squad is therefore still capable of competing at the highest level despite the much lower cumulative acquisition cost.

Why the CIES figures need context

There is an important distinction behind the numbers. CIES is measuring what clubs paid to acquire the players currently in their squads, including add-ons regardless of whether those bonuses have actually been paid, rather than calculating what those players are worth today.

That means the figures should not be confused with Transfermarkt’s estimated market values. Around the time of the report, Al-Hilal’s squad was valued at roughly €240 million, while Al-Nassr’s was around €137 million, illustrating the difference between historical acquisition costs and current estimated values.

Wages are also excluded from the CIES calculation. That matters considerably in the Saudi Pro League, where salaries and other financial commitments can represent a substantial part of the overall cost of assembling a squad.

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.

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.

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.

Pulisic has been included in Ruben Amorim’s matchday squads for Milan’s first three Serie A games, yet he has remained an unused substitute in each. The 27-year-old has been dealing with the effects of injuries suffered during the 2026 World Cup, where he managed only 224 minutes across four appearances.

The 27-year-old suffered a bone bruise and microfracture around his right tibia and fibula during the World Cup, while previous injury problems also caused discomfort throughout the tournament. Those issues followed him back to Milan and have prevented him from completing a full preseason under Amorim.

The situation became particularly frustrating after the Rossoneri’s 1-1 draw with Juventus. Pulisic was once again named among the substitutes but never entered the game, while 19-year-old Alphadjo Cisse continued to occupy his attacking role.

Amorim has repeatedly indicated that the decision is connected to Pulisic’s physical condition rather than a lack of belief in his ability. After the Juventus match, the Milan coach explained that he was carefully managing several players as they worked their way back to full fitness. “Pulisic is back from injury. I’m managing him. For now, Alpha is taking his place,” Amorim said.

Will Pulisic play against Lazio?

The latest indications from Milan News suggest Pulisic will again start on the bench against Lazio on Saturday, with Cisse expected to retain his place in the starting XI.

That would leave Pulisic waiting for his first Serie A appearance of the season, although there is optimism that he could finally receive some playing time at the Stadio Olimpico. By the time Milan faces Lazio, almost a month will have passed since Pulisic returned to group training.

The expectation is that the American is still not fit enough to start, but he could be introduced during the match if his condition allows. Cisse has given Amorim a reliable alternative in the meantime, scoring against both Torino and Juventus to strengthen his case.

The numbers behind Pulisic’s drought

Pulisic’s absence has also made his scoring drought increasingly difficult to ignore. According to Corriere dello Sport, 255 days have passed since Pulisic last scored, while 109 days have passed since his last appearance for Milan. His last goal in the Red and Blacks’ kit came before the turn of the year, when he was one of the club’s most influential attacking players.

Those numbers represent a dramatic change from the player Milan supporters saw earlier in his Rossoneri career. Pulisic had scored important goals, decided a derby and even helped Milan fight back against Torino despite reportedly playing while carrying a fever. Now, under a new coach and in a new system, the American is still waiting for his opportunity to rediscover that form.

Milan is already looking ahead to Pulisic’s contract situation, with negotiations expected to become a major topic in the coming months. According to Milan News, Cardinale isn’t willing to risk losing one of the club’s most important players and is pushing for an agreement that would keep him at the San Siro beyond his current deal.

The Rossoneri have the option to unilaterally extend Pulisic’s contract until 2028, but that is not the preferred solution. The club would rather reach a mutually agreed renewal that convinces the forward to continue committing himself to the Rossoneri project.

That stance underlines how highly Pulisic is regarded by the ownership, despite his difficult start to the new campaign. Milan still considers him a cornerstone of its future, but his relationship with the new coaching setup could prove increasingly important.

Pulisic’s difficult return continues

Pulisic has endured a frustrating few months since the 2026 World Cup, where he managed only 224 minutes after leg problems restricted his involvement. Reports indicated that the winger suffered a bone bruise and microfracture around the tibia-fibula junction in his right leg, while previous injury issues also caused discomfort during the tournament.

Those problems have carried into the beginning of the 2026-27 season. Despite returning to group training on August 21 and being included in Milan’s matchday squads, Pulisic has played zero minutes in the opening three Serie A matches, including the 1-1 draw against Juventus.

The situation has been particularly noticeable because 19-year-old Alphadjo Cisse has taken up the role Pulisic would normally occupy, while Yunus Musah has started every league game so far. Pulisic has instead watched from the substitutes’ bench as he continues his gradual return to full fitness.

Why Amorim holds the key to Pulisic’s future

This is where Amorim’s role becomes crucial. According to SportMediaset, the 27-year-old winger has become something of a mystery under the Portuguese coach, having remained an unused substitute despite training with the team for several weeks.

Amorim has explained that his decision is linked to carefully managing Pulisic’s return rather than simply overlooking him. After the Juventus draw, the Milan coach said: “Pulisic is back from injury. I’m managing him. For now, Alpha is taking his place.”

The coach also stressed that several players are being handled carefully as Milan balances fitness and results. “We’re still managing the minutes of some players and trying to win the match,” the Portuguese boss explained, emphasizing the physical considerations involved in his selection decisions.

That approach could become central to Pulisic’s future. Cardinale may want the American to remain at Milan until 2028, but Amorim has to decide how important Pulisic is to his tactical plans, particularly with Cisse making such an impressive start.

Following his departure from Club Leon, Rodriguez joined Minnesota United with expectations of establishing himself among the league’s marquee stars. However, after logging just 274 minutes across eight appearances and delivering two assists, Minnesota United and the player agreed to part ways upon his contract expiration, sending the attacking midfielder back into free agency.

According to Diario AS journalist and Colombia insider Pipe Sierra, Rodriguez has reached a verbal agreement to join Atletico Nacional as a free agent. Negotiations have entered the final stages, with contract execution and an official announcement expected in the coming days.

While Atletico Nacional have yet to issue a formal statement, internal confidence remains high regarding closing the deal. Over the past 24 hours, the club’s official social media channels posted subtle teasers centered around the No. 10 jersey, fueling excitement among supporters anticipating Rodriguez’s arrival.

Rodriguez originally emerged through Envigado’s youth academy in 2005 before completing a transfer to Argentine club Banfield in 2008 at age 16. Now, nearly two decades after leaving his home country, he prepares to return to help Los Verdolagas in their pursuit of domestic silverware.

Having been eliminated from international competition earlier in 2026, Atletico Nacional currently sit atop the Primera A standings with 40 points through 19 matches at the midpoint of the campaign. Adding Rodriguez provides a major catalyst for the club, with a league title securing qualification for the Copa Libertadores, South America’s premier club competition.

James drew interest from Italy

After spending just three months in MLS followed by four months as a free agent, market options meeting Rodriguez’s financial and competitive requirements proved limited. However, the former Real Madrid star briefly evaluated an opportunity to return to Europe, albeit outside top-flight competition.

According to transfer reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, Italian Serie B club Avellino submitted a formal contract offer to secure the veteran playmaker. Despite the Italian club’s ambitious push, Rodriguez ultimately passed on joining the second-tier side to complete his return to Colombia with Atletico Nacional.

Edul reported that Samuel’s exit is already resolved internally, with the departure set to take effect once the post-2026 cycle begins. This could turn out to be one of the factors weighing on Scaloni’s own decision about whether to renew his contract with the AFA, which remains unresolved.

Edul tied the coach’s continuity to whether he still has the energy and desire to rebuild a team and start a new stage of the project, a rebuild that would now have to happen without one of his most trusted lieutenants regardless of what Scaloni himself decides.

Samuel’s departure would mark the end of a partnership that delivered four titles, the 2021 and 2024 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, along with a run to the 2026 World Cup final.

Whether or not Scaloni stays on, his technical staff will need to be at least partially rebuilt for whatever comes next, adding one more layer of uncertainty to Argentina‘s post-Messi era.

Samuel eyes a head coaching career of his own

Samuel’s departure from Argentina isn’t just about closing a chapter, it’s about opening a new one. According to reports, the former defender wants to launch his own career as a head coach once his AFA contract expires, with Europe identified as his preferred destination for a first opportunity in charge of a first team.

Before joining Scaloni’s staff in 2018, Samuel already had experience on the touchline, working as an assistant at Inter Milan during the 2016-17 season under Stefano Pioli and Stefano Vecchi, and later as part of Pierluigi Tami’s coaching staff at Switzerland’s FC Lugano.

Within the Argentina setup, he became known for his work on the team’s defensive structure and set pieces, a specialty that earned him the trust of Scaloni’s staff throughout an eight-year run that produced four major titles.

Spanish news agency EFE reported Thursday that Lekjaa, during a political address in Bouznika, Morocco, declared the country would secure the final for the 2030 edition. “The province of Benslimane will have the honor of hosting the 2030 World Cup final,” he said.

The proclamation drew immediate pushback from Spanish sports executives, who have long positioned Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabeu as the logical centerpiece for the final match. However, the venue remains unconfirmed, as FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, retains final decision-making authority over tournament match assignments.

Morocco have launched an ambitious infrastructure initiative to support their co-hosting duties, anchored by a record-setting stadium project. Benslimane, the municipality highlighted by the Morocco FA president, sits 60 kilometers (37 miles) outside Casablanca and will house Hassan II Stadium, a $1 billion USD project built for a projected capacity of 115,000 seats. Upon completion, it will stand as the largest soccer-specific stadium in the world.

While Lekjaa has publicly laid claim to the 2030 final, FIFA have yet to formally confirm host venue designations across the tournament. For comparison, MetLife Stadium (rebranded as New York/New Jersey Stadium during international competition) was not officially awarded the 2026 World Cup final until February 2024, reflecting the extended timeline governing bodies typically utilize before announcing final selections.

Spain FA also pushing to hold the final

Numerous structural decisions remain unresolved for the 2030 World Cup, including whether opening-stage fixtures assigned to Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will expand beyond initial celebratory matches, as well as final field expansion logistics. Regardless of format adjustments, the destination of the final remains the ultimate prize, one Spanish executives are unwilling to relinquish without a fight.

Speaking to reporters in Ceuta, RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) president Rafael Louzan called for diplomatic alignment between bid partners: “Spain has to work with those with whom we signed the bid. We can’t say: now you’re in, now you’re not… We have all signed an acceptance of a bid, and the bid, as you know, is what it is. Therefore, we must work on that.“

Louzan subsequently reinforced Spain’s posture regarding the location of the final match, outlining the country’s historic qualifications. “The pity was that, regarding the final, it wasn’t made clear, completely clear, where that final has to be played. Spain, a two-time world champion and current number one in both men’s and women’s football, has to host that final. We will all work together, because we have no other choice, so that we can deliver the best World Cup in history,” explained the RFEF president.

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.

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 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.

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.

Lionel Messi’s next match with Inter Miami is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, when the Herons host Nashville SC at Nu Stadium for the 2026 MLS. The Argentine star heads to the game after delivering an assist and be the first player to reach 1,350 goal contributions in the 1-1 draw against Chicago Fire.

As for his next game with Argentina, there is no game scheduled yet, but the next matchups will be in the upcoming extended international break in September-October. Still, Lionel Messi has already announced his retirement from the national team, marking the end of an era at the Albiceleste.

During the World Cup, Messi featured in all eight matches for Argentina scoring eigth goals to cement his legacy as the second all-time top scorer in the torunament with 21 career World Cup goals. As for the 2026 MLS campaign, Messi has featured in 21 official matches so far across all competitions for Inter Miami, scoring 18 goals with 11 assist registered thus far.

Lionel Messi and the task of defending the World Cup title

The year 2026 will be especially significant for Messi, not only because of Inter Miami’s ambitions but also because he’ll head into the 2026 World Cup aiming to defend the title. The triumph in Qatar in 2022 marked one of the defining peaks of his career, and now in North America he’ll enter another tournament wearing the champions’ badge for the first time.

Drawn into Group J, Argentina will open its campaign against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16, in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium. The second match will be against Austria on Monday the 22nd in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, before closing the group stage against Jordan on Saturday the 27th, also in Texas.

The Argentina FA has announced that the national team will base itself in Kansas City during the tournament, though training facilities have yet to be confirmed. Expected to be his final World Cup appearance, Messi will have a chance to add to his record haul with a squad coached by Lionel Scaloni that remains one of the strongest in international soccer after winning the last World Cup and back-to-back Copa América titles.

Instead, the Herons let the chance slip in a 1-1 draw against Chicago Fire at Soldier Field, a result that did little to change the shape of the Eastern Conference race at the top.

Chicago struck first in the eighth minute, with Robert Lewandowski rising to head home a cross from the left flank for his seventh goal since joining MLS, giving the hosts an early cushion that Inter Miami had to chase for the rest of the half.

The visitors found their equalizer early in the second half through a well-worked set piece: Messi delivered a corner kick toward the penalty spot, and Casemiro rose above the Chicago defense to plant a header off the right post and past goalkeeper Christopher Brady, leveling the score at 1-1.

The draw leaves Inter Miami on 44 points, nine behind a Nashville side that had every chance to open the gap further but failed to do so themselves. The two sides will meet head-to-head on Saturday, September 13, in what shapes up as a defining fixture for whatever remains of Miami’s Supporters’ Shield hopes, against the same Nashville team that beat them 4-1 earlier this season.

Where the Supporters’ Shield race stands

Nashville SC remains firmly in control at the top of the table, sitting on 53 points from 24 matches with a 16-5-3 record, a cushion that leaves the rest of the league playing catch-up. Vancouver Whitecaps sit second with 46 points from 23 games, while Inter Miami’s draw kept them in third on 44 points, level of games played with the leaders but nine points adrift.

Houston Dynamo trail closely in fourth with 43 points, and a chasing group of New England, LAFC and FC Dallas are all tied on 40 heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

With nine matchdays remaining, Inter Miami’s path to the Shield still exists mathematically, but Saturday’s head-to-head trip to Nashville now looms as close to a must-win if that gap is going to close in any meaningful way.

Ronaldo scored in the 22nd minute of his side’s 2-1 victory over Abha on September 9, 2026, rising to meet an Angelo corner and sending a downward header toward goal. The ball struck the post before crossing the line, giving Ronaldo his 979th career goal and helping his club recover from its recent defeat to Al-Ittihad.

The significance of the goal becomes clearer when looking at the bigger picture. With the strike against Abha, Al-Nassr extended its scoring streak to 93 consecutive league matches, continuing a run that began in December 2023.

The club had already secured the domestic record earlier in the 2026-27 campaign. The Knight of Najd became the first team in Saudi Pro League history to score in 89 consecutive matches, surpassing the previous benchmark of 88 held by Al-Hilal.

The streak began on December 8, 2023, when Al-Nassr defeated Al-Riyadh 4-1. Since then, the Riyadh club has found the net in every league fixture, turning what initially looked like a routine run of scoring form into one of the most remarkable streaks in modern domestic soccer.

Ronaldo helps Al-Nassr close in on world record

Breaking the Saudi record was only part of the story. By scoring against Abha, Al-Nassr reached 93 consecutive league matches with at least one goal, matching the historic mark associated with Argentine giant River Plate. River Plate achieved the same figure between 1936 and 1939, meaning the Saudi club has matched a record that stood for decades.

The achievement is particularly striking because Al-Nassr has maintained the run across multiple seasons, managers and squads. The arrival of major international stars has transformed the Saudi Pro League in recent years, but Al-Nassr’s ability to consistently find goals has remained remarkably stable.

One more match could make history

Al-Nassr is now one scoring game away from taking the world record outright, assuming the 93-match River Plate benchmark is used. That gives every upcoming league fixture an added layer of significance. The club does not need a victory or a particular number of goals to break the mark, as one goal would be enough to move beyond 93 consecutive matches.

The consistency behind the run has also been a collective achievement. Ronaldo has been central to Al-Nassr’s attacking threat, but the streak has survived because the club has repeatedly found contributions from different players and maintained its ability to score across changing circumstances.

For Ronaldo personally, the Abha match was another reminder that age has done little to diminish his influence. At 41 years old, the forward played the entire match and was named Al-Nassr’s man of the match for the second time this season. His latest strike also moved him to 979 career goals, leaving him only 21 away from the extraordinary 1,000-goal milestone.

Ronaldo scored in Al-Nassr’s 2-1 victory over Abha on September 9, heading home an Angelo corner in the 22nd minute. The goal was his 979th career strike, moving him closer to the 1,000-goal milestone while also adding another entry to one of the most remarkable statistical chapters of his career.

The finish against Abha was classic Ronaldo. He attacked the delivery with perfect timing, generated enough power to beat the goalkeeper and watched as the ball struck the post before crossing the line. The goal also took Ronaldo to 158 headed goals, according to the commonly circulated modern statistical tally.

That figure puts him ahead of a long list of legendary forwards and highlights just how unusual his aerial production has been throughout a career that has included Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr. The 41-year-old was also named man of the match for the second time this season, after playing the full 90 minutes.

So how many more headers does Ronaldo need?

This is where the viral claim requires some correction. A social media graphic celebrated Ronaldo as the outright record holder with 158 headed goals, claiming that he had overtaken Celtic legend Jimmy McGrory, who was listed at 157.

However, historical compilations provide a different figure for McGrory, with the Scottish great credited with 162 headed goals in the more commonly referenced historical tally. That means Ronaldo is currently four headed goals away from the 162-goal mark attributed to McGrory, according to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).

The distinction matters because there is no universally recognized FIFA database ranking every headed goal scored throughout soccer history. Statistics from the early decades of the 20th century are particularly difficult to verify, meaning totals for players such as McGrory can differ depending on the source and methodology.

Ronaldo already in class of his own

Even with the historical caveat, Ronaldo’s numbers are extraordinary. The commonly cited top five for headed goals currently has McGrory on 162, Ronaldo on 158, Fred Roberts on 134, Mario Jardel on 132, and Santillana on 129. The gap between Ronaldo and the players immediately behind him shows just how far ahead he is of most of soccer history when it comes to scoring with his head.

What makes Ronaldo’s tally even more impressive is that he has never been a traditional target man whose entire game was built around playing as a penalty-box No. 9. He has spent large portions of his career operating from the wing or as a roaming forward, particularly during his Manchester United and Real Madrid years.

His ability to attack crosses from different positions, combined with his leap, timing and movement, turned him into one of the most dangerous aerial players the sport has ever seen.

Inter Miami traveled to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Fire in MLS action, seeking to close the gap on Nashville SC in the race for the 2026 Supporters’ Shield. However, Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for the home side with an acrobatic finish in the 10th minute.

Despite testing the defense on multiple long-range efforts, Messi was repeatedly denied by Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady, who turned aside four shots from the Argentine playmaker throughout the night. However, in the 48th minute, Messi whipped in a corner kick from the left flank, connecting with Casemiro, who rose above his marker to head home the equalizer.

Despite the 1-1 draw, Messi’s latest setup officially pushed his career total to 1,350 combined goals and assists. The delivery to Casemiro represented his 423rd career assist, extending his record as the game’s all-time setup leader, alongside 927 official goals across 1,173 appearances for an average of 1.15 goal contributions per match.

Lionel Messi’s breakdown of goal contributions

How far is Cristiano Ronaldo?

Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines earlier in the week after scoring his 979th career goal in Al Nassr’s 2-1 victory over Abha. While the Portuguese star remains closer to reaching the 1,000-goal mark, Messi maintains a clear edge in overall goal contributions.

Across stints with Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al Nassr, and the Portugal national team, Ronaldo has accumulated 979 goals and 261 assists in 1,335 career appearances. That brings his career tally to 1,240 goal contributions at a rate of 0.93 per match, leaving him 110 behind Messi.

During the 2025-26 campaign, Ronaldo captured the Saudi Pro League title with Al Nassr while producing 30 goals and four assists, adding three World Cup goals for Portugal to reach 37 goal contributions. At age 41, and having indicated that the 2026-27 season could mark his final professional campaign, the Portuguese legend faces an insurmountable gap to catch Messi’s total.

