Cristiano Ronaldo Archives - SportsNewsIreland https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo Sports News, Live GAA scores, GAA fixtures Wed, 10 Nov 2021 12:44:18 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/www.sportsnewsireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/sni-icon.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Cristiano Ronaldo Archives - SportsNewsIreland https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo 32 32 229439223 Ireland v Portugal – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/ireland-v-portugal-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/ireland-v-portugal-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams#respond Wed, 10 Nov 2021 12:44:18 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22445 Ireland welcomes Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal to Dublin this week as they look for revenge for last month’s defeat Ireland v Portugal will kick off at 19:45 on Thursday 11th November in the Aviva Stadium. Most of the tickets for this game were sold out within minutes of them being on sale online. For those […]

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Ireland welcomes Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal to Dublin this week as they look for revenge for last month’s defeat

Ireland v Portugal will kick off at 19:45 on Thursday 11th November in the Aviva Stadium.

Most of the tickets for this game were sold out within minutes of them being on sale online. For those who could not claim a ticket, the match will also be shown live on RTE 2 and RTE player with coverage starting at 19:00.

Stephen Kenny has changed Ireland’s fortunes in recent months. After a poor start to his campaign, they are now unbeaten four games and have shown real promise in front of goal.

The Boys in Green still sit in fourth place in the group behind Luxembourg and are unable to qualify from the group. After this tie with Portugal, they will travel to the small nation of Luxembourg for what seems like a more important game for Kenny’s regime.

If Kenny thought Ireland’s form was good then Fernando Santos has been making a monstrous squad out of Portugal. Since being knocked out of Euro 2020 to Belgium, they have won five games on the bounce, keeping three clean sheets.

The World number eight-country currently sit in second place in the World Cup qualification group. They only sit one point off Serbia but have a single game in hand. Even though the Portuguese will want to win against Ireland, they will keep one eye on their fixture against the Serbians this Sunday in Lisbon.

Ireland have very few opportunities to play Ronaldo and Portugal, having only faced them twice in the last 10 years. Both times, the Portuguese squad came out on top, first 5-1 in 2014, and most recently they made a 2-1 comeback at the start of September.

Ireland v Portugal Probable Starting Teams

Ireland

Formation

5-3-2

Probable Starting 11

Bazunu (GK), Doherty, Egan, Duffy, Omobamidele, Coleman, Hendrick, Cullen, Knight, Idah, Robinson.

Injuries / Suspensions

Collins (Muscle injury), O’Shea (Knee), Connolly (Heel)

 

Portugal

Formation

4-3-3

Probable Starting 11

Patricio (GK), Mendes, Dias, Pepe, Semedo, Palhinha, Neves, Fernandes, Rafa, Silva, Ronaldo.

Injuries / Suspensions

Mario (Back)

Ireland v Portugal Match Betting

Ireland to win: 9/1

Draw: 15/4

Portugal to win: 3/10

 

Score Prediction

It would feel blasphemous to bet against the Boys in Green but it would be a major shock to see Kenny’s young men overcome the world-class side aiming to top this qualifying group. Recent form at least shows that Ireland will be spirited and give Ronaldo’s team a real go for it.

Expect the game to end 2-1 to Portugal.

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Ireland and international football news, click here.

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Republic of Ireland v Azerbaijan – Preview, Lineups, Odds, TV Coverage https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/republic-of-ireland-v-azerbaijan-preview-lineups-odds-tv-coverage-september-2021 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/republic-of-ireland-v-azerbaijan-preview-lineups-odds-tv-coverage-september-2021#respond Sat, 04 Sep 2021 14:16:01 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=20343 The Republic of Ireland return home after their heartbreak in Faro and host Azerbaijan in their fourth fixture of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in front of home fans at the Aviva Stadium. The Group A showdown means one of the sides will finally get points on the board after both teams suffered losses […]

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The Republic of Ireland return home after their heartbreak in Faro and host Azerbaijan in their fourth fixture of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in front of home fans at the Aviva Stadium.

The Group A showdown means one of the sides will finally get points on the board after both teams suffered losses to Portugal, Serbia and Luxembourg.

Stephen Kenny’s Republic of Ireland side came close in their last match against Portugal after two disappointing opening games against Serbia and Luxembourg but it was not to be.

Our match report detailed an Ireland that had cohesion in defence and offered threats up top via the vision of their midfield.

More of the same will be expected against an Azerbaijan side who have given up at least twice as many shots as they have taken in each of their three other qualifying games.

They will hope to get their second win under the former Dundalk and Ireland U21 boss against the side ranked 112th in the world.

Ireland have announced their team for today’s game, which sees Ronan Curtis, Alan Browne and Callum Robinson all make a return to the matchday 23.

Ireland’s full-backs will once again be crucial to their performance – the duo of Seamus Coleman and Matt Doherty will retain their spots after the Portugal match.