Following a 2-1 defeat to Norway, Neymar confirmed his international retirement, signaling the end of his career with the national team. Midfielder Casemiro was similarly expected to step away from international duty after departing European football to sign with Inter Miami at age 34.

However, Ancelotti expanded beyond those expected departures, executing a sweeping roster overhaul for the upcoming international window. Of the 26 players who traveled to North America for the World Cup, 15 were omitted, making way for eight first-time call-ups to the senior squad.

Ancelotti’s new 26-player roster

• Goalkeepers: Hugo Souza (Corinthians), Pedro Morisco (Coritiba), and Otavio (Cruzeiro)
• Defenders: Arthur Dias (Athletico Paranaense), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Jair (Nottingham Forest), Marquinhos (PSG), Mateuzinho (Corinthians), Mauro Jr (PSV Eindhoven), Vitor Reis (Manchester City), and Wesley (AS Roma)
• Midfielders: Andrey Santos (Manchester City), Breno Bidon (Corinthians), Bruno Guimaraes (Arsenal), Danilo (Botafogo), Douglas Luiz (Juventus), and Gabriel Bontempo (Santos)
• Forwards: Endrick (Real Madrid), Estevao (Chelsea), Joao Pedro (Chelsea), Pedro (Flamengo), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Samuel Lino (Flamengo), and Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

Through these selections, Ancelotti reaffirmed his commitment to integrating a younger generation of talent into the national team setup while holding the base of huge names such as Raphinha and Vinicius Junior as preparations begin for the 2030 World Cup cycle. The transition represents an imperative structural pivot given the advanced age of the previous roster.

During the 2026 World Cup, Brazil fielded the seventh-oldest squad in the tournament with an average age of 29.3 years, trailing only Iran, Panama, Colombia, Qatar, Cape Verde, and Scotland. Data from Transfermarkt indicates Ancelotti’s revised selection averages 24.9 years of age, reducing the roster’s collective age profile by nearly five full years.

High-profile exclusions from the squad

Marking an official roster transition, the full list of players omitted from Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad includes Alisson, Ederson, Weverton, Alex Sandro, Gleison Bremer, Leo Pereira, Roger Ibanez, Danilo, Fabinho, Casemiro, Luiz Henrique, Gabriel Martinelli, Matheus Cunha, Igor Thiago, and Neymar.

While absent from the upcoming autumn window, select players remain within Ancelotti’s long-term pool. While veterans like Neymar, Casemiro, Alex Sandro, and Danilo are unlikely to return, prime-age contributors such as Matheus Cunha (27), Gabriel Martinelli (25), and Igor Thiago (25) are expected to feature in future squad selections.

Ancelotti’s roster overhaul drew public criticism from former defender Thiago Silva regarding the lack of veteran leadership, an issue the head coach directly addressed during Wednesday’s press conference: “For the objectives we have in these friendlies, it is a balanced list. Right now is a moment to prioritize the young players who have potential and could be there in the future. One thing is certain: a 34 or 35-year-old player won’t have a future; he is the present. If a player at that age is prepared to play in an important competition, he will be in the national team.“

Brazil‘s upcoming schedule features a two-match series against Australia, opening September 25 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville before concluding September 29 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The Selecao then travel to face India on October 3 at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, marking the first senior international fixture between the two nations.

Messi enters the match fresh off a historic achievement, having become the first player in MLS history to reach 30 goal contributions in three separate seasons, a mark he hit while setting up Casemiro’s opener in Miami’s 2-2 draw against Atlanta United in the last fixture.

Despite the individual milestone, Miami‘s results have cooled considerably since their 7-1 rout of Montreal, and the club now sits 10 points behind Nashville SC in the race for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago Fire, meanwhile, arrive at the match sitting third in the East, five points behind Miami for second place, with a win Wednesday closing that gap to just two points and giving the Fire a game in hand on the Herons.

Gregg Berhalter’s side heads into the match off the back of a wild 4-4 draw at Toronto, a result that featured a brace from Maren Haile-Selassie and a goal from Robert Lewandowski, who has quickly established himself as one of the most efficient scorers in MLS since his move to Chicago.

Chicago Fire confirmed lineup

Chicago will be without Jonathan Bamba, Mbekezeli Mbokazi and Andre Franco, all of whom sat out the Toronto draw with lower-body issues. Zinckernagel leads the Fire’s attack this season and will look to combine again with Lewandowski and Haile-Selassie up top.

Chicago Fire confirmed starting XI: Chris Brady; Jeremy Dean, Jack Elliot, Noah Allen, Andrew Gutman; Anton Salestros, Dje Tah D’Avila, Robin Lod; Philip Zinckernagel, Robert Lewandowski, Maren Haile-Selassie.

Inter Miami confirmed lineup

Miami’s injury list remains lengthy, with Sergio Reguilon, Gonzalo Lujan, Micael and Mateo Silvetti all confirmed out for the trip to Chicago, forcing Guillermo Hoyos to once again patch together his backline and attacking rotation.

Inter Miami confirmed starting XI: Dayne St. Clair; Ian Fray, Casemiro, Maximiliano Falcon, Fricio Caicedo; Rodrigo De Paul, Yannick Bright, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, German Berterame.

Lionel Messi’s announcement of his retirement from the national team caught football executives off guard, concluding a 21-year international tenure with the Albiceleste. Scaloni remains under contract through December 2026 and intends to honor that agreement, but his willingness to commit beyond that date remains in question.

According to reporting from Argentine insider Veronica Brunatti, Scaloni signaled to AFA president Claudio Tapia that he is experiencing fatigue from the demands of managing the national team. While federation executives remain eager to lock him into a long-term agreement, negotiations regarding his future remain on hold.

The manager’s uncertainty aligns with two pivotal shifts: Messi’s international exit and Argentina‘s recent loss in the 2026 World Cup final. Navigating the departure of the program’s defining icon while phasing out veterans to initiate a new cycle toward 2030 presents a daunting mental workload for Scaloni, whose deep emotional bond with his core group has been well-documented throughout his tenure.

On Monday, September 7, Scaloni completed eight full years in charge of the national team, a milestone acknowledged across AFA’s official media channels. Reporting from TyC Sports and journalist Gaston Edul confirms that while formal contract extension negotiations have not officially opened, Scaloni is fully aware of AFA’s intent to keep him at the helm.

Argentina coaching staff member on the brink of leaving

While serving as the public face of Argentina’s tactical renaissance, Scaloni has frequently credited his supporting staff, comprising former national team icons Pablo Aimar, Roberto Ayala, and Walter Samuel, with shaping the culture behind the country’s recent championship run. Now, one of those key pillars is preparing to depart.

According to Brunatti, assistant coach Walter Samuel has made the decision to pursue a head coaching career. The former Inter Milan central defender sees his contract expire alongside Scaloni’s in December 2026, and he intends to seek his first senior managerial role in Europe following eight years on Argentina’s bench.

As a respected defensive strategist, Samuel oversaw set-piece preparation and defensive organization for the national team. With Scaloni set to lose a key pillar of his brain trust, questions surrounding his own willingness to lead Argentina into the 2030 cycle continue to intensify.

Ronaldo broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute, rising above his marker to meet an Angelo corner and powering a header that struck the post before crossing the line, a goal that took his career tally to 979 and kept alive his pursuit of the 1,000-goal milestone.

Abdullah Al-Hamdan doubled Al Nassr’s lead in the 58th minute with a right-footed finish into the top corner, capping a dominant display from a home side missing Joao Felix through suspension and Kingsley Coman through injury.

Abha refused to fold, and Nabil Fekir gave the visitors hope in the 75th minute, stepping up to a free kick from the left flank and catching goalkeeper Bento off guard by shooting directly on target rather than delivering a cross.

The result lifted Ange Postecoglou’s side level on 15 points with Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah heading into the next round, keeping Al Nassr firmly in the title conversation despite the earlier stumble.

Ronaldo climbs into the Saudi Pro League’s scoring picture

Ronaldo’s header moved him further up a crowded Golden Boot chase, though Ivan Toney remains well clear at the top. Despite Al Ahli’s 3-2 defeat to Al Qadsiah on Tuesday, Toney scored a brace in the loss, stretching his tally to eight goals and keeping him as the outright leader of the scoring charts.

Behind him, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, George Ilenikhena and Iker Kortajarena are tied for second with 4 goals apiece, while Ronaldo’s strike against Abha lifted him into a much larger group tied on 3, that includes Ruben Neves, Tijjani Reijnders, Alexandre Lacazette, Angelo, Darwin Nunez, and Moussa Dembele, among others.

The holdup comes down to paperwork: Gonzalez has yet to receive the work permit required to legally coach in the United States, and Inter Miami has stated he will only officially assume his duties once that documentation clears. Until then, the move remains agreed upon but not yet formalized on the touchline.

Inter Miami confirmed the agreement with Gonzalez in an official statement in late August, announcing that Hoyos would provisionally continue leading the first team until the new coach and his staff can arrive.

With no fixed date yet for when Gonzalez’s visa process will conclude, Hoyos remains the man in charge for Inter Miami’s upcoming matches, continuing to oversee a squad dealing with its own injury concerns while the club awaits the paperwork that will finally hand the reins to its intended long-term coach.

What’s next for Guillermo Hoyos?

Hoyos, 63, has left his own future at the club open for now. Speaking to reporters after a training session, he addressed Gonzalez’s looming arrival directly: “When Kily arrives we will surely get together and talk,” he said, adding that he remains available to the club and the incoming coaching staff to help during the transition period.

Inter Miami have not clarified what role, if any, Hoyos will have once Gonzalez takes over, but a club source told AFP that he continues to be held in “high regard” within the organization.

Inter Miami’s current season

While the coaching situation remains unresolved, Inter Miami’s on-field results have kept the club firmly in contention. The defending MLS Cup champions sit second in the Eastern Conference and third in the overall Supporters’ Shield standings, with a record of 12 wins, four losses and seven draws for 43 points. The attack has been prolific, with Lionel Messi’s 18 league goals leading an offense that has produced 58 goals through the season.

The cup competitions have told a different story. Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup run ended in March at the Round of 16 stage after consecutive 1-1 draws, and the Leagues Cup campaign also finished early, with just one win in three league-phase matches.

The one remaining chance at silverware outside MLS comes on September 16, when Inter Miami host Liga MX champion Cruz Azul at Nu Stadium in the Campeones Cup final.

Barcelona opened its Champions League campaign with a 5-1 victory over Feyenoord at Spotify Camp Nou, continuing an electric start to the 2026-27 season. Hansi Flick’s side controlled 72% possession, completed close to 800 passes and created 22 shots as its positional play repeatedly exposed the Dutch club’s defensive line.

Raphinha once again led the way with two goals, while Karim Adeyemi and Gabriel Jesus also found the net. Yamal contributed a goal and two assists, producing another performance that underlined why the Blaugrana is increasingly building its attack around the 19-year-old.

The result extended Barcelona’s remarkable scoring run to 22 goals in five matches across all competitions. What’s more, Yamal’s influence was felt immediately against Feyenoord when he produced the assist for Raphinha’s opening goal. His volley set up the Brazilian, who cut inside before sending two defenders the wrong way and finishing brilliantly.

That assist gave Yamal 21 Champions League goal involvements as a teenager, consisting of 11 goals and 10 assists. The tally moved him beyond Kylian Mbappe’s previous record of 20, before Yamal added another goal and assist to finish the night with 23 Champions League goal contributions.

Yamal becomes Barcelona’s youngest captain

The Champions League night also produced another significant milestone for Yamal, as he became the youngest player to wear Barcelona’s captain’s armband in the club’s history at 19. Raphinha, Barcelona’s first-choice captain for the 2026-27 season, handed the armband to Yamal while being substituted.

The Spaniard’s promotion had already been reflected in Barcelona’s leadership group. Raphinha is captain, Pedri is second captain, while Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong and Yamal complete the group after a squad vote.

The milestone saw Yamal overtake Bojan Krkic as Barcelona’s youngest captain. It is another indication of how quickly the club has come to trust a player who is still only 19.

How old was Messi when he first wore the armband?

That naturally raises the question of how Yamal compares with the greatest Barcelona player of the modern era. Lionel Messi was 21 years and 33 days old when he first wore Barcelona’s captain’s armband, doing so in a preseason friendly against Dundee United on July 27, 2008.

According to FC Barcelona’s official stats, Messi captained the team in that match under Pep Guardiola and marked the occasion in spectacular fashion by scoring a hat-trick in a 5-1 victory. Yamal therefore broke the club’s age record by taking the armband roughly two years earlier than Messi did.

There is an important distinction, however, because Messi’s first competitive appearance as Barcelona captain came later. He was 25 when he first started an official La Liga match wearing the armband, against Celta Vigo on March 30, 2013, when the club’s regular captains were unavailable.

Barcelona opened its 2026-27 UEFA Champions League campaign with a 5-1 demolition of Feyenoord at the Camp Nou, maintaining its perfect start to the season. Raphinha scored twice, Karim Adeyemi added his first European goal for the club, while Yamal and substitute Gabriel Jesus also found the net.

Raphinha needed only three minutes to open the scoring after receiving Yamal’s pass and cutting inside two defenders. Adeyemi then doubled the advantage in the 22nd minute before Raphinha struck again shortly after halftime, leaving Feyenoord with an almost impossible task.

Yamal eventually took over the spotlight, scoring Barca’s fourth in the 77th minute with a clever direct free-kick. Sem Steijn pulled one back for Feyenoord five minutes later, but Jesus restored the Blaugrana’s four-goal advantage in the 85th minute by converting Yamal’s cross.

Yamal makes history with the Barcelona armband

The night carried a milestone that had nothing to do with the Champions League record books. After Raphinha was substituted, he handed the captain’s armband to Yamal, making the teenager the youngest player in Barcelona history to captain the club.

Yamal had already been included in Barcelona’s leadership group for the 2026-27 campaign. Raphinha serves as first-choice captain, Pedri is second captain, while Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong and Yamal make up the remainder of the group following a squad vote.

The moment was particularly symbolic because Yamal is still only 19. He has gone from teenage prospect to one of Barcelona’s most important attacking players and now has a place in the club’s captaincy history as well.

How long did Messi wait to score as Barcelona captain?

That makes Messi’s own timeline especially fascinating. Lionel Messi was 25 years old when he first started an official La Liga match as Barcelona captain, doing so against Celta Vigo on March 30, 2013, when regular captains including Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez were unavailable.

Messi scored in the 72nd minute of Barcelona’s match against Celta Vigo, although there is an important technical detail surrounding the moment. Andrés Iniesta had come onto the pitch and taken the armband before Messi’s goal, meaning the Argentine started the match as captain but was no longer wearing it when he found the net.

According to Barcelona’s official data, Messi had actually worn the captain’s armband for the first time much earlier, in a preseason friendly against Dundee United on July 27, 2008. He was 21 years and 33 days old at the time and marked his first captaincy appearance with a hat-trick in a 5-1 victory.

Messi later became Barcelona’s permanent captain ahead of the 2018-19 season, following Iniesta’s departure. His first goal after becoming the club’s official captain came in the Joan Gamper Trophy against Boca Juniors on August 15, 2018, when he scored in a 3-0 victory.

According to OptaJoe, Yamal had already moved to 21 goal involvements in the Champions League with his assist for Raphinha’s opener, the outright most by a teenager in the competition’s history, one ahead of the previous record of 20 held by Mbappe.

He then padded that tally further before full time, first with his own free-kick goal and later with a second assist, this one for Gabriel Jesus, finishing the night with 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 goal involvements in the competition.

At 19 years old, Yamal continues to accumulate individual records at a pace few players in the tournament’s history have matched, having also become the third-youngest player ever to score a free kick in Champions League history.

Yamal becomes Barcelona’s youngest-ever captain

Yamal added another layer to his historic night by wearing the captain’s armband for the first time in an official match, becoming the youngest player ever to captain Barcelona at 19 years and 58 days old, breaking a record held by Bojan Krkic, who led the team in a 2010 Copa del Rey match at 20 years and 56 days old.

The armband wasn’t planned to start the game: first captain Raphinha wore it before being substituted in the 71st minute, while second-in-line Pedri had already been withdrawn in the 63rd, and with Eric Garcia suspended and Frenkie de Jong injured, the responsibility fell to Yamal, the club’s fifth captain option this season.

Match Overview

Inter Miami face a crucial Eastern Conference clash against the Chicago Fire. With the Windy City club trailing close behind the Herons in the standings, Lionel Messi’s side need a victory to extend their advantage at the top.

Both teams enter the fixture on the heels of dramatic draws; Inter Miami split the points with Atlanta United in a 2–2 result, while Chicago Fire shared the spoils with Toronto FC following an explosive 4–4 thriller.

Messi has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire 100% of CD Eldense, a Spanish second-division club based in Elda, near Alicante. The club confirmed the agreement on September 9, 2026, with the transaction still requiring legal procedures, due diligence, and approval from Spain’s High Council for Sports (CSD).

According to Reuters, BBC Sport and The Athletic, the deal would see Messi acquire the shares currently held by Colombian investment group TH Soluciones Group. There is currently no fixed completion date, meaning the agreement has yet to become a completed takeover.

Eldense is currently competing in the Segunda Division and is positioned near the bottom of the table. If the transaction receives the necessary approvals, Messi would gain control of a club in one of Europe’s most competitive second tiers, giving him another platform for developing young players and building a soccer operation.

Messi’s soccer portfolio keeps growing

The Eldense agreement would make Eldense the second Spanish soccer club under Messi’s full ownership. Earlier in 2026, he completed the purchase of Catalan side UE Cornella, a club particularly known for its focus on youth development.

Messi also has soccer interests outside Spain. He is a co-owner of Uruguayan club Deportivo LSM alongside longtime friend and Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez, while Argentine club Leones de Rosario FC is a family project administered by his brother Matías Messi.

His portfolio also extends beyond traditional soccer. Messi is a co-owner of KRU Esports, the organization founded by Sergio Aguero, and he is expected to receive an equity stake in Inter Miami as part of his playing agreement with the MLS club.

There is, however, an important distinction surrounding one frequently mentioned name. Several reports and social media posts have listed FC Andorra among Messi’s clubs, but there is no clear public evidence that Messi owns a stake in the soccer club itself. His family does have business interests in Andorra, including a family office, hotels, and corporate holdings.

So, how many clubs does Cristiano Ronaldo own?

The comparison with Ronaldo becomes particularly interesting because the Portuguese superstar has also moved into club ownership while continuing his playing career. Ronaldo officially owns a 25% stake in Spanish second-tier club UD Almeria, an investment completed through his CR7 Sports Investments subsidiary.

According to the BBC, Ronaldo acquired the Almeria stake in February 2026 and partnered with the club’s majority owners, the Saudi Arabian investment consortium SMC Group. That means Ronaldo currently has one clearly established direct soccer-club ownership stake.

Almería’s presence in the same division as Eldense makes the situation even more intriguing. Messi’s potential new club and Ronaldo’s Almeria are both competing in Spain’s second tier, creating the possibility of another chapter in the careers of two players whose rivalry dominated world soccer for more than a decade.

There have also been claims that Ronaldo has a broader structural connection to Al-Nassr, including reports of a stake linked to his long-term relationship with the Saudi club. However, the exact ownership structure is less clear publicly, so it is safer to distinguish those reported connections from his confirmed 25% Almería investment.

Despite controlling possession and generating the clearest chances against the newly promoted side, Al Nassr initially struggled to turn their dominance into goals. Ronaldo failed to hit the target on his opening two attempts before finally making his mark on the match.

In the 22nd minute, Angelo delivered a precise corner kick into the box, allowing Ronaldo to rise above his defender near the six-yard box. Connecting with power, he drove his header into the far post, past the reach of goalkeeper Donovan Leon.

The strike against Abha marked Ronaldo’s third goal through five appearances in the 2026-27 campaign and his 132nd overall in an Al Nassr uniform, demonstrating his ongoing efficiency at age 41. With a final 2-1 result, Al Nassr returned to the top of the standings, level with Al Hilal at 15 points apiece.

Ronaldo still closing in on 1,000-goal mark

Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines weeks ago by suggesting the 2026-27 campaign could mark his final season as a professional. That admission turned sharp focus toward what the Portuguese legend can accomplish before retiring, with one overarching milestone remaining: reaching 1,000 career official goals.

The header against Abha represented the 979th career goal for Ronaldo, leaving him 21 strikes shy of becoming the first player in modern soccer history to reach 1,000 official goals. While a demanding target, his current scoring pace keeps the milestone well within reach over the remainder of the campaign.

Averaging 0.60 goals per match with three goals through five appearances for Al Nassr this season, a linear projection indicates Ronaldo would require approximately 35 additional matches to produce the 21 goals needed to reach four digits.

Given the volume of fixtures across competitions, Ronaldo will have ample opportunities to close the gap before the end of the 2026-27 campaign. Between SPL, King’s Cup, and AFC Champions League Elite action, Al Nassr have at least 37 scheduled fixtures remaining, complemented by UEFA Nations League fixtures with Portugal that expand his runway beyond 40 matches.

Al-Nassr entered Wednesday’s Saudi Pro League meeting with Abha looking to recover from its first defeat of the season. Instead, Ronaldo’s contribution provided another chapter in the club’s remarkable rise, with his 22nd-minute header from Angelo’s corner giving the hosts a 1-0 victory at Al-Awwal Park.

The match was Al-Nassr’s sixth Saudi Pro League fixture of the season, with Ange Postecoglou’s side determined to respond after the 2-1 loss against Al-Ittihad. Abha, meanwhile, arrived at the bottom of the table after collecting only one point from its opening five matches.

Ronaldo made the difference in Riyadh, rising to meet Angelo’s delivery and sending his header into the net in the 22nd minute. The Portuguese superstar continues to produce decisive moments at the age of 41, while Al-Nassr continues to establish itself as one of the most consistent attacking teams in Saudi soccer. This time, however, Ronaldo’s finish also helped the club move into a very special place in the history of the game.

Al-Nassr matches 87-year-old soccer record

The significance of Ronaldo’s goal was revealed after the final whistle. According to Thmanyah, the Saudi league’s broadcasting network, Al-Nassr has now scored in 93 consecutive Saudi Pro League matches, matching the historic mark previously achieved by River Plate.

River Plate established its legendary scoring run between 1936 and 1939, finding the net in 93 consecutive domestic league matches. That record stood for roughly 87 years before Al-Nassr finally drew level with it.

The Saudi club’s remarkable sequence began in December 2023 and has survived changes in opponents, squad personnel and coaching approaches. Ronaldo has been one of the central figures in Al-Nassr’s attacking identity during this period, contributing consistently since joining the club in late 2022.

There is some conflicting information surrounding the exact starting point of the streak in the supplied reports, with one source placing the beginning after a December 2023 meeting with Al-Riyadh and another referencing the Al-Hilal defeat. However, the key milestone remains the same: Al-Nassr has now scored in 93 successive Saudi Pro League matches, equaling the historic benchmark.

One more goal could make Al-Nassr stand alone

Al-Nassr now has an opportunity to move beyond the mark when it returns to league action against Al-Khaleej. The club is scheduled to travel to Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam next Saturday for Matchday 7.

A goal in that fixture would give Al-Nassr 94 consecutive Saudi Pro League matches with at least one goal, allowing it to establish a new league scoring streak record outright.

The achievement is particularly impressive because the run has continued across multiple seasons and different versions of the squad. Players such as Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, and Angelo have all played their part in maintaining the club’s attacking consistency.

The Chicago Fire host Inter Miami on Wednesday, September 9, at Soldier Field. The home side enter the contest on a six-match unbeaten streak in MLS play, sitting fifth in the Supporters’ Shield standings with 38 points through 22 matches, while the Herons hold third place with 43 points through 23 games during a mixed stretch featuring one win, two draws, and two losses over their last five outings.

Lewandowski previously featured against Inter Miami following his July 22 arrival in Chicago, as the Herons secured a 3-2 victory in a match Messi missed while resting after Argentina’s 2026 World Cup run. For Wednesday’s fixture, however, both superstars are expected to feature in the starting XI for one of the season’s most anticipated MLS matchups.

A heated previous encounter between Messi and Lewandowski

Following the cancellation of the 2020 Ballon d’Or, Messi stated during his 2021 acceptance speech that Lewandowski deserved the prior year’s honor, prompting the Polish striker to publicly question Messi’s sincerity. Messi subsequently excluded Lewandowski from his voting ballot for FIFA The Best award, fueling further public friction between the two.

That tension spilled onto the pitch during Matchday 3 of the 2022 World Cup group stage, where Messi visibly snubbed an on-field greeting from Lewandowski prior to kickoff. Argentina went on to secure a 2-0 victory over Poland, highlighted by a late incident where Messi dribbled aggressively at Lewandowski before drawing a foul.

Speaking to ESPN a year later, Messi admitted he harbored extra motivation during that match. “I was bothered by the statements Lewandowski had made. Because when I won the Ballon d’Or, I truly meant what I said about him. And for him to speak the way he spoke, honestly, it bothered me. I dribbled past him again just because it was him,” he stated on what has been their last encounter until today.

A deadlocked all-time series

In recent years, the friction between the two icons has cooled, with Lewandowski publicly expressing hope that Messi would return to FC Barcelona during his tenure in Spain. Now competing as rivals in MLS, both stars will look to take the lead in their head-to-head record.

Their series began during the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League semifinals, where Messi scored twice and added an assist in Barcelona’s 3-0 first-leg win over Bayern Munich. Lewandowski scored in Bayern’s 3-2 second-leg victory, though Barcelona advanced 5-3 on aggregate.

Their final European club meeting came in 2020 during Bayern’s iconic 8-2 quarterfinal victory over Barcelona, where Lewandowski recorded a goal and an assist. Messi subsequently evened their all-time head-to-head record at 2-2-0 with Argentina’s World Cup victory over Poland, setting the stage for Wednesday’s MLS showdown to break the tie.

Only two players have managed the feat at a younger age: Wayne Rooney, who scored a free kick for Manchester United against Fenerbahce in 2004 at 18 years and 340 days, and Marat Izmailov, who did so for Porto against Anderlecht in 2001 at 19 years and 33 days. Yamal’s effort narrowly edges out Mario Balotelli and Miralem Pjanic, who both scored their first Champions League free kicks in 2009 at slightly older ages.

The strike itself was a technical showcase: Yamal curled the ball with his left foot from roughly 20 meters out, threading it between two Feyenoord players in the wall who jumped and shifted to try to block the effort, before it dropped into the bottom corner. The goal made it 4-0 to Barcelona at the time and was his first of the new Champions League campaign.

The result added further gloss to what was already a dominant night for Barcelona, who put five past Feyenoord to open their 2026-27 Champions League campaign with three points, with Raphinha scoring twice and Karim Adeyemi and deadline-day signing Gabriel Jesus also getting on the scoresheet.

Yamal leaves Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi behind

The milestone also puts Yamal well ahead of the pace set by two of the sport’s greatest free-kick specialists. Cristiano Ronaldo did not score his first Champions League free kick until he was 24 years and three months old, netting a memorable strike from roughly 40 yards out against Arsenal in the 2009 semifinals.

Lionel Messi got there earlier, but still well behind Yamal’s timeline, scoring his first Champions League free kick against Dynamo Kyiv in December 2009 at 22 years and nearly six months old.

The gap is striking: Yamal reached the milestone roughly five years before Ronaldo and more than three years before Messi did, underlining how the Barcelona academy product continues to outpace two legends of the game.

Kvaratskhelia and Doue begin the match against Slovan Bratislava on the substitutes’ bench due to tactical squad management by manager Luis Enrique. Neither forward is dealing with an injury and both are 100 percent fit to feature, but the Spanish head coach opted to manage their workload for the European opener.

Both the Georgian star and the young French international featured during weekend domestic action against AS Monaco, exiting in the 68th and 63rd minutes respectively as part of planned substitutions.

In their absence, Ousmane Dembele occupies his usual central role in the attacking line, while Ferran Torres starts on the left wing and Maghnes Akliouche features on the right. Both Kvaratskhelia and Doue are expected to be deployed as second-half substitutes to maintain match rhythm.

Kvaratskhelia and Doue, key for PSG in recent UCL wins

PSG enter the 2026-27 campaign with an opportunity to replicate a feat previously achieved only by Real Madrid: capturing three consecutive Champions League titles. Over the past two seasons, both Doue and Kvaratskhelia served as tactical cornerstones of Luis Enrique’s championship system.

In the 2024-25 Champions League final against Inter Milan, Doue scored twice in a 5-0 victory, an outing that earned him the award as the competition’s best young player. During the 2025-26 campaign, Kvaratskhelia was named tournament player of the season after generating 10 goals and six assists.

Confirmed lineups for PSG and Slovan Bratislava

PSG’s confirmed lineup (4-3-3): Matvey Safonov; Achraf Hakimi, Ilyan Zabarnyi, William Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Dro Fernandez, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Maghnes Akliouche, Ousmane Dembele, Ferran Torres.
Head coach: Luis Enrique.

Slovan Bratislava’s confirmed lineup (4-3-3): Dominik Takac; Cesar Blackman, Kenan Bajric, Svetozar Markovic, Sandro Cruz; Cristian Martinez, Peter Pokorny, Rahim Ibrahim; Tigran Barseghyan, Andraz Sporar, Suleiman Camara.
Head coach: Yaya Toure

Al-Nassr has collected 12 points from its opening five league matches, while Abha has taken just one point and sits at the bottom of the standings. With the two teams arriving in completely different form, the focus will be on whether Postecoglou can make the right calls to restore momentum.

Ronaldo’s side started the campaign with four consecutive league victories before suffering a 2-1 defeat away to Al-Ittihad in the previous round. George Ilenikhena scored twice for the hosts, while Angelo Gabriel pulled one back, but Al-Nassr could not find a late equalizer despite sustained pressure.

The result ended a four-match winning run but did little to change the overall picture of an impressive opening to the campaign. Al-Nassr has scored 13 goals and conceded only five in five league games, while both of its home fixtures have ended in victories.

The match therefore represents an excellent opportunity for Postecoglou’s side to respond. Abha has failed to win any of its opening five matches, losing four and drawing once, while scoring only four goals and conceding 11.

Will Cristiano Ronaldo play against Abha?

Despite the recent defeat and the club’s selection issues, Cristiano Ronaldo will start against Abha. The Portuguese superstar has scored twice in four league appearances this season and remains the focal point of an attack that has produced 13 goals.

Ronaldo has been partnered in attack by Ayman, while Sadio Mane, Angelo Gabriel and Samu Costa have also retained their places. Joao Felix was initially expected to feature alongside Ronaldo, but his fourth yellow card of the season against Al-Ittihad means he is suspended for Wednesday’s match.

That suspension is a significant blow given Felix’s strong start to his Al-Nassr career. The Portuguese attacker has recorded two goals and two assists in five league appearances, but will now watch from the sidelines as Ronaldo leads the attack.

Al-Nassr hit by triple blow

Postecoglou also has injury concerns. Kingsley Coman is expected to miss the match after suffering a hamstring injury during the defeat to Al-Ittihad, forcing him off after 60 minutes.

Medical tests indicated that Coman require at least seven days of rest, with the Frenchman potentially targeting a return around Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite opener against Al Ain. Sultan Al-Ghannam is another absentee after suffering a cruciate ligament injury.

With Felix suspended and several players unavailable, Postecoglou will have to adjust his attacking and midfield combinations. Ronaldo’s presence provides valuable experience and goals as Al-Nassr tries to avoid consecutive setbacks.

Al-Nassr vs Abha: Confirmed lineups

Al-Nassr confirmed XI (4-3-3): Bento; Al Nasser, Martinez, Simakan, Boushal; Samu Costa, Al Khaibari, Angelo; Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Hamdan, Mane.

Abha confirmed XI (4-5-1): D. Léon; S. Saud S, A. Hindi, J. Gaari, M. Al Zaid; A. Darisi, F. Al Ghamdi, A. Al Fahad, N. Fekir, A. Gory; M. Batshuayi.

The matches are being discussed as potential farewell games for Messi following his time with the senior national team after this year’s World Cup, though nothing has been officially confirmed by the AFA or the player himself.

The reported schedule has Argentina facing Bolivia on September 30, followed by Burkina Faso on October 3, with a possible third match against Benin, currently ranked 93rd in the FIFA rankings, on October 6.

The AFA is said to be negotiating all three fixtures as part of the same international window, with venues under consideration including El Monumental in Buenos Aires, the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Cordoba, and a possible match in Rosario.

With Messi already having confirmed his retirement from the national team, what remains uncertain is whether these friendlies will actually serve as his long-awaited farewell in front of Argentine fans.

A series of home matches against lower-ranked opposition would give the AFA the perfect opportunity to give him that proper send-off, while also using the games to start looking ahead to the next generation of the national team.

Argentina want friendlies to be recognized as Category A

The federation has reportedly also consulted FIFA to ensure the friendlies are classified as Category A matches, a designation that would allow several suspended Argentina players to begin serving bans they picked up following incidents at the 2026 World Cup. Locking in that classification is seen as a key step before any of the fixtures can be finalized.

The suspensions stem from the fallout surrounding Argentina’s run to the final, when FIFA handed down sanctions to several members of the squad and coaching staff for their conduct in the tournament’s closing stages.

Leandro Paredes received the harshest penalty of the group, a 10-match ban, while Nahuel Molina was hit with a seven-match suspension of his own. Thiago Almada picked up a shorter one-match sanction, and even assistant coach Roberto Ayala was not spared, receiving a three-match ban along with a fine.

Without Category A status, none of those suspensions could begin to count down, since FIFA only recognizes bans as served in matches that meet that classification threshold.

Their total outlay was more than their counterparts in La Liga, Bundesliga and Ligue 1, but significantly adrift of Premier League teams.

Read on as we look at the top Serie A transfers completed this summer, before assessing which clubs conducted to most productive business.

Serie A top summer transfers

Milan and Juventus splash the cash this summer

After missing out on Champions League qualification last season, AC Milan and Juventus flexed their financial muscles this summer. Milan topped the spending charts, spending €165.05 million on new players. However, they also recouped €87m in sales.

Their biggest outlay was the €74m fee they paid to Paris Saint-Germain to secure the services of Portuguese international forward Goncalo Ramos. The 25-year-old struggled to nail down a regular starting berth with the Ligue 1 giants, yet still proved his worth to the club.

Ramos hit double figures in all three of his seasons in France – 14 in 2023/2024, 18 in 2024/2025 and 12 in 2025/2026. He is already off the mark for Milan and could easily pass the 20-goal barrier once he settles into his new surroundings in Serie A.

Diego Moreira and Mario Gila are other noteworthy additions to a Milan squad which looks equipped to challenge for the title under manager Ruben Amorim. They could face stiff competition from Juventus, who spent €164.35m this summer. The club has also leveraged the loan market to their advantage. They now look stronger defensively and in attacking areas, but the lack of a deep-lying playmaker and natural centre-forward could be problematic.

Juventus have made a solid start to the new campaign, recording victories Frosinone and Parma without conceding a goal. However, upcoming fixtures against Milan (H), Sassuolo (A) and Atalanta will provide a more useful indicator of their title chances this season.

Defending champions Inter have been active in the summer transfer window, spending €101m to refresh their squad. The Premier League proved to be a happy hunting ground, with Djed Spence and Curtis Jones completing moves for a combined €60m.

John Stones has also joined the club on a free transfer after leaving Manchester City and he could prove to be the best acquisition of the summer. Stones helped City win six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups, five League Cups, the Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

He has won 93 caps for England and was part of the squad which finished third at this summer’s World Cup, starting the quarter-final victory against Norway and semi-final defeat by Argentina.

Roma, who are in Serie A title contention this season after a strong start, completed one of the most eye-catching deals this summer, paying €25m to sign Portuguese wonderkid Rodrigo Mora from Porto. He was part of an overall €124.5m outlay.

Only half of his economic rights have been transferred to the Italian club, meaning they will need they will need to shell out a further €25m to acquire the rest. Mora should have plenty of chances to shine in a tactical system that suits his style of play and he could be a massive hit in Serie A.

Fiorentina were the third biggest spenders this summer, paying €150.30m for new players. However, they have started the new season with two defeats.

Several Italian clubs have parted company with players who have been a regular fixture in the league over the past few years.They include Rafael Leao, who has left Milan to join Galatasaray. Denzel Dumfries has also departed, joining Real Madrid from Inter Milan.

WHO: Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid
WHAT: UEFA Champions League
WHEN: 3:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM PT • Wednesday, September 9, 2026
WHERE:Paramount+, TUDN USA, UniMás, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN App, ViX
STREAM: WATCH NOW

Match Overview

Liverpool kicks off its 2026/27 Champions League campaign at Anfield, aiming to set a dominant tone under new head coach Andoni Iraola. After an unbeaten but inconsistent start to the Premier League season, the Reds are looking to translate their domestic scoring form, which has seen them net six goals in three games, into European success. A recent 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town has spirits high, and the famous Anfield atmosphere on a European night adds an undeniable sense of urgency for a statement win.

Atletico Madrid arrives on Merseyside looking to rebound from a stinging 3-0 defeat to Athletic Club in La Liga. For manager Diego Simeone, this match is a crucial test of his squad’s resilience and tactical discipline. Known for their grit in Europe, Los Rojiblancos will be determined to frustrate Liverpool and avenge their dramatic 3-2 loss at this same venue in last season’s competition. The stakes are high for both clubs in this compelling Group Stage opener.

Tactical Analysis & Match Context

The two clubs enter this fixture on different trajectories. Liverpool is still adapting to Iraola’s system, having secured two draws and a win in the Premier League. While the attack has been potent, defensive questions remain, though a first clean sheet of the season against Ipswich was a positive step. In contrast, Atletico Madrid started their La Liga season with seven points from three games before their momentum was abruptly halted by a comprehensive loss, raising concerns about their consistency.

The tactical battle will likely pit Liverpool’s high-possession, pressing style against Atletico’s trademark defensive organization. The Reds average over 61% possession and will aim to control the tempo, using quick transitions to break down a compact Atletico shape. Simeone’s side will look to absorb pressure, remain disciplined in a low block, and exploit any space left behind Liverpool’s advancing full-backs with swift counter-attacks, making the midfield contest for control absolutely critical.

For Liverpool, the motivation is to make a strong start in Europe’s elite competition and prove their credentials under new leadership. For Atletico, this is an opportunity to prove their mettle after a demoralizing domestic result. A positive result at Anfield would reaffirm their status as a formidable European force, while a loss could compound recent doubts surrounding a squad navigating key defensive and offensive personnel changes.

Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends

Historically, this has been a closely contested fixture, but recent trends favor the English side. In ten competitive meetings, Liverpool holds a slight edge with five wins to Atletico Madrid’s three, with two matches ending in a draw. This record underscores the competitive nature of their encounters over the years, though Liverpool has seized control of the rivalry lately.

Liverpool enters this match on a four-game winning streak against Atletico. This dominant run includes a thrilling 3-2 victory at Anfield in September 2025, a 2-0 home win in November 2021, and a 3-2 victory in Madrid just weeks earlier. This psychological advantage could play a significant role, as the Reds have consistently found ways to overcome Simeone’s tactical setups in recent seasons.

Data from their recent clashes points towards an entertaining match. The last five meetings have produced an average of 3.6 goals per game, indicating a high likelihood of offensive action. Furthermore, both teams have scored in three of those five encounters, suggesting that defenses on both sides can be breached. Spectators should anticipate a dynamic game with plenty of goal-scoring opportunities.