Norwich City’s Andrew Omibamidele made his debut for the national side after he came on in Dara O’Shea’s place after the latter centre-half was forced off through injury.

Omibamidele impressed and will appear again on the bench for the Republic of Ireland as the formation shifts from a 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2.

Giovanni De Biasi’s side tends to set up defensively but do deploy wing-backs and can offer a threat in the final third if given the chance.

Lineups

Republic of Ireland (4-4-2): Bazunu; Coleman, Duffy, Egan, Doherty; Connolly, Cullen, Molumby, McClean; Idah, Parrott.

Subs: Kelleher, Talbot, Manning, Hourihane, Robinson, Hendrick, Browne, Horgan, McGrath, Collins, Curtis, Omibamidele.

Azerbaijan (4-3-3): Mahammadaliyev; Medvedev (C), Haghverdi, Camalov, Kryvotsiuk; Mahmudov, Qarayev, Bayramov; Alasgarov, Emreli, Ozobic.

Subs: Salahli, Mustafayev, Ahmadzada, Seydayev, Cannatov, Huseynov, Mustafazada, Nuriyev, Khalilzada, Ibrahimli, Sadykhov, Bayramov.

Odds

Republic of Ireland 1/2

Draw 11/4

Azerbaijan 6/1

TV Coverage 

Kick-off for the match is at 5:00 pm with RTÉ 2 broadcasting the game – their coverage begins at 4 pm.

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Republic Of Ireland Defeated By Portugal At The Death https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/republic-of-ireland-defeated-by-portugal-at-the-death-september-2021 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/republic-of-ireland-defeated-by-portugal-at-the-death-september-2021#respond Wed, 01 Sep 2021 21:50:38 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=20252 The Republic of Ireland had their hearts broken when a last-minute winner for Portugal found the net in the form of a Cristiano Ronaldo header – the second in seven agonising minutes for Irish viewers. Ronaldo’s two goals put him clear of Iran’s Ali Daei on the international goalscoring charts as the five-time Ballon d’Or […]

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The Republic of Ireland had their hearts broken when a last-minute winner for Portugal found the net in the form of a Cristiano Ronaldo header – the second in seven agonising minutes for Irish viewers.

Ronaldo’s two goals put him clear of Iran’s Ali Daei on the international goalscoring charts as the five-time Ballon d’Or winner became the all-time leading goalscorer at international level in front of a home crowd.

The Manchester United star had a 15th-minute penalty saved by Irish goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu at the Estadio Algarve after the referee decided to stick with his on-field following a lengthy VAR check.

Yet, it was Ireland who took the lead after a 45th-minute header of their own courtesy of newly-crowned Ireland Men’s Senior International Player of the Year John Egan when he connected well with a Jamie McGrath corner.

Stephen Kenny’s side put in their best performance yet under his guidance with a clear identity present throughout a game in which Ireland frustrated their opponents.

Forwards Adam Idah and Aaron Connolly were often given the ball on counter-attacks with the pair of them using it to varying success.

Idah often used the channels to create space for himself and others while Connolly found it hard to shrug defenders off and missed several opportunities to play in teammates in better positions and shots on goal.

Seamus Coleman impressed throughout the game at right wing-back in Ireland’s 3-5-2 setup and ran up and down the right flank throughout the match, whether it be to offer support for Idah or create a chance in the box.

Coleman survived losing his wing-back spot after centre-half Dara O’Shea went off following a tackle gone wrong.

The West Bromwich Albion man was replaced by Norwich City’s Andrew Omibamidele, who performed well on his international debut.

On the opposite flank, Matt Doherty also impressed and put in a strong shift defensively to prove any doubters wrong about his selection in the team.

The Tottenham Hotspur defender was forced off the pitch momentarily in the second half but carried on to finish the game.

Josh Cullen was the fulcrum of the side, changing defence to attack with well-weighted passes and good vision.

The spaces left by midfielders Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes, as well as full-backs Joao Cancelo and Raphael Guerreiro were exposed when Ireland went forward.

Kenny’s side were still able to fashion attacks as the game grew tenser and tenser in the second half but nothing came of them

Portugal’s open setup allowed them to pile on the pressure in the second-half and after several heroics from various members of the Ireland team, the gates were finally breached when Ronaldo rose high to head home past Gavin Bazunu, who had denied Portugal multiple times before.

Bazunu’s fantastic saves and calm presence inside his six-yard box had put Irish minds at ease many times previous in the game.

His penalty save in the first half gave his side some much-needed inspiration that pushed them on to give the UEFA Nations League holders a competitive game.

James McClean almost added a second while the Portuguese were still resetting their shape but couldn’t convert via the angle he shot from.