Squad News & Projected Lineups

Both managers are forced to contend with notable absences as they prepare for this high-stakes Champions League opener.

Liverpool is managing a handful of injuries, with Bradley, Federico Chiesa, and Joe Gomez among those sidelined. However, the club received a significant boost with the news that new signing Bradley Barcola is fit and available. The exciting winger is in contention to make his first Champions League start for the Reds, adding another dimension to their already formidable attack.

Atletico Madrid’s concerns are primarily in their forward line, as both Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth are unavailable. This has forced Simeone to shuffle his attacking options. The recent departure of veteran defender Jose Maria Gimenez also leaves a void at the back, placing more pressure on a reshuffled defense to withstand Liverpool’s relentless press at Anfield.

Liverpool Projected XI (4-2-3-1):
Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Gakpo, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak.

This lineup is built for offensive firepower, designed to overwhelm Atletico’s deep-lying defense. Alexander Isak leads the line in red-hot form, having scored three goals in three league games. He is supported by the creative talents of Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz, with the potential debut of Bradley Barcola adding pace and unpredictability on the wing.

Atletico Madrid Projected XI (4-4-2):
Oblak; Llorente, Hancko, Pubill, Grimaldo; Simeone, Barrios, Hjulmand, Lookman; Baena, Lee.

With key strikers out, Simeone opts for a resilient 4-4-2 formation focused on defensive solidity and counter-attacking speed. The game plan will rely on absorbing pressure and springing Ademola Lookman into space. The new central defensive pairing will be severely tested, while the makeshift forward line of Baena and Lee will be tasked with converting limited chances.

More details on how to watch

You can watch the Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid live stream on Paramount+. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and both iOS and Android mobile devices.

In addition to featuring every Champions League match, a subscription to Paramount+ gives you access to other top soccer competitions from around the world.

Beyond the world of soccer, the platform also offers a deep library of award-winning movies, exclusive TV shows, and other live sports. It serves as a complete entertainment package for the entire household.

For more information, check out our comprehensive Champions League TV schedule.

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Match Overview

Al Nassr enter the match following a tough defeat against Al Ittihad—their first loss of the season—and will look to turn things around on Matchday 6.

Fortunately for Cristiano Ronaldo’s side, they face an Abha team that currently sits at the bottom of the Saudi Pro League with just one point from five matches.

WHO: Barcelona vs Feyenoord
WHAT: Champions League
WHEN: 12:45 PM ET / 9:45 AM PT • Wednesday, September 9, 2026
WHERE: Paramount+, TUDN USA, UniMás, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN App, ViX
STREAM: WATCH NOW

Match Overview

Barcelona enters the opening matchday of the Champions League in absolutely blistering form. As the reigning Spanish champions, expectations were already high, but the team has shattered them with an unstoppable start to the La Liga season. With four consecutive wins and an incredible 17 goals scored, their attack looks more lethal than ever, making this home fixture at the Camp Nou a must-watch event to see if their domestic dominance translates to the European stage.

Facing them is a confident Feyenoord side, who arrive in Spain unbeaten in their first five Eredivisie matches. While they are significant underdogs, the Dutch club has demonstrated its own attacking firepower, scoring consistently and playing an aggressive, front-footed style. This clash represents a monumental test for Feyenoord and a prime opportunity for Barcelona to make a powerful opening statement to the rest of Europe.

Tactical Analysis & Match Context

The season trajectories for these two clubs couldn’t be more different in scale. Barcelona has launched its campaign with the force of a super club, leading La Liga in both goals (17) and expected goals (15.73 xG). Their performances have been commanding, including three games where they scored five goals. Feyenoord’s start has been strong by Eredivisie standards—unbeaten with three wins and two draws—but stepping onto the pitch at Camp Nou is an entirely different level of challenge.

The tactical battle promises to be a high-scoring affair. Barcelona’s strategy revolves around overwhelming offensive pressure, fluid movement, and clinical finishing, a system that has proven unstoppable in Spain. Feyenoord is not a team that sits back; their league games have averaged 4.00 goals per match. This suggests they will attempt to fight fire with fire, which could lead to an open, end-to-end contest where Barcelona’s superior quality in the final third will likely be the deciding factor.

For Barcelona, the motivation is clear: assert dominance from the very first whistle and prove they are a top contender for the Champions League title. For Feyenoord, this match is a benchmark. It’s a chance to measure themselves against Europe’s elite, and while a victory is a tall order, a competitive performance could build immense confidence for the rest of their group stage campaign.

Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends

Historically, there is very little to analyze between these two clubs, as they have only met twice before. Those encounters took place in the 1974 European Cup, where Barcelona advanced after a 3-0 victory at the Camp Nou followed a 0-0 draw in Rotterdam. This limited history heavily favors the Spanish giants, especially in their home fortress.

When examining their records against opponents from each other’s nations, the trend continues to favor Barcelona. The Catalan club has a commanding record against Dutch teams, winning 11, drawing seven, and losing only two of their 20 matches. In contrast, Feyenoord has struggled against Spanish opposition, with a record of seven wins, two draws, and 11 losses, alongside a negative goal difference.

The most relevant data points to a high-scoring Barcelona win. Barcelona’s home matches in the Champions League last season saw at least three goals in five of six fixtures. Furthermore, their goal-scoring record against Dutch clubs is a staggering 45-21, reinforcing the likelihood that they will find the back of the net multiple times in this opening fixture.

Squad News & Projected Lineups

Barcelona heads into this European opener with a few notable absences, while Feyenoord arrives at nearly full strength, giving them a slight advantage in squad availability.

The hosts will be without key midfielders Gavi and Frenkie de Jong due to injury, which could test their depth. However, the return to peak fitness for Pedri is a massive boost, and new signing Anthony Gordon has hit the ground running, already providing four assists. The attack remains incredibly potent, with Raphinha leading the line in sensational form after scoring six goals in four La Liga games.

Feyenoord’s camp is in excellent shape, with defender Jordan Bos being their only significant absentee. This consistency in their lineup will be crucial as they face the monumental task of containing Barcelona’s attack. Having a near-complete squad allows the manager to deploy a familiar and cohesive unit, which will be essential for their defensive organization and counter-attacking threats.

Barcelona Projected XI (4-2-3-1):
García; Koundé, Cubarsí, Martín, Cancelo; Pedri, Bernal; Gordon, Fermín, Yamal; Raphinha

This formation maximizes Barcelona’s offensive weapons. Raphinha’s position as the central forward is a direct result of his incredible goal-scoring streak. He’ll be flanked by the dynamic Lamine Yamal and the creative new signing Anthony Gordon, with a rejuvenated Pedri orchestrating play from the midfield.

Feyenoord Projected XI (4-3-3):
Ernst; Read, St. Juste, Watanabe, Mármol; Zechiel, Vanhoutte, Valente; Hadj Moussa, Borges; Diarra

Feyenoord is expected to stick with their preferred attacking 4-3-3 setup. With a stable and healthy squad, they will rely on their forward trio to press Barcelona’s backline and create chances on the break. The midfield battle will be key, where they must work tirelessly to disrupt Barcelona’s rhythm.

More details on how to watch Barcelona vs Feyenoord in USA

You can watch the Barcelona vs Feyenoord Champions League match exclusively on Paramount+. The platform is available on a wide range of devices, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and mobile devices running iOS or Android.

In addition to the Champions League, a subscription to Paramount+ gives you access to a host of other top-tier soccer competitions. You can stream other European leagues, and various domestic cup competitions from around the world.

There are no long-term contracts, so you can cancel at any time. This makes it a flexible option for following your favorite teams throughout the season.

Beyond soccer, the platform also offers a variety of other sports, movies, and original programming, making it a comprehensive entertainment package for the entire household.

For a complete listing of all upcoming soccer games on US TV and streaming, be sure to check our comprehensive soccer TV schedule.

How to watch anywhere with VPN

If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out NordVPN’s guide to the best VPNs for streaming soccer.

Al-Nassr has made an impressive start to the campaign, collecting 12 points from its opening five league matches. However, the 2-1 defeat against Al-Ittihad ended a four-game winning run and means Postecoglou must now make adjustments as his team returns to Alawwal Park.

Al-Nassr looking to bounce back against struggling Abha

The Knight of Najd had been perfect through its first four league fixtures, beating Al-Fateh, Al-Riyadh, Al-Ettifaq and Al-Taawoun before the setback against Al-Ittihad. The team has still scored 13 goals and conceded only five, while its home record remains perfect after two victories at Alawwal Park.

The defeat in Jeddah was particularly frustrating because Al-Nassr created enough opportunities to rescue a point. George Ilenikhena scored twice inside the opening 22 minutes, while Angelo Gabriel pulled one back before halftime after Ronaldo produced a superb first-touch lob to release Felix.

Abha arrives in Riyadh in completely different circumstances. The promoted side has collected only one point from five matches, losing four and scoring just four goals while conceding 11, leaving it at the bottom of the table.

The visitors have also lost both of their away matches this season, while Al-Nassr has dominated this fixture in recent years. The Riyadh side has won six of the last seven meetings, including an emphatic 8-0 victory in their most recent encounter.

Why Joao Felix is missing against Abha

The first part of the mystery surrounding Al-Nassr’s missing attackers concerns Felix, and the reason is disciplinary rather than physical. The Portuguese forward picked up his fourth yellow card of the season during the defeat to Al-Ittihad, automatically triggering a one-match suspension.

Felix was booked for a challenge on Richard Rios late in the match, meaning he must now watch Wednesday’s game from the sidelines. His absence is a significant blow considering he has already registered two goals and two assists in his first five Saudi Pro League appearances.

His suspension comes at an unfortunate time for Postecoglou, with Felix having quickly established himself as an important attacking partner for Ronaldo. Al-Nassr will therefore need other players to provide the creativity and goal threat he has offered during the opening weeks of the campaign.

Why Kingsley Coman is also unavailable

Coman’s situation is different, with the French winger sidelined by an injury suffered against Al-Ittihad. He was forced off after 60 minutes with a hamstring problem, initially raising concerns that he could face an extended spell out of action.

Medical examinations subsequently provided more clarity. According to Arriyadiyah, Coman suffered a minor hamstring tear and has been advised to undergo at least seven days of rest, meaning he will miss the Abha clash.

The injury is another setback for a player who has featured regularly since arriving at Al-Nassr. Coman has made five Saudi Pro League appearances this season, although he has yet to score or provide an assist.

The expectation is that the Frenchman could be back in contention for Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite opener against Al Ain on September 15, provided his rehabilitation progresses without complications. He is also expected to miss the following league fixture against Al-Khaleej.

Demonstrating elite form in front of goal, Kane concluded the 2025-26 campaign with 73 total goals, marking the second-highest single-season tally in history. The haul saw him surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s 69-goal mark from 2011-12, trailing only Lionel Messi’s record 82-goal campaign that same year. However, falling short in both the Champions League and the 2026 World Cup has left the award race tightly contested.

Speaking with TNT Sports on Monday, Kane assessed his chances of claiming the Ballon d’Or while reflecting on his personal achievements: “Of course, now it is out of my hands, it is down to the voters and the people who decide it. The season I had was my best season by far, and we’ll have to wait and see.“

On Tuesday, France Football unveiled its 30-player shortlist for the honor, with Kane featuring as one of four Bayern Munich representatives alongside Dayot Upamecano, Luis Diaz, and Michael Olise. “I’m happy that I am in contention, so we will have to wait and see,” he concluded.

Throughout the 2025-26 domestic campaign, Kane dominated German soccer by helping Bayern sweep every domestic trophy available, securing the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and DFL-Supercup titles. On the international stage, Bayern fell in the Champions League semifinals to PSG, while Kane led England to a third-place finish at the 2026 World Cup, marking the Three Lions’ best tournament run since winning the title in 1966.

The Champions League: Kane’s primary objective

Kane’s move from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich in 2023 represented a clear statement of intent to compete for Europe’s premier honors. Entering the 2026-27 campaign, his fourth season with the Bavarian giants, the English striker has identified the Champions League as the club’s ultimate objective.

Reflecting on recent European setbacks, Kane made his expectations clear: “We’re really close. I think last year was the finest of margins – to go out to a team who has won the Champions League back to back. We’re coming into this season now saying that it needs to be our year.“

During his debut season in Germany in 2023-24, Bayern suffered a 4-3 aggregate elimination against eventual champions Real Madrid in the semifinals, followed by a quarterfinal exit to eventual finalists Inter Milan by the same aggregate scoreline the following year. A dramatic 6-5 aggregate loss to eventual champions PSG in last season’s semifinals once again left Bayern on the threshold of the final, with Kane expecting the 2026-27 campaign to mark their breakthrough.

With Real Madrid hosting Inter at the Santiago Bernabeu for Matchday 1 of the 2026-27 UCL campaign, Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz provided the attacking spark, while Vinicius experienced a quieter night. That frustration was made evident by the crowd when he was substituted in the 87th minute, with scattered applause drowned out by noticeable boos and whistles from home supporters.

During his post-match press conference, Jose Mourinho addressed his post-game comments calling for respect toward Vinicius following the crowd’s reaction, and the manager did not hold back: “I am not criticizing the fans; I am speaking as a coach and about my relationship with him, who deserves complete respect.“

The Portuguese manager then delivered a firm message emphasizing that while Vinicius is not in peak form, his effort levels remain unquestioned as he strives to return to his match-winning standard. “He is not at his best, that is something we all see, but he is the first to know it, and he is working very hard to be the Vinícius who decides matches. But despite not being at top form, he is working harder than ever in training and in matches,” he added.

In front of goal, Vinicius struggled to find precision, failing to hit the target on three shot attempts, but he played a crucial role in advancing possession into Inter Milan territory. Recording eight progressive carries, the Brazilian covered 342 yards (312.8 meters) with the ball at his feet, the highest mark of any Real Madrid player in the match, while contributing heavily in defense.

Mourinho concluded by reflecting on Vinicius’ overall output, expressing full confidence in the forward’s trajectory: “The few times he hasn’t been able to stay compact and defend with the block, it was due to fatigue, because he made six 50-meter sprints with the ball. It is not easy, but his commitment has been very good. I have immense respect for this Vinicius that I have encountered. The time will come when he will decide and win matches.“

Vinicius supplies crucial defensive output

With Mbappe opening the scoring in the 14th minute and Federico Valverde doubling the advantage in the 23rd, Real Madrid allowed Inter to control possession while threatening on the counter-attack, a setup suited to Vinicius’ physical profile. However, the Brazilian also provided a level of defensive work rate unseen from a Real Madrid forward in over 17 years.

According to OptaJose, Vinicius Junior registered nine ball recoveries against Inter Milan. The last forward to record that level of defensive output in a Champions League match for Real Madrid was Gonzalo Higuain in December 2008 during a 3-0 win over Zenit St. Petersburg.

That metric represents a notable statement, particularly following Real Madrid’s pre-match press conference criticism questioning whether Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe possessed the defensive work rate of peers like Ousmane Dembele.

“I received the news that the club wasn’t in a position to offer me a new contract, which, of course, makes me very, very sad,” Mac Allister said, pointing to his consistent effort in training and matches as reason to feel he deserved better clarity on his future.

The situation carries an added sting given that two of his midfield teammates, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, both signed contract extensions earlier this year.

Mac Allister made clear he was happy for both players but admitted the contrast in how their situations were handled left him feeling overlooked, even as he reiterated his commitment to give his best for the club regardless of the outcome.

Despite the frustration, Mac Allister insisted he has no intention of forcing a move away from Liverpool, noting that he turned down other options during the offseason to remain at Anfield.

Amid the situation, new head coach Andoni Iraola backed the midfielder in response to his comments, stating that Mac Allister’s desire to stay at the club is what matters most and that he values his contributions highly heading into the new European campaign.

The Real Madrid links that shadowed Mac Allister’s summer

Mac Allister’s contract situation comes after a summer spent fending off transfer speculation, with Real Madrid repeatedly linked to the Argentine as a top target to strengthen their midfield, and Atletico Madrid also reportedly showing interest at one point.

Real Madrid did not sign a player in his position during the summer window, and multiple reports in Spain suggested the club viewed him as a priority option for a future move.

Despite the noise, Mac Allister’s father and agent, Carlos Mac Allister, insisted throughout the window that his son remained “totally focused on Liverpool,” a stance the player himself echoed this week by confirming he turned down the chance to leave Anfield over the offseason.

Mac Allister’s numbers at Liverpool

Since joining from Brighton in mid-2023, Mac Allister has made 152 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, scoring 19 goals and adding 20 assists. He has picked up 32 yellow cards and one red card in that span, while playing a total of 11,144 minutes for the club. The 27-year-old has won two major trophies during his time at Anfield, including the 2024-25 Premier League title.

With Dortmund hosting Villarreal at Signal Iduna Park, Karetsas was named to the starting lineup by head coach Niko Kovac before his abrupt exit in the opening half. The midfielder played a pass back toward his defense in the 23rd minute before immediately collapsing to the turf, prompting medical personnel to rush onto the field to evaluate him.

Far from a structural or orthopedic issue, Karetsas motioned toward his abdominal region and was unable to walk off under his own power. After several minutes of evaluation on the pitch, the attacking midfielder was loaded onto a stretcher and removed in the 27th minute, raising immediate concern among supporters and staff regarding the underlying cause.

While the match remained underway, Borussia Dortmund released a public statement addressing the player’s status: “Konstantinos Karetsas had to leave the field due to circulatory problems. Kosta is doing well under the circumstances and is on his way to the hospital for further tests.“

Prior to Tuesday’s scare, Karetsas had already drawn close monitoring from Dortmund’s medical staff. After starting in Saturday’s Bundesliga fixture against Hoffenheim, the 18-year-old missed Monday’s final pre-match training session leading up to the Villarreal clash due to fatigue symptoms.

Despite the early disruption, Dortmund secured three points in their European opener with a 3-2 victory over Villarreal, highlighted by Serhou Guirassy converting an 85th-minute penalty before turning in a late 93rd-minute own goal. The German club will resume their Champions League schedule on October 14 against Bodo/Glimt, when medical staff hope to have Karetsas cleared for selection.

Dortmund suffer setback from Greek duo

Karetsas’ medical situation heightened anxiety across European soccer following recent heart-related scares across the continent, including Udinese’s Jakub Piotrowski and Napoli’s Scott McTominay undergoing cardiac ablation procedures for mild benign arrhythmia. While a full diagnosis for the midfielder remains pending, Dortmund face losing both members of their newly acquired Greek tandem in under a month.

Back on August 29, during Dortmund’s Bundesliga opener against Hamburg, fellow Greek international Giannis Konstantelias suffered a major injury setback. The winger sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear that will keep him sidelined for the majority of the 2026-27 campaign, leaving both of BVB’s marquee summer additions unavailable for the foreseeable future.

The Norwegian’s tally makes him the fastest player in the competition’s history to reach that mark, comfortably ahead of the game’s other all-time greats. The closest of those greats needed far more matches to get there, as Lionel Messi reached 58 Champions League goals in 76 appearances, while Robert Lewandowski needed 83 and Kylian Mbappe required 89 to hit the same tally.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Raul Gonzalez trail even further behind on that same list, needing 96, 108 and 111 matches respectively to reach the mark Haaland has now blown past in barely half the time of the next-fastest name on the list.

At 26 years old and already established as one of the most clinical forwards to ever play the competition, Haaland shows no signs of slowing down, with City just getting their new league-phase campaign underway.

Haaland climbs Manchester City’s all-time scoring charts

Haaland’s brace at Porto also pushed him past a different milestone: with 167 goals in just 203 appearances for Manchester City, he moved above club legend Tommy Johnson, who scored 166 times across 355 games between 1920 and 1930, to become the third-highest scorer in the club’s 132-year history.

Only Eric Brook, with 177, and Sergio Aguero, with 260, have scored more for City than Haaland. Of his 59 Champions League goals, 35 have come in City colors, leaving him just one behind Aguero’s record tally for the club in the competition.

For their 2026-27 campaign opener, Real Madrid faced a challenging test against Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the Italian side controlling long stretches of possession. However, capitalizing on a defensive error from Yann Bisseck during build-up play, Real Madrid recovered the ball deep in enemy territory before Brahim Diaz delivered a precise pass to Mbappe, who clinically finished on his first shot in the 14th minute.

His strike against Inter Milan brought Kylian Mbappe to 71 career Champions League goals across his tenures with AS Monaco, PSG, and Real Madrid. By doing so, he drew level with Los Blancos legend Raul Gonzalez Blanco for fifth place on the competition’s all-time scoring chart.

Prior to kickoff, Mbappe received the Golden Boot trophy honoring him as the top goalscorer of the previous Champions League campaign, where he recorded 15 goals in 11 matches. Finding the net immediately in the opener against formidable opposition like Inter Milan sets the stage for another historic campaign for the French superstar.

Mbappe still far from the top 3

Having established himself as the all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history following his performances in 2026, Mbappe now targets the highest peak in European club soccer. Nevertheless, he remains well adrift of the coveted top three, a benchmark requiring multiple seasons to reach.

While Cristiano Ronaldo (140 goals) and Lionel Messi (129 goals) sit atop the Champions League leaderboard, Robert Lewandowski occupies third place with 109 goals. Currently tied with Raul, the next target in Mbappe’s sightline is former teammate Karim Benzema, who holds fourth place with 90 goals.

When could Mbappe reach Messi and Ronaldo?

Currently, Kylian Mbappe’s Champions League portfolio stands at 71 goals through 99 appearances, reflecting an elite scoring clip of 0.72 goals per match. While that efficiency ranks among the greatest in history, maintaining his current pace means Mbappe will require several seasons to surpass the top two.

With Messi standing at 129 goals—58 ahead of Mbappe’s current mark—the French forward would need approximately 81 additional matches at his current scoring rate to catch the Argentine icon. To reach Cristiano Ronaldo’s record tally of 140 goals, Mbappe would require 96 additional appearances to match the Portuguese legend’s mark.

Top 10 Champions League all-time goalscorers

Real Madrid took advantage of two key mistakes Inter had in the first half to put themselves with a comfortable 2-0 advantage at halftime. Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde scored for the Merengues in what seemed an easy win for them.

Nevertheless, Inter pushed all the second half to get closer in the score. Carlos Augusto was able to score the 2-1 in the second half, but it was too late and was not enough to even get the draw at Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

According to reporting from Diario AS and Diario Marca, Lionel Messi has agreed in principle to acquire Eldense, who compete in the Spanish second division. While financial specifics have not been publicly disclosed, the Argentine icon is set to acquire 100 percent of the stock in the Spanish club without third-party investment partners.

Messi’s legal representatives have been negotiating for months with TH Group, a Colombian investment firm led by Juan Carlos Trujillo that acquired the club just one year ago. With a framework in place, only final contractual details remain before a formal announcement is expected in the coming days.

The decision to acquire CD Eldense aligns with Messi’s long-term objective to expand his global influence from front offices rather than the pitch. Following his April 16 acquisition of UE Cornella in the Catalan Tercera Federacion, securing a La Liga 2 club marks a major strategic step forward for Messi’s executive enterprise.

Eldense join a growing network of teams under Messi’s purview, alongside Argentina’s Club Leones de Rosario Futbol Club, presided over by his brother, Matias Messi, and Deportivo LSM, the Uruguayan side founded by Luis Suarez and backed by Messi. Coupled with reports that he will assume an ownership stake in Inter Miami upon retirement, Lionel Messi is positioned to oversee five distinct soccer franchises globally.

CD Eldense and their recent history

Founded in September 1921, CD Eldense are based in Elda in the province of Alicante, near Catalonia, a region where Messi plans to establish his permanent residency once his playing career concludes. The club hosts home fixtures at the Estadio Nuevo Pepico Amat, which features a capacity of 5,776 seats.

Eldense recently secured promotion back to the Spanish second division after topping Group 2 in the 2025-26 Primera Federacion with 69 points. However, their return to La Liga 2 has proved challenging for the squad now poised to join Messi’s sports portfolio.

Through four league matches, Eldense have suffered two defeats and recorded two draws, gathering just two points to sit 20th in the standings within the relegation zone. On Monday, manager Claudio Barragan was dismissed from his head coaching position, becoming the first managerial casualty of the La Liga 2 season, with a replacement yet to be named.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 or assist, while Martinez has provided defensive experience since joining the club.

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.

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.

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 Portugal international delivered a cryptic message while walking past the media. “I won’t speak to you, because if I do, I’ll expose this league,” he said.

The Frenchman arrives with a personal milestone in reach, needing just two goals against Inter to move above club legend Raul and into fifth place on the competition’s all-time scoring list.

The match carries extra weight for Real Madrid, who are looking to bounce back after a damaging loss to Real Betis in LaLiga over the weekend. A strong start at the Champions League, would go a long way toward settling any nerves after that setback.

Inter Milan arrive at the Bernabeu as one of the competition’s most consistent recent performers, having reached the final in 2025 before falling short. Under their own management setup this season, the Italian side will look to Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram to provide the attacking edge that has made them one of Europe’s most dangerous counterattacking teams over the past two years.

Real Madrid confirmed lineup

Real Madrid will be without Arda Guler, Eduardo Camavinga and Bernardo Silva, all unavailable through suspension, forcing Mourinho into a midfield reshuffle.

Real Madrid confirmed starting XI: Thibaut Courtois; Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Federico Valverde; Brahim Diaz, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior; Kylian Mbappe.

Inter Milan confirmed lineup

Inter Milan should field a largely settled back line, with Alessandro Bastoni anchoring the defense. In midfield, Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu are expected to control the tempo, while Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram once again lead the line up top.

Inter Milan confirmed starting XI: Josep Martinez; Benjamin Pavard, Yann Bisseck, Alessandro Bastoni; Andy Diouf, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Curtis Jones, Carlos Augusto; Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram.

Eduardo Camavinga is also unavailable under the same circumstance, having been sent off by a second yellow card in the 87th minute of last season’s quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich.

Under UEFA regulations, yellow-card suspensions are wiped between seasons, but red-card bans carry forward, meaning Jose Mourinho has no way around the absences barring an exceptional pardon, which has not been granted in either case.

The Portuguese coach will instead turn to Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde to anchor his midfield against an Inter side eager to make an early statement in the new league phase.

Where do Guler and Silva’s suspensions come from?

Guler‘s suspension stems from a sending-off in the same quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich in which Camavinga was also dismissed, with the Turkish midfielder picking up two yellow cards of his own. The one-match ban that followed had gone unserved by the end of last season and now carries into Real Madrid’s first group-phase match of the new campaign.

Bernardo Silva‘s case carries a layer of irony, since his red card came while he was still playing for Manchester City against Real Madrid in last season’s round of 16, when he was sent off for deliberately handling the ball to stop a goal, a decision that led to Vinicius Junior converting the resulting penalty.

Having since completed a move to the Bernabeu, the Portuguese midfielder now finds himself suspended for his own team’s Champions League opener because of that incident.

Match Overview

Real Madrid kicks off its 2026/27 Champions League campaign with a massive test, welcoming Italian champions Inter to the Santiago Bernabéu. Under the leadership of returning manager José Mourinho, Los Blancos are desperate to end a two-year trophy drought and reassert their dominance in Europe. With a perfect start to their domestic season, the pressure is on to translate that form to the continental stage against elite opposition.

Inter arrives in Madrid as the reigning Serie A and Coppa Italia winners, a team forged into a disciplined and resilient unit by manager Cristian Chivu. Despite their domestic success, which includes two Champions League final appearances in recent years, the Nerazzurri have a historically poor record on Spanish soil. This opening matchday clash represents a crucial opportunity for Inter to make a statement and prove they can compete with Europe’s very best away from home.

Tactical Analysis & Match Context

This fixture pits two clubs on different but equally ambitious paths. Real Madrid is in a transitional phase, integrating new signings like Yan Diomande and Bernardo Silva into a squad already brimming with talent. Mourinho’s primary challenge is to find a tactical balance that unleashes the attacking potential of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham while maintaining defensive structure. Their perfect domestic start has been impressive, but this match is their first true test.

In contrast, Inter is a more settled and cohesive side, though they too have strengthened with additions like John Stones and Curtis Jones. Manager Cristian Chivu, a former defender under Mourinho, has instilled a modern, disciplined approach. The tactical battle will likely be a fascinating chess match, with Mourinho’s Real expected to concede possession and strike on the counter, while Chivu’s Inter will aim to control the midfield and suffocate Madrid’s creative players.

The motivations for both teams are crystal clear. For Real Madrid, anything less than a victory at home in the Champions League is a disappointment. They are driven to reclaim European glory. For Inter, this is a chance to overcome their struggles in Spain and prove their mettle. A positive result at the Bernabéu would signal their intent to not just compete for, but win, the Champions League title this season.

Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends

Historically, this has been a one-sided fixture. In 12 meetings, Real Madrid has dominated with seven victories, while Inter has managed only two wins, the last of which came in 1985. The Spanish giants are currently on a seven-game winning streak against their Italian counterparts, underscoring their long-standing superiority in this matchup.

Recent encounters tell the same story. Real Madrid has won the last four competitive meetings between the clubs, all taking place in the Champions League group stage since 2020. These victories were decisive, with Madrid showcasing its ability to shut down the Inter attack and capitalize on its opportunities.

Key trends from recent history are revealing. Inter has failed to score a single goal in their last three consecutive games against Real Madrid. Furthermore, Los Blancos have secured four wins to nil in the last five clashes. While Inter is a consistent scoring threat in Europe, having found the net in 17 of their last 19 Champions League matches, they will need to break a significant historical barrier to get on the scoresheet in Madrid.

Squad News & Projected Lineups

Both managers face different challenges regarding player availability, with Real Madrid navigating a host of significant absences while Inter is nearly at full strength.

José Mourinho’s side is heavily impacted by suspensions and injuries. Key midfielders Arda Güler, Eduardo Camavinga, and new signing Bernardo Silva are all suspended. In defense, Ferland Mendy and Éder Militão are unavailable due to injury. These absences will force a tactical reshuffle, likely seeing Jude Bellingham play in a deeper midfield role to compensate.

Inter manager Cristian Chivu has a much healthier squad to choose from, with only Djed Spence listed as unavailable. Chivu may opt to rotate his lineup slightly from their last domestic outing, with Benjamin Pavard potentially coming into the back three and Petar Sučić slotting into the midfield to provide fresh legs for this demanding European fixture.

Real Madrid Projected XI (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, Konate, Cucurella; Valverde, Bellingham; Diomande, Diaz, Vinicius Junior; Mbappe.
This lineup is built for devastating counter-attacks, leveraging the incredible pace of Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. With several key midfielders out, the responsibility will fall on Bellingham and Valverde to control the center of the park and provide service to the world-class attack.

Inter Projected XI (3-5-2): J. Martinez; Pavard, Akanji, Bastoni; Dimarco, Barella, Calhanoglu, Sucic, Luis Henrique; Thuram, L. Martinez.
Inter’s formation is designed for defensive solidity and midfield dominance. The back three provides a strong foundation, while the five-man midfield, orchestrated by Calhanoglu and Barella, aims to dictate the tempo. Captain Lautaro Martínez remains the focal point of the attack, looking to exploit any space left by Madrid’s defense.

More details on how to watch

You can watch the Real Madrid vs Inter match on Paramount+. The service is compatible with a wide range of devices, including computers, smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs, ensuring you can catch the action wherever you are.

A subscription to Pramount+ gives you access to every Champions League match. Additionally, the platform broadcasts other top soccer competitions, including LaLiga and Serie A, making it a comprehensive choice for soccer fans.

Beyond soccer, your subscription includes access to a variety of other live sports, original programming, acclaimed movies, and popular TV shows, offering a complete entertainment package for the whole family.

SEE MORE: For a full schedule of games, check out our Champions League TV schedule page.

How to watch anywhere with VPN

If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out NordVPN’s guide to the best VPNs for streaming soccer.

The latest shortlist has once again highlighted the changing landscape of Portuguese soccer. A new generation of stars continues to receive recognition on the biggest individual stage, creating an unusual chapter in Ronaldo’s extraordinary Ballon d’Or story.

Ronaldo’s omission from the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist extends a run that would have been difficult to imagine during the peak of his career. The Al-Nassr forward had been a near-permanent presence among the nominees for almost two decades after first appearing on the shortlist in 2004.

His absence began in 2023, when he failed to make the final 30 after moving to Saudi Arabia. Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias were among the Portugal players nominated that year, while Ronaldo watched the ceremony from outside the field of contenders.

The same pattern continued in 2024, when Ronaldo again failed to make the shortlist. Ruben Dias and other Portugal internationals continued to receive recognition, showing that the national team’s influence on the award was growing even without its most famous player.

The four-year pattern involving Portugal

The trend becomes particularly striking when the four most recent editions are placed side by side. From 2023 through 2026, Ronaldo has failed to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or in every edition while at least one of his Portugal teammates has made the shortlist.

In 2023, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias were nominated, while 2024 saw Dias and Vitinha among the recognized Portugal internationals. Ronaldo was absent on both occasions, despite remaining one of the most prolific forwards in world soccer.

The pattern became even stronger in 2025. Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Vitinha were nominated, while Ronaldo once again missed out on the 30-man shortlist.

Then came 2026, when the number of Portugal teammates nominated increased further. Bruno Fernandes, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Vitinha all made the Ballon d’Or shortlist, giving Ronaldo another year watching as members of Portugal’s next generation received individual recognition.

2026 brings another twist

The 2026 edition also introduced an unusual development because Ronaldo’s club teammate Sadio Mane was nominated. Mane became the first active Al-Nassr teammate to receive a Ballon d’Or nomination during Ronaldo’s time at the Saudi club, adding another layer to an increasingly interesting statistic.

According to Ballon d’Or, Portugal brought together Ronaldo and several other players with previous Ballon d’Or nominations as the national team continues to build around a generation of elite talent. The official list also highlighted the extraordinary longevity of Ronaldo’s own individual record, with 18 career Ballon d’Or nominations.

That number remains a reminder of how dominant Ronaldo was throughout the 2000s and 2010s. His continued absence, however, has opened the door for players such as Fernandes, Vitinha, Mendes and Joao Neves to become increasingly prominent figures in the award conversation.

On Tuesday, September 8, France Football unveiled its 30-player nomination list recognizing the world’s standout performers over the past season. In a field headlined by 10 PSG players, European mainstays, and Saudi Pro League stars Julian Quinones and Sadio Mane, Messi stands as the lone MLS representative on the ballot.

The nomination follows a prolific campaign with Inter Miami alongside his individual performance at the 2026 World Cup, where he led Argentina to the final with eight goals and four assists. Fresh off capturing the 2025 MLS Cup after recording 43 goals and 25 assists in 49 overall matches, Messi has maintained his dominance in 2026 with 21 goals and 11 assists through 24 matches.

For the first time in the honor’s history, the Ballon d’Or ceremony will move away from Paris to take place at The London Palladium in England. With the gala scheduled for Monday, October 26 at 3:00 p.m. ET, and Inter Miami set to host FC Cincinnati on Wednesday, October 28, Messi’s personal attendance at the event remains unconfirmed.

Messi not the first MLS player to feature on the shortlist

Messi previously set historic precedent by becoming the first active MLS player to win the award in 2023, though that vote primarily celebrated his 2022 World Cup triumph. His 2026 nomination, while fortified by international play, reflects a full year of dominance in MLS as the league’s reigning MVP.

However, the Argentine icon was not the first player nominated for the Ballon d’Or while actively rostered in MLS. That benchmark belongs to David Beckham, who earned a nomination in 2007 after joining the LA Galaxy.

Ahead of the 2007 edition, organizers at France Football modified the voting rules by expanding eligibility globally. Prior to that decision, the award was strictly limited to players competing for clubs under UEFA jurisdiction.

Beckham played a key role in helping Real Madrid secure the 2006-07 La Liga title over FC Barcelona during his final season in Spain. Upon completing his high-profile transfer to the Galaxy in July 2007, the English midfielder was named to the 50-player shortlist that Octobera , vote ultimately won by Brazilian star Kaka, while Beckham finished without receiving a vote.

At 39 years old, Messi is still adding to his extraordinary legacy and rewriting parts of Inter Miami‘s history that once seemed far beyond reach. Two club records now belong to him outright, underlining the extraordinary impact he has had in just over three seasons.

When Messi joined the Herons in July 2023, the club was still in the early stages of its existence after being founded in 2018. Players such as Gonzalo Higuaín and Leonardo Campana had established some of the team’s leading individual marks, but Messi quickly changed the scale of what was possible.

His arrival brought an immediate transformation on the field, with the World Cup winner combining goals, assists and match-winning performances while helping Inter Miami compete for major silverware. What makes his latest achievement especially remarkable is the speed with which he has climbed to the top of the club’s statistical charts.

The gap between Messi and his closest challengers is now substantial. Luis Suárez, one of his former Barcelona teammates and a key part of Inter Miami’s attack, has scored 54 goals for the club, while Leonardo Campana has 32.

Messi owns both major attacking records

Messi’s place at the top of Inter Miami’s record books becomes clear when looking at the club’s all-time attacking statistics. He has scored 98 goals in 112 appearances across all competitions, making him the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, while his 54 assists also make him the franchise’s leading provider.

Those numbers put Messi comfortably ahead of the competition in both categories. Suárez’s 54 goals leave him second in the scoring charts, while former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba sits well behind Messi in assists with 33.

The achievement is even more impressive considering the relatively short period Messi has spent with the club. He has reached those totals in a little over three seasons, while continuing to perform at an elite level despite entering an age when most players have already retired.

Record-breaking 2026 season as Messi’s impact goes beyond statistics

Messi’s exceptional performance in the most recent MLS season has contributed to his impressive stats. He has recorded 18 goals and 12 assists in the 2026 regular season, continuing to rank among the league’s most productive attacking players.

One of the defining moments came on August 29, when Messi produced a sensational individual display against Montreal. He scored four goals and supplied an assist in Inter Miami’s 7-1 victory, taking his club goal tally to 98 and leaving himself only two goals away from the 100-goal milestone.

The numbers only tell part of the story of Messi’s influence at Inter Miami. Since his arrival, the club has won major trophies including the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield and 2025 MLS Cup, while his presence has helped elevate the team’s profile both domestically and internationally.

Messi has also played a major role in attracting global attention to MLS and Inter Miami. His partnerships with players such as Suarez and Alba have created a familiar Barcelona connection, while his performances alongside younger teammates have helped accelerate the club’s development.

The 2026-27 competition is set to provide a different kind of European test, with the expanded league-phase format guaranteeing eight matches before the knockout rounds begin. For Milan, it represents both an opportunity to win silverware and potentially find a route back into the Champions League.

According to the latest Polymarket winner probabilities, Milan is currently given a 15% chance of winning the Europa League, putting it narrowly ahead of another Italian heavyweight. The gap is extremely small, however, suggesting the market expects a wide-open competition rather than a runaway favorite.

Italian great Alessandro Costacurta has also backed the Serie A outfit to make a deep run in the tournament. “Milan and Juventus are favourites in the Europa League and must at least reach the semifinals. Otherwise, keep an eye on the English teams, especially Bournemouth,” the former Milan defender told SportWeek.

The surprise contenders emerge

The prediction market places Juventus at 14%, just one percentage point behind Milan, while Bayer Leverkusen follows at 12%. However, the most eye-catching part of the list is the presence of three English clubs among the seven leading candidates.

Bournemouth is currently rated at 11%, Crystal Palace at 10% and Sunderland at 6%, putting all three surprisingly high in the early projections. Real Sociedad also sits at 6%, showing just how tightly packed the field is beyond the two Italian favorites.

Bournemouth’s position is particularly striking because Costacurta specifically identified the club as one to watch. Crystal Palace enters the competition with European momentum after winning the previous season’s Conference League, while Sunderland’s inclusion reflects the growing optimism surrounding its return to continental competition.

Pulisic and Milan have huge opportunity

Milan’s league-phase schedule will provide an immediate test, beginning with Benfica at San Siro on September 16. Amorim’s side will then travel to Salzburg before facing Bournemouth away, with Ferencvaros, Olympiacos, Sunderland, Levski Sofia and Ararat-Armenia completing the league-phase schedule.

The format means the Rossoneri must navigate eight matches against eight different opponents, with four home games and four away. The top eight teams qualify directly for the round of 16, while those finishing ninth through 24th must go through a two-legged playoff.

For the 27-year-old winger, the Europa League could become an important part of his campaign after a complicated start to the season. The American forward has remained a major attacking option for Milan, while the club’s Europa League squad includes him alongside established names such as Luka Modric, Adrien Rabiot and Goncalo Ramos.

The Europa League also provides Milan with a potential shortcut back to Europe’s premier competition. Winning the tournament would secure Champions League qualification, making the competition particularly valuable after the club missed out on the top four in Serie A last season.

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.

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.

At 39, Messi is still producing goals and assists at a remarkable rate, with his influence extending far beyond individual matches. His latest accomplishment places him in territory no other player in MLS history has reached, further strengthening his already extraordinary legacy in American soccer.

The milestone arrived during Inter Miami‘s 2-2 draw with Atlanta United on September 6, when Messi supplied two assists. He first delivered a corner for Casemiro to head home before finding Luis Suarez with a perfectly weighted through-ball for Miami’s second goal.

Those two assists took Messi to 18 goals and 12 assists in 20 MLS appearances during the 2026 regular season, giving him 30 goal contributions for the campaign. More importantly, those numbers completed a feat that had never previously been achieved in league history.

Messi is now the first player in MLS history to record at least 30 goal contributions in three different seasons. The achievement was confirmed after the Atlanta match, adding another remarkable chapter to his increasingly decorated MLS career.

The numbers behind Messi’s three-season record

Messi first reached the 30-goal-contribution threshold in 2024, despite playing relatively few matches. The figures credit him with 23 goals and 13 assists in 25 appearances, giving him a total of 36 goal contributions.

His 2025 campaign took that production to another level. Messi finished that year with 43 goals and 26 assists across 49 appearances in all competitions, while his MLS regular-season numbers alone were enough to put him comfortably beyond the 30-contribution mark.

Now in 2026, Messi has reached the benchmark again with even fewer appearances. The all-competitions figures currently stand at 21 goals and 11 assists in 24 games, while his MLS regular-season tally has already reached 30 contributions.

Minor differences can appear in assist totals depending on whether a source counts secondary assists and whether it is using regular-season or all-competition statistics. However, the central achievement remains unchanged: no other MLS player has produced 30 or more goals and assists in three separate seasons.

Messi continues to defy expectations at 39

When Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023, there was widespread excitement about what one of football’s greatest-ever players could accomplish in the final stage of his career. Instead of simply winding down, however, the Argentine has continued to dominate games and rewrite MLS records.

His 2025 season was particularly spectacular, with Messi collecting major individual honors while helping Inter Miami compete for trophies. His influence has continued into 2026, demonstrating that his vision, finishing, and ability to create chances remain at an elite level.

The situation became even more surprising on Sunday night, when Milan faced Juventus in one of the biggest fixtures of the opening weeks. Pulisic had been expected to finally receive some playing time, but the 27-year-old once again remained an unused substitute.

The American has now been called up for three consecutive Serie A matches without making a single appearance, despite returning to group training in August. Milan began the campaign with wins over Torino and Venezia before drawing 1-1 with Juventus, but the American has remained on the sidelines throughout.

His absence has become increasingly noticeable because Milan still needs greater quality in the final third. Alphadjo Cisse has stepped into the role instead and has made an immediate impression, scoring against Torino and Juventus while quickly becoming one of Amorim’s preferred attacking options.

The 19-year-old’s emergence has certainly complicated Pulisic’s route back into the starting lineup. Cisse has already scored twice in three matches, including Milan’s opener against Juventus, making it increasingly difficult for Amorim to justify changing a combination that is producing results.

Ruben Amorim explains why Pulisic is still waiting

The explanation finally came after the Juventus draw, when Amorim was asked directly about Pulisic’s continued absence. The Portuguese coach made it clear that there is a specific reason behind the decision, although he also suggested that Cisse’s current form is playing a role.

“Pulisic is back from injury, I’m managing him. For now, Alpha [Cisse] is taking his place,” Amorim said in his post-match press conference, as relayed by MilanNews. Amorim expanded on his approach when discussing his substitutions and the condition of several players: “We’re still managing the minutes of some players and trying to win the match. Sometimes it’s not just the technical and tactical aspects, it’s also the physical aspect.”

The injury that has complicated Pulisic’s return

Pulisic suffered a bone bruise and microfracture in his right tibia and fibula during the United States’ World Cup campaign, an injury that forced him to miss a significant portion of Milan’s preseason preparations. He returned to group training on August 21, but that did not immediately convince the coaching staff that he was ready for competitive action.

The timing of his comeback also explains some of Milan’s caution. Pulisic had missed the club’s summer tour and only returned to full training shortly before the start of the Serie A season, leaving Amorim with a decision over whether to introduce him gradually or risk pushing him back too quickly.

There is also a broader injury history behind the caution. Pulisic has dealt with several physical problems over the past year, including an ankle sprain, hamstring injury, bursitis and a gluteal issue, meaning the club has little incentive to rush one of its most important attacking players back onto the field.

While Pulisic’s fitness remains the main factor, Cisse’s performances have given Amorim another reason to stay patient. The teenager has adapted quickly to the demands of first-team soccer and has shown the kind of attacking instinct that has made him difficult to remove from the lineup.

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.

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.

The Argentine, now playing for Inter Miami, remains in the conversation for football’s most prestigious individual honor even as he continues his career in MLS, a testament to how closely his season is still tracked by voters years after his move away from Europe.

This marks Messi’s 17th career nomination for the award, extending a run that stretches back to the mid-2000s and placing him second on the all-time list for most nominations received. Only one player has been nominated more times than the Argentine throughout the award’s history.

That player is Cristiano Ronaldo, who holds the record with 18 total nominations across his career, one more than Messi will have after this year’s list. The Portuguese forward, however, will not be adding to that tally in 2026, missing out on a nomination for the fourth consecutive year as he continues his spell with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Between them, Messi and Ronaldo remain the two most decorated players in Ballon d’Or history, with the Argentine’s eight trophies standing as the all-time record, three more than Ronaldo’s five.

Whether Messi can add a ninth to that collection this October will depend on how voters weigh his 2026 World Cup and MLS exploits against a nominee pool once again dominated by Europe’s top performers.

Full list of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or

• Lionel Messi (Argentina / Inter Miami)
• Jude Bellingham (England / Real Madrid)
• Pau Cubarsi (Spain / Barcelona)
• Marc Cucurella (Spain / Real Madrid)
• Ousmane Dembele (France / PSG)
• Luis Diaz (Colombia / Bayern Munich)
• Bruno Fernandes (Portugal / Manchester United)
• Erling Haaland (Norway / Manchester City)
• Gabriel (Brazil / Arsenal)
• Harry Kane (England / Bayern Munich)
• Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / PSG)
• Lamine Yamal (Spain / Barcelona)
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia / PSG)
• Marquinhos (Brazil / PSG)
• Sadio Mane (Senegal / Al Nassr)
• Lautaro Martinez (Argentina / Inter)
• Kylian Mbappe (France / Real Madrid)
• Michael Olise (France / Bayern Munich)
• Joao Neves (Portugal / PSG)
• William Pacho (Ecuador / PSG)
• Julian Quinones (Mexico / Al Qadsiah)
• Declan Rice (England / Arsenal)
• Rodri (Spain / Barcelona)
• William Saliba (France / Arsenal)
• Dayot Upamecano (France / Bayern Munich)
• Vinicius Jr. (Brazil / Real Madrid)
• Vitinha (Portugal / PSG)
• Fabian Ruiz (Spain / PSG)
• Ferran Torres (Spain / PSG)
• Nuno Mendes (Portugal / PSG)

On September 2, the day after the primary transfer window closed across most European leagues, Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro addressed Balogun’s situation during a press conference. After Everton raised medical concerns during physical testing on Merseyside, the executive revealed that Balogun personally walked away from the £38.5 million ($50 million USD) transfer due to his dissatisfaction with how the Premier League club handled the process.

Speaking with reporters during a virtual media session from London on Monday, Pochettino offered his perspective on the forward’s turbulent situation: “It’s difficult because you cannot influence the decision and only you need to support what they are doing with the people making the decisions.“

The manager noted that he planned to reach out directly to the USMNT forward. “Of course, in some special case, (like) Flo, I will call in the next few days because I want to give a little bit of space after all that happened with his situation in Everton,” he added.

The USMNT are preparing for a four-game friendly slate during the autumn international schedule, featuring matches against Peru on September 26, Chile on September 29, Mexico on October 3, and Canada on October 6. As he builds toward the next World Cup cycle, Pochettino has not yet confirmed whether Balogun will feature in the upcoming roster following his recent inactivity.

Pochettino concluded by emphasizing Balogun’s long-term importance to the program following his contributions during the 2026 World Cup: “I want to know from him what happened, but always offering our support and be with them and that’s it. I think he’s an important player for us, was an important player in the World Cup and hope that he can find being in Monaco, in another place, his best place to perform in the best way.”

Balogun’s future remains in the air

The 2026-27 Ligue 1 season is already underway, with Monaco taking early command of the standings after securing nine points from their opening three fixtures. Under manager Filipe Luis, the Monegasque side has relied on 20-year-old German forward Paris Brunner in the attacking line while Balogun remains sidelined.

Thus far this season, Balogun has yet to log a single minute of action after missing preseason training and failing to make a matchday squad. With the transfer window closed across Europe’s top five leagues, potential exit routes are limited to secondary markets such as the Saudi Pro League, the Portuguese Primeira Liga, Brazil’s Serie A, and Mexico’s Liga MX.

Following Argentina’s defeat in the 2026 World Cup final, Messi formally stepped away from international duty, meaning the upcoming fixtures in late September and early October will mark the national team’s first squad in 21 years without Messi available as an active selection option.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) released a statement on X confirming that the federation “will announce the friendly matches that Lionel Scaloni’s team will play during the September/October FIFA window” on Wednesday, shifting back their original timeline as part of a calculated administrative strategy.

According to Argentina insider and Diario Ole journalist Hernan Claus, AFA are delaying the official schedule release while seeking formal FIFA certification to ensure the matches taking place between September 21 and October 6 receive official “Class A” friendly status.

While seemingly a administrative technicality, the designation remains a high priority for Argentina’s roster management. Under official “Class A” status, suspensions handed out to Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, Thiago Almada, and assistant coach Roberto Ayala following post-match incidents at the 2026 World Cup final can be served during these autumn friendlies.

FIFA recently granted AFA’s appeal permitting the sanctioned individuals to serve their suspensions during either official “Class A” friendlies or competitive fixtures, whichever occur first. However, FIFA guidelines typically restrict domestic friendlies played on home soil from receiving “Class A” status, leaving AFA working to clear the hurdle to keep the matches in Argentina without altering their venue plans.

Potential rivals for Argentina begin to emerge

With UEFA nations locked into 2026-27 UEFA Nations League group stage commitments across the autumn international calendar, options for high-profile European opponents remain severely limited for South American federations.

According to reporting from Argentine journalist Veronica Brunatti, AFA are finalizing agreements for two friendlies, targeting Burkina Faso on October 3 and Benin on October 6. Current plans call for both matches to take place on Argentine soil, though specific venues and kickoff times remain unconfirmed.

Following the 2026 World Cup, the FIFA World Rankings underwent a shift at the top, with Spain claiming the No. 1 ranking with 1,995.88 points and Argentina dropping to No. 2 with 1,970.37 points. Regarding Argentina’s prospective opponents, Burkina Faso currently occupy the 62nd spot globally, while Benin sit at 93rd, offering modest competitive resistance for the world’s second-ranked side.

In contrast to major European leagues that closed their windows on September 1, the Saudi Pro League set its primary deadline for Sunday, September 6. As clubs across the competition finalized late roster moves, Al Nassr executed another outbound transaction in the closing hours.

Al Qadsiah confirmed the acquisition of Abdulmalik Al Jaber from Ronaldo’s Al Nassr on a season-long loan valued at SAR 6 million ($1.6 million USD). The agreement allows the 22-year-old midfielder an opportunity to return to Al Nassr ahead of the 2027-28 campaign should his purchase clause go unexercised.

Beyond the initial loan fee, Al Nassr inserted a SAR 50 million ($13.3 million USD) purchase option into the contract. Should Al Qadsiah trigger the clause to make the transfer permanent, the total transaction value would reach SAR 56 million ($14.9 million USD) delivered to the Riyadh side.

Despite his prospective potential, Al Jaber failed to make a competitive first-team appearance for Al Nassr after suffering a severe knee injury at the start of the 2025-26 season, missing 21 matches and falling out of favor under former manager Jorge Jesus. Under new manager Ange Postecoglou, the midfielder made several preseason features but remained outside the competitive rotation, prompting his departure.

Al Jaber’s exit represents the ninth departure from Al Nassr during the 2026-27 summer transfer window. Following loan departures for Jhon Duran and Angelo, alongside permanent exits like Ali Al-Hassan to Al Fateh and Marcelo Brozovic’s contract expiration, Ronaldo saw several core contributors from last season’s championship squad leave the club.

Al Nassr’s quiet transfer window

After capturing the Saudi Pro League title and appointing Ange Postecoglou, expectations were high for Al Nassr to bolster their roster during the summer window. However, league financial regulations placed strict parameters on the club, subjecting them to a Recruitment Programme with defined spending caps.

Al Nassr’s sole incoming transfer of the window was midfielder Samu Costa, acquired for a €22 million ($25.5 million USD) fee from RCD Mallorca in a deal delayed by financial clearance procedures tied to outgoing transfers. Ronaldo played a key role in recruiting his international teammate following their 2026 World Cup run together, but no further additions were finalized.

Consequently, Al Nassr stand as the only Saudi Pro League club to complete fewer than five incoming signings during the summer transfer window. Reports from 365scoresarabic indicate that regulatory authorities determined Al Nassr’s active payroll exceeded projected budgetary allowances, with Ronaldo’s contract serving as a primary structural factor despite its partial funding via the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

In an open letter published on Instagram, Messi confirmed his decision to step away from international duty, sharing his thoughts just two days following the 2026 World Cup final. The announcement brought an official end to a legendary 21-year tenure with the national team that began with his senior debut in 2005.

Speaking during Monday’s pre-match press conference ahead of a Champions League clash against Real Madrid, Martinez addressed whether he was aware of Messi’s plans beforehand: “Leo announced that he had retired from the national team, and for us, we knew that at some point the news was going to come, but when it arrives it hits hard because of everything Leo means to the world of football, to the national team, and to our country.”

Martinez elaborated on the personal message he shared on Instagram, while reflecting on the captain’s resilience through adversity. “I spoke with him and dedicated a few words to thank him for how he has taught and guided us toward victory; he went through difficult times and never gave up,” he added.

“That is what is truly valued, and that’s what I take with me, beyond the fact that on a day-to-day basis we talk and experience very intense things for our careers and for life,” Martinez noted regarding the Argentina icon, who will be absent from the squad for the upcoming international window.

With Messi vacating his spot in the attacking line, questions remain regarding how manager Lionel Scaloni will adapt. Scaloni could opt for a traditional two-striker system pairing Martinez alongside Julian Alvarez, or deploy rising playmaker Nico Paz to assume Messi’s creative responsibilities in the final third.

Lautaro Martinez, a cornerstone of Argentina’s championship run

Lionel Messi served as the catalyst for Argentina’s international dominance after Lionel Scaloni assumed control in 2018, leading the country to multiple major trophies, including the 2022 World Cup. However, Lautaro Martinez played a pivotal supporting role throughout that golden era, consistently supplying critical goals in key moments.

During the Scaloni era, Messi leads all scorers with 60 international goals, but Martinez stands comfortably in second place with 40 goals, holding a substantial gap over Julian Alvarez in third place with 15 goals. Furthermore, the Inter Milan striker delivered the defining moment of the 2024 Copa America, scoring the extra-time winner in a 1-0 victory over Colombia on American soil, as well as the recent header coming from a Messi cross to complete the comeback against England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal.

Gordon marked his La Liga debut on Matchday 1 as a second-half substitute, requiring just 25 minutes to record two assists in a 5-0 rout of Elche. Inserting himself as a staple in manager Hansi Flick’s starting XI, he subsequently added two setups against Rayo Vallecano before laying off a pass for Fermin Lopez to score in another 5-0 victory over Valencia.

Through those contributions, Gordon became just the second player in the 21st century to register five assists across the opening four matches of a La Liga campaign. The last player to achieve that standard was Messi during the 2011-12 season.

The only other players in league history to record five assists through four matches featured decades ago for Real Madrid. Juan Gomez Gonzalez, universally known as Juanito, first set the benchmark during the 1980-81 season, followed by Michel Gonzalez during the 1987-88 campaign.

Gordon’s most productive playmaking season came during the 2023-24 campaign with Newcastle United. Across 48 total appearances in all competitions, he generated 16 assists, with 15 coming in Premier League action.

Through just four La Liga appearances, Gordon has already accounted for a third of his career single-season league assist high, underscoring his immediate impact in Catalonia. The winger currently leads La Liga in assists, pacing ahead of Angel Perez, Unai Lopez, Javi Hernandez, and Mariano Diaz, who sit tied with three apiece.

Gordon targeting Messi’s record?

Barcelona have poured in 17 total goals through their opening four fixtures of the 2026-27 La Liga campaign, maintaining a blistering offensive pace that provides Gordon ample opportunity to build on his numbers. Sitting on five assists, he could realistically challenge the single-season league benchmark established by Messi.

The record for most assists in a single La Liga campaign stands at 21, set by Messi for Barcelona during the 2019-20 season. Across all competitions that year, the Argentine legend compiled 26 total assists.

Speaking to L’Equipe, the Real Madrid star was asked about his chances for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. He did not hesitate to state that he believes he deserves the honor following his historic performances with France at the World Cup.

“Who’d I vote for the Ballon d’Or? I’d vote for me,” Mbappe said. “It is individual award. We look at what the player has done individually. When we look at the arguments… I look, and I say to myself that yeah… it wouldn’t be stolen.

“Being the top scorer of all biggest competitions, where the best players play… the UCL, the World Cup… I don’t know if anyone did it before. I believe that making history should always be rewarded.”

A race full of stars

Mbappe scored 10 goals for France at the 2026 World Cup, securing the Golden Boot after finishing two goals clear of Lionel Messi atop the goalscoring charts.

However, Mbappe is not the only player who had a standout summer. Messi contributed eight goals and four assists while leading Argentina to the final, where they ultimately fell to Spain.

Spain boast another major contender in Lamine Yamal. While his individual stats at the tournament were modest, winning the World Cup as a 19-year-old starter is a historic achievement that voters will not overlook.

Meanwhile, PSG feature several stars who deserve consideration, including 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz, who accomplished the rare feat of winning both the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League and the 2026 World Cup in the same year.

Following Ollie Watkins’ arrival at Al Hilal, Karim Benzema and the Saudi club reached a mutual agreement to terminate his contract, which had one year remaining. The move sent the French striker into free agency, leaving him cleared to negotiate terms with potential suitors.

Concurrently, Olympique Lyon have navigated severe financial constraints in recent seasons, raising funds by selling young talents like Malick Fofana to Sunderland for $34 million (€29.3 million EUR) and Afonso Moreira to Bayer Leverkusen for $34 million (€29.3 million EUR). Despite Lyon’s tight budget, L’Equipe reported that Benzema was willing to return to his boyhood club without taking a salary.

While both parties favored the reunion, contractual entanglements halted progress. Beyond finalizing his exit details with Al Hilal, a broader contractual barrier stood in the way: Benzema’s agreement as a Saudi Pro League ambassador through 2030 prohibits him from competing professionally in another country, rendering a move to Lyon virtually impossible.

As part of Saudi Arabia’s strategic vision leading up to the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) secured several global marquee figures as brand ambassadors to drive international media visibility. Alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and formerly Neymar, Benzema was signed to a long-term promotional agreement.

With the PIF holding his global image rights under the deal, Benzema is obligated to represent the kingdom at major sporting showcases, such as Ronaldo’s recent appearance at the Esports World Cup, while agreeing not to play for clubs outside the Saudi Pro League. With the forward intending to honor those commitments, a return to European football is off the table despite his free agent status.

Retirement becomes an increasingly likely path for Benzema

While negotiating his exit terms with Al Hilal, Al Shabab emerged as a potential destination, initially exploring a loan arrangement before offering a permanent contract once Benzema hit free agency. However, Benzema declined the offer from the Saudi club, leaving retirement as an increasingly probable next step.

At 38 years old, Benzema would be 43 by the time his ambassador contract expires in 2030, effectively closing the door on playing again in Europe or another foreign league unless the agreement is restructured. Although the primary Saudi transfer deadline has passed, domestic clubs retain the ability to sign free agents, leaving his active playing career at a crossroads.

Al Nassr started slowly by conceding two early goals before Angelo cut into the deficit in the 36th minute. In the second half, while chasing an equalizer, Coman was forced off the field after pulling up with a hamstring injury in the 60th minute, pulling up immediately before clutching the back of his leg.

Head coach Ange Postecoglou turned to Ayman Yahya as his replacement, but Al Nassr were unable to break through for an equalizer as they dropped their first domestic result of the campaign. Saudi outlet Arriyadiyah reported that Coman underwent imaging in Riyadh on Sunday to determine the extent of the damage.

According to Al Nassr insider Abdulaziz Al-Osaimi, medical evaluations confirmed that Coman suffered a hamstring tear against Al Ittihad. While the specific grade of the strain and a definitive timetable have not been publicly disclosed by the club, the French international is expected to remain sidelined for several weeks.

Coman has established himself as a central figure for Al Nassr following his arrival from Bayern Munich during the 2025-26 campaign, helping lead the club to the SPL title in his debut season. While he has yet to record a goal contribution through his opening appearances in 2026-27, he proved to be one of the league’s most complete attackers last term, generating 16 goals and 12 assists across 41 matches in all competitions.

With the AFC Champions League Elite group stage kicking off in under two weeks, Postecoglou will be forced to adjust his attacking rotation. In similar scenarios last season, former manager Jorge Jesus relied on Yahya or Abdulrahman Ghareeb to fill the void on the flank whenever Coman was unavailable.

Ronaldo loses key attacking partner in final third

Throughout the 2025-26 season, Coman maintained a clean bill of health, avoiding the fitness setbacks that occasionally plagued earlier stretches of his career while serving as a fixture in the starting XI. With an extended absence now projected, Ronaldo loses one of his most reliable service providers in the final third.

Out of Coman’s 12 assists last season, five directly set up Ronaldo, accounting for nearly half of the winger’s total assist tally while ranking him second in the SPL with 17 big chances created, behind only Joao Felix (23). Conversely, Ronaldo assisted on one of Coman’s tallies during their title-winning campaign.

Part of the core group formed during Lionel Scaloni’s managerial roster overhaul, De Paul developed an exceptionally close bond with Messi alongside midfielders Leandro Paredes and Giovani Lo Celso. That relationship influenced De Paul’s career choices, as the midfielder opted to join Inter Miami in July 2025 despite holding competitive offers to remain in Europe.

Speaking to MLS media ahead of Inter Miami’s clash with Atlanta United, De Paul reflected on Messi’s announcement while honoring his 21-year international career: “It was very emotional. For us Argentines, we lived with so much excitement having him out on the pitch; it gave us immense pride to see the Argentina jersey all over the world, with him always wearing the number 10 on his back. I think he did so much for the country.“

Processing his personal feelings, De Paul emphasized that Messi still maintains elite performance levels for Inter Miami. “Melancholy above all, but I think we enjoyed it, I particularly enjoyed his journey with our national team. May he be very happy, and let’s keep enjoying him because there’s still time left,” he concluded.

As De Paul highlighted, Messi continues to operate at a high level in Major League Soccer for Inter Miami. Currently leading MLS in both goals (18) and assists (10), the Argentine icon remains under contract with the Herons through December 2028, and his current form during the 2026 MLS campaign demonstrates that his productivity remains elite.

For De Paul, the midfielder remains under contract with Inter Miami through December 2029, though his long-term outlook with the club remains closely tied to Messi’s future. While De Paul has not formally addressed his future with the national team, the 32-year-old midfielder would turn 36 during the 2030 World Cup cycle, leaving his status for the next tournament far from guaranteed.

Rodrigo De Paul’s trophies with Messi

Shortly after Messi published his farewell statement on Instagram, De Paul shared a heartfelt tribute of his own. “Seeing you walk out with the 10 and the captain’s armband in front of us made us feel protected, knowing that whoever we faced, we had someone up front who would give everything for us,” De Paul wrote in his tribute.

Remarkably, De Paul’s entire professional trophy collection has been acquired alongside Messi, spanning both international duty and their recent club campaign in South Florida.

Prior to joining Inter Miami, De Paul’s club career featured stints with high-profile clubs across Argentina and Europe, including Racing Club, Valencia, Udinese, and Atletico Madrid. However, he went without silverware throughout those European club stops.

His breakthrough arrived at the 2021 Copa America, where he helped Argentina capture the title in what also marked Messi’s first major senior trophy with the national team. That victory opened a golden run that included the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup, and the 2024 Copa America, alongside a silver medal at the 2026 World Cup following their final loss to Spain.

De Paul’s move to Inter Miami in 2025 allowed him to train alongside Messi on a daily basis ahead of the 2026 World Cup. In the process, he claimed the 2025 MLS Cup, his first major club trophy, bringing his total career haul to five major titles, every single one won alongside Messi.

Match Overview

Toluca reach the 2026 Leagues Cup final after defeating Club Leon 2–0 in the semifinals, eliminating the team that finished atop the Liga MX group standings during the regular phase.

As for Monterrey, they secured a dramatic draw against Club America to force a penalty shootout, where Rayados emerged victorious to book their place in the championship match.

Playing at Alinma Stadium, Al Ittihad surged to a fast start behind George Ilenikhena, who struck twice in the opening 22 minutes to build an early 2-0 cushion. Angelo managed to cut into the deficit in the 36th minute, but with a disciplined home defense sitting deep, Al Nassr were unable to break through for an equalizer in the second half.

For Ronaldo, the fixture marked his third start of the 2026-27 season and his first full 90-minute appearance after appearing as a late substitute in the previous two matches. However, the Portuguese icon struggled to influence proceedings, managing just two shots on target across 16 total touches as Al Ittihad restricted his impact.

One of the match’s lighter moments occurred when Al Ittihad captain Danilo Pereira received tactical instructions written on a slip of paper from manager Jens Wissing. Ronaldo approached his former international teammate to sneak a glance at the note, prompting Pereira to laugh and jokingly hold the paper out to the Al Nassr captain in a friendly exchange.

However, after securing the 2-1 victory to preserve their unbeaten start to the season, Al Ittihad took a direct shot at Al Nassr and their marquee superstar online. “Cheating and still losing,” posted Al Ittihad’s official English X account, producing a viral response that generated millions of impressions across soccer fanbases.

Tough day in the office for Al Nassr

The early two-goal cushion allowed Al Ittihad to concede possession and protect their lead behind a compact defensive block. In the second half, Al Nassr held 62 percent of the ball and earned 11 corner kicks, but despite firing 13 total shots, Ronaldo’s side failed to unlock the equalizer.

When asked about the team’s fight in his post-match press conference, head coach Ange Postecoglou stood firm: “I think it depends on how you evaluate the match. From what I saw, after the opening 15 minutes, there was only one team creating clear opportunities, and that was us. If you want to discuss character, this group proved last year and continues to demonstrate this season that they possess tremendous character.“

The mounting frustration was equally apparent in forward Joao Felix, who will be suspended for Al Nassr’s upcoming SPL fixture against Abha on Wednesday. Visibly incensed by officiating decisions during the match, the Portuguese international bypassed reporters in the mixed zone with a brief parting comment. “I won’t speak to you, because if I do, I’ll expose this league,” Felix stated as he was heading to the team bus.

Barcelona visited Valencia for Matchday 4 with an attacking trident featuring Anthony Gordon and Lamine Yamal on the flanks while Raphinha operated as the central striker. The Brazilian once again found his name on the scoresheet in the 50th minute with Barcelona leading 2-0, turning in an accurate cross from Fermin Lopez to redirect the ball into the back of the net.

With that finish, Raphinha reached six goals across the opening four fixtures of the 2026-27 La Liga campaign, scoring in every single match thus far. He becomes just the second Barcelona player in the 21st century to accomplish the feat, joining Lionel Messi in elite company.

The Barcelona legend was the first player in modern club history to score six goals through the opening four matches of a La Liga season, accomplishing the feat twice. Messi first reached six goals through four games in 2012-13 by netting three braces despite going scoreless on Matchday 3, before repeating the milestone in 2013-14 with a brace and a hat trick despite missing Matchday 2 through injury.

Operating outside the mold of a conventional central target man, Raphinha stands as the competition’s premier goalscorer. The Brazilian opened his account with a brace in a 5-0 Matchday 1 win over Elche, scored once in a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao, added another brace in a 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, and extended his streak against Valencia.

Barcelona sit atop the La Liga standings with a perfect 12 points from four matches, displaying lethal form in front of goal with 17 total team goals while surrendering just two at the defensive end.

Cristiano Ronaldo left off the mark

Cristiano Ronaldo routinely shattered goalscoring standards following his 2009 arrival at Real Madrid. However, unlike Messi and Raphinha, the Portuguese icon never matched that specific four-game scoring surge to open a La Liga season.

Ronaldo’s personal best through Matchday 4 of a La Liga campaign stood at five goals, a mark he achieved across three separate seasons. He first set the standard during his 2009-10 debut campaign before replicating it in 2014-15 and 2015-16, highlighted by a five-goal masterclass against Espanyol on Matchday 3 of the latter campaign.

Nevertheless, the Portuguese star produced an unprecedented scoring stretch later in that 2014-15 campaign by racking up nine goals across his first four individual league appearances. After sitting out Matchday 2 due to injury, Ronaldo hit nine goals through Matchday 5, scoring once against Cordoba, once against Atletico Madrid, three against Deportivo La Coruna, and four against Elche.

Christian Pulisic begins on the substitute bench against Juventus strictly due to a fitness management situation. The USMNT star remains below his peak physical condition following his recent injury layoff, prompting head coach Ruben Amorim to hold him out of the starting lineup.

According to reporting from Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Pulisic’s physical condition remains well short of full match sharpness, noting that he is “not at 100 percent and not even close to it” at present. Despite the temporary setback, he remains regarded as a vital cornerstone of the squad as Milan carefully manage his return to action.

Thus far, Pulisic has yet to record a single competitive minute during the 2026-27 Serie A campaign. Although included on the matchday bench for previous fixtures against Torino and Venezia, Amorim utilized all five available substitutions in both contests without calling on the USMNT star to take the pitch.

Having spent several weeks building fitness in full training sessions, Pulisic is expected to compete for one of the dual attacking midfield roles in Amorim’s tactical setup once fully recovered. For the clash against Juventus, those central attacking positions will be occupied by Adrien Rabiot and Alexis Saelemaekers.

Conversely, USMNT teammate Yunus Musah earned a spot in the starting lineup for the marquee clash. The former Valencia midfielder anchors the central pivot alongside Croatian legend Luka Modric, flanked by Diego Moreira and Pervis Estupiñan on the wings.

Confirmed lineups for Juventus and AC Milan

Juventus’ confirmed lineup (4-2-3-1): Guglielmo Vicario; Pierre Kalulu, Bremer, Jhon Lucumi, Zeki Celik; Manuel locatelli, Douglas Luiz; Francisco Conceicao, Nicolas Gonzalez, Kerim Alajbegovic; Randal Kolo Muani.
Head coach: Luciano Spalletti.

AC Milan’s confirmed lineup (3-4-2-1): Mike Maignan; Mario Gila, Koni De Winter, Strahinja Pavlovic; Diego Moreira, Yunus Musah, Luka Modric, Pervis Estupiñan; Adrien Rabiot, Alexis Saelemaekers; Goncalo Ramos.
Head coach: Ruben Amorim.

Match Overview

Club Leon finished atop the standings during the 2026 Leagues Cup group phase, but that momentum was not enough to overcome Toluca in a 2–0 semifinal defeat.

Meanwhile, Club America entered their matchup against Monterrey as favorites, but they failed to execute during the penalty shootout and were ultimately eliminated by Rayados.

WHO: Valencia vs Barcelona
WHAT: La Liga
WHEN: 10:15 AM ET / 7:15 AM PT • Sunday, September 6, 2026
WHERE: Fubo
STREAM: WATCH NOW

Match Overview

Reigning La Liga champions Barcelona travel to the Mestalla to face a Valencia side already in crisis mode just four games into the new season. For Barcelona, this match represents a chance to continue their flawless start and extend their dominance atop the league table. Hansi Flick’s squad has been firing on all cylinders, showcasing the attacking prowess that secured them the title last season.

For Valencia, the stakes are entirely different and far more urgent. With only one point from their first three matches and a growing injury list, the pressure is mounting on manager Carlos Corberán. A clash against the champions is the last thing a struggling team needs, but a surprise result could be the catalyst to turn their season around before they get dragged into an early relegation battle.

Tactical Analysis & Match Context

The two clubs enter this fixture on completely opposite trajectories. Barcelona has picked up where they left off, securing three convincing wins while scoring 12 goals. Their title defense is off to a perfect start, built on an aggressive, high-pressing system that suffocates opponents. Their 11.6 xG in just three games demonstrates that their goal-scoring flurry is no accident, but a product of systematic dominance.

In stark contrast, Valencia has stumbled out of the gate, mirroring the poor start that plagued their 2025/26 campaign. They have scored just one goal and their defense has already shown signs of weakness, conceding three times to newly-promoted Deportivo La Coruña. Tactically, Valencia’s attempt to press high could be disastrous. While they rank high in winning possession in the opponent’s half, that aggressive approach risks leaving them fatally exposed to the blistering pace of Barcelona’s forwards like Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, who has thrived in a false nine role.

The motivations for each side are crystal clear. Barcelona aims to solidify its position as the team to beat, and a comprehensive victory on the road would send another strong message to the rest of the league. For Valencia, this is about survival and restoring confidence. They need to find a way to be defensively compact while still posing a threat, a difficult balance to strike against a team of Barcelona’s caliber, especially with a squad decimated by injuries.

Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends

Historically, this fixture has been heavily dominated by Barcelona. Across 232 official meetings, the Catalan giants have secured 115 victories compared to Valencia’s 60, with 57 matches ending in a draw. This long-term trend underscores the scale of the challenge facing the home side.

However, recent history offers a more complex picture. Valencia’s 3-1 victory in their last meeting at the Mestalla broke a 12-game winless streak against Barcelona. While that win came on the final day of last season after Barcelona had already clinched the title, it will provide a sliver of hope. Before that, Barcelona’s dominance was clear, highlighted by a crushing 6-0 win earlier in the same season.

Statistically, this matchup often produces fireworks. The last five encounters have seen both teams find the net on three occasions. More notably, games between these two sides have averaged a staggering 5.2 goals, suggesting a high probability of an open, attacking affair. Barcelona has covered a -1.5 goal handicap in three of their last four victories over Valencia, indicating a tendency for them to win comfortably when they are on form.

Squad News & Projected Lineups

Both managers are contending with key absences, but Valencia’s injury crisis is far more severe and will heavily influence their approach to this game.

Valencia is navigating a disastrous injury situation, with a long list of key players sidelined. Forward Sadiq Umar is out until November, and he is joined on the treatment table by Pablo Maffeo, José Copete, Guido Rodríguez, Diego López, and Sergi Canós, among others. This severely limits Carlos Corberán’s options and forces him into a more defensive and pragmatic setup.

Barcelona is also without crucial midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Gavi, but their squad depth allows for more flexibility. New signing Gabriel Jesus is available for selection but is expected to start on the bench. Raphinha’s sensational form, with five goals in three games, means he will almost certainly continue to lead the line as a dynamic false nine.

Valencia Projected XI (5-3-1):
Dimitrievski; Rioja, Martínez, Diakhaby, Tárrega, Vázquez; Pepelu, Ugrinic, Sato; Guerra; Duro.
With so many players out, expect Valencia to deploy a conservative 5-3-1 formation designed to frustrate Barcelona. The focus will be on defensive solidity, with three center-backs and a packed midfield aiming to deny space. Javi Guerra will play a key role in linking the midfield to lone striker Hugo Duro, who will be tasked with holding up the ball and relieving pressure.

Barcelona Projected XI (4-2-3-1):
García; Espart, Cubarsí, Christensen, Koundé; Pedri, Bernal; Gordon, Olmo, Yamal; Raphinha.
Hansi Flick is unlikely to deviate from the 4-2-3-1 system that has brought so much success. The attack will flow through the in-form Raphinha, with the prodigious Lamine Yamal and creative force Dani Olmo providing support from the wings and central areas. Pedri’s control in midfield will be essential to dictating the tempo and breaking down Valencia’s low block.

More details on how to watch

You can watch the Valencia vs Barcelona live stream exclusively on Fubo. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and gaming consoles, as well as on web browsers and mobile apps for iOS and Android.

A subscription to Fubo not only gives you access to every La Liga match but also includes coverage of other top European competitions. You can watch the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, and major cup tournaments all in one place.

The service is available for a monthly fee of $64.99, offering an incredible value for soccer fans who want comprehensive access to global soccer. There are no long-term contracts, so you can cancel at any time.

Beyond soccer, your subscription also includes a deep library of movies, TV shows, and original programming, making it a complete entertainment package for the whole family.

For a full schedule of all upcoming La Liga matches on US TV and streaming, check out our La Liga TV schedule page.

SEE MORE > Complete La Liga TV schedule

How to watch anywhere with VPN

If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out NordVPN’s guide to the best VPNs for streaming soccer.

Al-Nassr’s latest setback came in a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Al-Ittihad, with George Ilenikhena scoring twice before Angelo pulled one back for the visitors. Despite dominating large portions of the second half, Ronaldo’s side could not find a second goal, with goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic producing a standout performance to preserve the result.

Al-Ittihad started the match at a furious pace and needed only four minutes to take the lead. Ilenikhena reacted quickest after Steven Bergwijn’s effort was parried onto the post, heading the loose ball into the bottom corner.

The young striker doubled his tally in the 22nd minute after Houssem Aouar split the Al-Nassr defence with a perfectly weighted pass. Ilenikhena kept his composure before finishing clinically, giving Al-Ittihad a two-goal advantage and putting the visitors under immediate pressure. The defeat leaves Ronaldo’s team on 12 points from five league matches, while Al-Ittihad climbed to 11 and remains unbeaten.

Ronaldo suffers first league loss with Saudi defending champions

For Ronaldo, the defeat marks his first Saudi Pro League loss of the campaign after Al-Nassr had won its opening four matches. The Portuguese superstar had opportunities but could not find the goal that would have rescued his side from a damaging night.

The result also benefits Al-Hilal, which now sits three points ahead of Al-Nassr at the top of the standings. Al-Ittihad’s victory means the gap between the two sides has been reduced to only one point, adding another layer of intrigue to the title race.

How many MLS losses does Messi have?

The comparison with Messi produces an interesting answer because Inter Miami has suffered four MLS regular-season defeats during the 2026 campaign, but Messi has featured in only two of those losses. In his 19 league appearances this season, the Argentine has recorded an impressive 11 wins, six draws and two defeats.

Messi’s two losses came during Inter Miami’s difficult August run. He was on the field for a 4-1 defeat away to Nashville on August 16 and a 2-1 home loss to Toronto on August 23, giving him only two MLS defeats while playing this season.

The Herons’ wider record is considerably less impressive, with the club also losing to Los Angeles FC in February and enduring further defeats during the Leagues Cup. The latter included losses to Monterrey and Club Leon, although those results came outside the MLS regular season.

Pulisic’s immediate focus is on returning to action, with Sunday’s meeting against Juventus potentially offering his first opportunity to make an impact. However, behind the scenes, Milan is preparing for an important conversation that could shape the next stage of the player’s career at San Siro.

The 27-year-old has been included in the squad for Milan’s opening two Serie A matches against Torino and Venezia, but he has yet to play a single minute. His absence comes after a difficult summer in which he was forced to deal with a bone oedema at the junction between the tibia and fibula in his right leg.

The injury ruled him out of pre-season and forced him to train separately when he returned to Italy on August 2. Although the physical problem has now been resolved, Pulisic is still working his way back to full match fitness after only around a week of team training.

Ruben Amorim made it clear that the American’s current situation is primarily about managing his return rather than questioning his quality. “He has great talent. I simply have to manage my players’ workloads, and I understand that at this moment we need to win and to put more tempo into every match,” Amorim recently told reporters.

New attacking hierarchy at Milan

Pulisic is expected to be on the bench against Juventus, with a second-half appearance considered the most likely scenario. A starting place is currently out of reach, particularly with Alphadjo Cisse and Ruben Loftus-Cheek ahead of him in terms of physical condition.

Milan is eager to have Pulisic back because his attacking production remains extremely important. With Rafael Leao now gone, Pulisic is the club’s leading player for combined goals and assists, making his return particularly significant as Amorim searches for a new attacking hierarchy.

The competition for places has changed considerably, with Milan possessing a mixture of experience, youth, physicality and creativity in the attacking midfield positions. Adrien Rabiot, Cisse, Loftus-Cheek, Diego Moreira and Alexis Saelemaekers all offer different qualities, meaning Pulisic cannot simply expect to walk straight back into the starting XI.

The American also endured a complicated summer away from the pitch, with Premier League side Tottenham and MLS side New York City FC reportedly attempting to bring him back to their respective leagues. Milan refused to open the door, however, highlighting how important Pulisic remains to Gerry Cardinale’s sporting and commercial project.

Pulisic’s Milan renewal talks get key date

That importance will now be tested in the boardroom, with a key meeting between Cardinale and Pulisic’s representatives scheduled for the middle of next week. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport and Calciomercato.com, the meeting will involve Pulisic’s entourage, including his father and agent.

The timing is significant because the winger’s current contract expires in 2027, while Milan has an option that can extend the agreement until 2028. The club is expected to exercise that option, but discussions will also focus on a much longer deal that could keep the American at Milan until 2031.

The financial side of the negotiations could prove more complicated. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Pulisic’s representatives are seeking to double his salary from $4.6 million net per season to $9.2 million net. However, a compromise between the two sides remains possible.

Milan reportedly wants more evidence on the pitch before committing to the biggest financial terms. That makes Pulisic’s return particularly important, because the coming weeks could determine whether the club views him as an essential long-term leader or simply an important player whose future requires further discussion.

Milan has won both of its opening league matches, beating Torino 2-1 away before overcoming Venezia 2-0 at San Siro. Juventus has also collected six points from its first two games, setting up an early-season showdown between two sides that have yet to drop a point.

For Pulisic, the fixture represents another opportunity to contribute to Milan’s strong beginning under their new coach. The American is among the attacking options available to Amorim, although he is expected to begin the match on the bench as he continues working his way back to full match fitness.

The team also has several other attacking options, including Goncalo Ramos, Diego Moreira and Omari Hutchinson. The depth available to Amorim could prove crucial in Turin, particularly against a Juventus side that has also started the season with maximum points.

There is also unfinished business for Pulisic at the Allianz Stadium. The American missed a penalty in the corresponding fixture last season, while Rafael Leao also squandered a one-on-one opportunity as the Red and Blacks failed to take advantage of their chances.

Milan’s perfect start comes with history within reach

The significance of Sunday’s match becomes clearer when Milan’s opening two results are placed alongside the club’s history. A victory in Turin would give Amorim three wins from his first three Serie A matches in charge, something that has been achieved remarkably rarely by Milan coaches.

Only three managers have previously managed such a start. Mario Sperone did it in 1952, Giuseppe Viani followed in 1956, and Luigi Bonizzoni became the most recent coach to accomplish it in 1958.

Amorim can now become the first Milan coach in 68 years to match that extraordinary opening. The fact that Ancelotti, Sacchi and Capello all failed to achieve it makes the opportunity even more striking.

Even Milan legends could not manage it

Sacchi lost his second league match after taking charge, while Capello won his opening two before drawing his third match, coincidentally against Juventus. Ancelotti’s first Serie A game as Milan coach ended in a 0-0 draw against Piacenza in 2001.

Bonizzoni’s achievement in 1958 was particularly memorable because Milan went on to enjoy an outstanding campaign. The club lost only twice that season and ultimately won the Scudetto, adding another layer of history to a record that has remained untouched for nearly seven decades.

Viani had also enjoyed a strong start two years earlier, winning his first three matches before Milan eventually went on to claim the Serie A title. Amorim therefore has the opportunity to join a very small group of managers whose early success became part of the club’s history.

The Argentine captain comes into the match in red-hot form, having scored four goals in Miami’s 7-1 rout of Montreal last time out, and there is no indication he will be eased out of the XI despite the ongoing coaching transition.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, with Miami looking to build on its emphatic result over Montreal and Hoyos aiming to hand off a side in good form once Gonzalez is finally cleared to take over.

Meanwhile, Atlanta will try to use Gerardo Martino’s insider knowledge of the Miami roster to slow down a Messi-led attack that has been in devastating form of late.

Inter Miami confirmed lineup

Miami will line up in a 4-3-3. Hoyos will have to make do without Sergio Reguilon, Gonzalo Lujan, Micael, Mateo Silvetti, Santiago Morales and Tadeo Allende, all ruled out through injury, leaving the club with six absences to account for heading into kickoff.

Inter Miami confirmed starting XI: Dayne St. Clair; Ian Fray, Casemiro, Maximiliano Falcon, Fricio Caicedo; Rodrigo De Paul, Yannick Bright, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi, German Berterame, Luis Suarez.

Atlanta United confirmed lineup

Atlanta United will set up in a 4-2-3-1 for what marks the official MLS debut of Breel Embolo, who joins the starting lineup for the first time since completing his $18 million move from Stade Rennais, one of the biggest transfers in league history.

Atlanta United confirmed starting XI: Lucas Hoyos; Tomas Jacob, Paulo Diaz, Junior Alonso, Elias Baez; Cooper Sanchez, Will Reilly; Aleksei Miranchuk, Tristan Muyumba, Miguel Almiron; Breel Embolo.

The Portuguese forward, who played the full match alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in attack, appeared visibly frustrated for much of the second half, particularly after picking up a yellow card for a challenge on Al Ittihad midfielder Richard Rios that he clearly felt was harsh.

That frustration spilled over once the final whistle blew. “I won’t speak to you, because if I do, I’ll expose this league,” Felix said while rushing past reporters without stopping for further comment.

Whether Felix’s remarks were aimed specifically at the referee’s performance in Friday’s match or at broader officiating issues within the Saudi Pro League remains unclear, since he declined to explain himself any further before leaving the stadium.

Joao Felix set to miss Al Nassr’s next match

Felix’s yellow card against Rios was his fourth of the season, which under Article 12 of the Saudi Pro League’s competition regulations, triggers an automatic one-match suspension for accumulating four bookings across different matches.

That means the Portuguese forward will be unavailable for Al Nassr‘s next league fixture against Abha on September 9, leaving Postecoglou to reshuffle his attacking options as the club looks to respond to its first loss of the campaign.

Felix leaves the pitch frustrated with the officiating

Video circulating after the match, shared by Al Nassr Tribune, showed Felix and Samu Costa clearly unhappy with referee Khaled Al-Turais’ performance as they made their way off the pitch, still airing their frustrations well after the final whistle had blown.

The footage adds further context to Felix’s cryptic comments in the mixed zone, suggesting his complaint extended beyond his own yellow card to the officiating as a whole throughout the match.

George Ilenikhena did the damage for the hosts, scoring a brace inside the opening 22 minutes, the first a header in the fourth minute and the second a composed left-footed finish after being played through by Houssem Aouar.

Angelo pulled one back for the visitors just two minutes later, finishing from inside the box, but Al Nassr could not find an equalizer despite pushing hard in the second half and through six minutes of stoppage time.

Ronaldo was unable to add to his tally in the defeat, despite a handful of half-chances throughout the match. It was the first time all season Al Nassr had failed to win, snapping a run that had them sitting second in the table with 12 points from four matches heading into the fixture.

Ivan Toney takes the lead in scoring charts

While Ronaldo and Al Nassr stumbled, Ivan Toney continued his outstanding start to the campaign for Al Ahli, scoring twice from the penalty spot in a commanding 5-0 win over Al Riyadh.

The Englishman opened the scoring in the 16th minute after Saad Balobaid was fouled in the box, then completed his brace in the 61st minute following a second penalty award, with Al Ahli’s foreign contingent doing most of the damage alongside additional goals from Edward Sperfsyan, Francisco Trincao and Naif Khaled Rashid Masoud.

Toney’s brace now makes him the outright leader of the Saudi Pro League’s scoring charts, with 6 goals through five matches for Al Ahli. He sits well clear of the chasing pack, which includes Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Al Hilal on 4 goals, while a large group, among them Ruben Neves, Alexandre Lacazette and Angelo, sit on 3.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo remains further back in the chasing pack with 2 goals for the season, having gone scoreless again on Friday and now sitting four goals adrift of Toney at the top of the table, a stark contrast to the pace he set in previous campaigns atop Saudi Arabia’s scoring charts.

Yet even with the feat now behind him, the Norwegian striker still finds himself chasing a record that belongs to Lionel Messi, who remains the fastest player in the modern era to hit that same tally.

Haaland got there with a header, converting a cross from Antoine Semenyo in a 1-0 victory that also moved City closer to the top of the table. The goal came in his 368th appearance across four different clubs, according to OptaJoe, three fewer than Messi’s 365, the number the Argentine needed during his time at Barcelona to become the fastest to 300 club goals in the sport’s history.

Messi’s mark has stood since 2013, when he scored his 300th and 301st goals for Barcelona in a win over Granada, a tally built entirely at a single club rather than across multiple spells like Haaland’s.

Cristiano Ronaldo, by comparison, needed 499 appearances split between Sporting CP, Manchester United and Real Madrid to reach the same figure, making him the slowest of the trio to the milestone.

Haaland eyes Aguero’s Man City scoring record

Haaland’s tally for Manchester City alone, 165 goals in 202 appearances, already places him second on the club’s all-time scoring list, behind only Sergio Aguero, who finished his decade at the Etihad with 260 goals in 390 games.

At his current scoring rate, Haaland is on pace to surpass that mark within the next few seasons, a milestone that would make him City’s outright leading scorer in the club’s history.

He has already claimed other Aguero-held records along the way, including the club’s all-time Champions League scoring mark, which he broke by reaching 49 goals in the competition, two more than the Argentine managed during his time at the club.

Match Overview

Inter Miami enter the match as clear favorites following a crushing 7–1 victory over CF Montréal, in which Lionel Messi scored four goals.

Atlanta United currently have 21 points in the 2026 MLS season, sitting well outside the playoff picture with only half the tally Inter Miami have accumulated so far.

According to Saudi Pro League insider Sami Al Qadi, Brozovic is among the options Al Ahli is weighing as it looks to strengthen its midfield ahead of the deadline, a stunning turn for a player who spent three seasons alongside Ronaldo at Al Nassr.

Brozovic actually left Al Nassr as a free agent back in July, closing out a spell that began in 2023 when he arrived from Inter Milan for an initial fee of around €18 million. His departure came after a reported approach from crosstown rival Al Hilal, who at one point offered him a salary said to double what he was earning at Al Nassr, though that move never materialized either.

Now, with the Saudi transfer window still open, Brozovic remains without a club, and Al Ahli’s interest suggests he could stay in the kingdom rather than seek a return to Europe. A move to Al Ahli would immediately set up a reunion with Ronaldo on the opposite side of the pitch whenever the two Saudi giants meet in league play.

Al Nassr’s own transfer window has been a struggle

While Brozovic looks for his next club, his former side has had a summer to forget in the market. Al Nassr brought in just a single new face all window, midfielder Samu Costa, signed from Real Mallorca for a reported fee of around $25.6 million, and that deal alone reportedly used up the club’s entire recruitment budget for the period.

The club was only able to complete even the Costa transfer after securing its Financial Compliance Certificate from the league, a requirement that had held up registrations while Al Nassr worked through its outstanding financial obligations under the PIF’s oversight.

According to journalists Nawaf Oga and Haitam El Imani, Al Nassr have now effectively withdrawn from the transfer market altogether, with no further incoming signings expected before the window shuts.

A move to bring in a foreign replacement for winger Wesley, who was loaned out to Cruzeiro, has been called off entirely, with the target player’s agents informed that talks were permanently halted, leaving manager Ange Postecoglou to work with the squad he already has for the rest of the campaign.

At 16, Ronaldo Jr. is entering an important stage of his development, where regular youth soccer and competitive experience are becoming increasingly valuable. His performances are naturally watched more closely than those of most academy players because of his famous father, but the teenager is gradually building a soccer identity of his own.

The latest footage, shared by nfcwely on X (formerly Twitter), comes from what appears to be an Al-Nassr youth team match and shows Ronaldo Jr. wearing the club’s No. 10 shirt.

The video captures the teenager leaping to meet a cross and powering a header beyond the goalkeeper, giving him his first goal of the new season. His movement toward the ball, timing, and ability to generate power immediately stood out.

The finish quickly became the main talking point among supporters, particularly because it brought back memories of his father’s trademark aerial goals.

‘Air Ronaldo Jr’ nickname takes off

The reaction from Al-Nassr supporters was overwhelmingly positive, with fans praising the teenager’s finish and even giving him the nickname “Air Ronaldo Jr.” The nickname is an obvious reference to Cristiano Ronaldo’s extraordinary leap and heading ability, which has produced countless memorable goals throughout his career.

Seeing similar characteristics from his son was always likely to generate comparisons, particularly when the goal itself came from a spectacular jump and header. A separate highlight reel provided a broader look at Ronaldo Jr.’s involvement during the match.

The nearly three-minute video features aerial and ground footage from the youth game, showing Ronaldo Jr. involved in attacking moves, making runs, receiving the ball, and contributing to his team’s build-up play. The footage is fan-produced rather than a complete tactical recording, but it still provides an interesting glimpse into his development.

Following his father’s footsteps

Ronaldo Jr. has spent much of his journey under an enormous spotlight because of his surname. He is now developing within Al-Nassr’s academy system, where the focus will be on giving him the experience and soccer education required to progress through the ranks.

The presence of Cristiano Ronaldo at the senior club naturally makes the situation even more intriguing. Every goal or impressive performance from his son is inevitably compared with the qualities that made the five-time Ballon d’Or winner one of the sport’s greatest players.

However, Ronaldo Jr. still has plenty of time to develop his own style and strengths. At 16, consistency, technical ability, tactical understanding and physical development are far more important than trying to reproduce everything his father achieved.

Al-Qadsiah and Al-Kholood have reportedly reached a final agreement for Al-Aliwa, with the transfer expected to be completed during the current summer window. Earlier reports had also linked the 22-year-old with Al-Diriyah, while Al-Qadsiah had already emerged as another option for the winger.

Saudi newspapers Asharq Al-Awsat and Riadat Thamania reported that the two clubs had reached an agreement, while Al-Midan also reported that Al-Qadsiah was working to strengthen its attacking options with the Saudi youngster.

Al-Aliwa is capable of playing as a forward or on the wing and has developed significantly since leaving Al-Nassr. His progress at Al-Kholood has now attracted the attention of one of the ambitious clubs near the top of the Saudi soccer pyramid.

Al-Nassr’s connection to the transfer

The most interesting part of the reported agreement for Ronaldo’s club comes from Al-Nassr’s involvement in Al-Aliwa’s previous transfer. The winger came through the Al-Nassr academy and was promoted to the senior team during the 2023-24 season, making 10 league appearances and scoring two goals.

After a loan spell at Al-Ettifaq, Al-Nassr permanently sold Al-Aliwa to Al-Kholood in August 2025 for a reported 500,000 Saudi riyals (around $133,000). Crucially, the deal included a 25% sell-on clause, meaning Al-Nassr would be entitled to a quarter of any future transfer fee.

That clause is now set to become important. If Al-Aliwa’s move to Al-Qadsiah is officially completed, Ronaldo’s side will receive 25% of the transfer fee, although the final amount has not yet been confirmed.

The potential financial boost revealed

Some social media reports have speculated that the transfer fee could be around 20 million Saudi riyals ($5.3 million), although no official confirmation has been made. If that valuation were accurate, Al-Nassr’s 25% share would amount to about 5 million Saudi riyals ($1.3 million), turning a relatively modest original sale into a sizeable financial return.

That figure should be treated cautiously until the clubs announce the transfer fee. Still, the sell-on agreement gives Al-Nassr a clear financial incentive to follow Al-Aliwa’s next move closely.

The fixture brings together two of Saudi Arabia’s biggest clubs at the Alinma Stadium in Jeddah. With Al-Nassr sitting near the top after four wins and Al-Ittihad looking to disrupt that momentum, the latest team news could have a major impact on the contest.

Al-Nassr has won all four of its Saudi Pro League matches this season, scoring 12 goals and conceding only three. Ange Postecoglou’s side opened with a 3-0 victory over Al-Fateh, followed it with a 4-0 win against Al-Riyadh, and then showed its resilience by coming from two goals behind to defeat Al-Ettifaq 3-2.

On the other hand, Al-Ittihad has collected eight points from its opening four games, remaining unbeaten despite dropping points in two matches. The team began with a draw against Al-Kholood, defeated Al-Qadsiah and Al-Hazem, then drew with Al-Fateh.

Jens Wissing’s side has been more impressive defensively than in front of goal. Al-Ittihad has scored only five times, despite creating 16 big chances, and has missed 13 of those opportunities.

Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing today?

The big question heading into the match is Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability and his place in Postecoglou’s plans. Ronaldo has been confirmed to start for Al-Nassr, with the Portuguese superstar leading the attack alongside Joao Felix.

Ronaldo has already scored twice in the team’s first four league matches. His first goal came as a substitute against Al-Riyadh on August 21, while his second was particularly significant, with his 978th career goal proving decisive in the 2-1 victory over Al-Taawoun on August 28.

His record against Al-Ittihad also makes him a player the hosts will have to watch closely. The 41-year-old superstar has scored six goals in his last six appearances against Al-Ittihad, including four in his last three away appearances in the fixture.

Al-Ittihad vs Al-Nassr: Confirmed lineups

Al-Ittihad confirmed XI (4-4-2): Rajkovic; Danilo, Kadesh, Faris, Al-Julaydan; Lopy, Mukhtar, Aouar, Ahmed; Bergwijn, Ilenikhena.

Al-Nassr confirmed XI (4-3-3): Al-Aqidi; Alnajdi, Al-Amri, Simakan, Boushal; Costa, Angelo, Felix; Coman; Mane, Ronaldo.