Six minutes into the five minutes of added time, Cristiano Ronaldo rose high once again and added his second of the game to steal all three points in the dying moments of the game.

The loss leaves Ireland without a point in Group A of the 2022 Fifa World Cup Qualifiers and seven points off second.

The side are six points behind third-placed Luxembourg and level with Azerbaijan.

They now must look towards Saturday’s game against Serbia, to whom they lost 3-2 in the reverse fixture.

Their performance against Portugal on Wednesday night can motivate Kenny and his squad if they can look past the manner in which the result slipped out of their hands.

If not, a bright performance in Faro could be forever disguised by a negative result.

Man of the Match: Gavin Bazunu (Republic of Ireland)

Portugal: Rui Patrício; Joao Cancelo (Goncalo Guedes 82), Pepe, Rúben Dias, Raphaël Guerreiro (Nuno Mendes 62); Joao Palhinha (Joao Moutinho 73), Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes (Joao Mario 62), Rafa Silva (Andre Silva HT), Diogo Jota, Cristiano Ronaldo (C).

Republic of Ireland: Gavin Bazunu; Shane Duffy, John Egan, Dara O’Shea (Andrew Omobamidele 35); Seamus Coleman (C), Matt Doherty, Josh Cullen, Jeff Hendrick, Jamie McGrath (Jayson Molumby 90); Adam Idah (James Collins 90), Aaron Connolly (James McClean 72).

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Cristiano Ronaldo confirms United Move https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/news/cristiano-ronaldo-confirms-united-move https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/news/cristiano-ronaldo-confirms-united-move#respond Tue, 31 Aug 2021 10:49:23 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=20151 Cristiano Ronaldo confirms United Move Cristiano Ronaldo has come out on Instagram to confirm his sensational return to Manchester United after leaving Juventus last week. Ronaldo (36) left Juventus after 3 years in Turin. It looked like he was on the verge of signing for rivals Manchester City, but they pulled out according to reports. […]

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Cristiano Ronaldo confirms United Move

Cristiano Ronaldo has come out on Instagram to confirm his sensational return to Manchester United after leaving Juventus last week.

Ronaldo (36) left Juventus after 3 years in Turin. It looked like he was on the verge of signing for rivals Manchester City, but they pulled out according to reports.

The Premier League club will pay £12.9 million-plus a further £6.9 million in bonuses for the five-time Ballon D’or winner.

United, who the player enjoyed six honour filled years at, scoring 118 goals in 292 games for United between 2003 and 2009, winning three Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two League Cups.

After both United and Juventus reached an agreement last Friday, Ronaldo posted to Instagram to confirm his return to England after 12 years.

The post read;

Everyone who knows me, knows about my never-ending love for Manchester United. The years I spent in this club where absolutely amazing and the path we’ve made together is written in gold letters in the history of this great and amazing institution.

I can’t even start to explain my feelings right now, as I see my return to Old Trafford announced worldwide. It’s like a dream come true, after all the times that I went back to play against Man. United, and even as an opponent, to have always felt such love and respect from the supporters in the stands. This is absolutely 100% the stuff that dreams are made of!

My first domestic League, my first Cup, my first call to the Portuguese National team, my first Champions League, my first Golden Boot and my first Ballon d’Or, they were all born from this special connection between me and the Red Devils. History has been written in the past and history will be written once again! You have my word!

I’m right here!
I’m back where I belong!
Let’s make it happen once again!

PS – Sir Alex, this one is for you…

For more news and stories on all things, Premier League click here.

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Manchester United Fan Reaction to Ronaldo-Man City Transfer https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/manchester-united-fan-reaction-to-ronaldo-man-city-transfer https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/manchester-united-fan-reaction-to-ronaldo-man-city-transfer#respond Fri, 27 Aug 2021 10:02:02 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=20058 Manchester United Fan Reaction to Ronaldo-Man City Transfer The news that Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo is close to making a sensational switch to Manchester City has caused outrage from Manchester United fans who idolized the star during his time at the club from 2003-2009. Ronaldo (36) is reportedly interested in joining Pep Guardiola in […]

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Manchester United Fan Reaction to Ronaldo-Man City Transfer

The news that Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo is close to making a sensational switch to Manchester City has caused outrage from Manchester United fans who idolized the star during his time at the club from 2003-2009.

Ronaldo (36) is reportedly interested in joining Pep Guardiola in the blue side of Manchester, after telling Juventus he wants to leave.

According to the Express, Ronaldo has already spoken to Pep about the move and where he will fit in.

The Portuguese great had a successful career at Old Trafford, winning three Premier League titles, one Champions League, one FA Cup, two League Cups, one Community Shield, one FIFA Club World Cup and a whole host of individual awards, the pinnacle being the Ballon D’or.

To put it bluntly, United fans have not taken the news well and have expressed themselves in an angry way.

Funny for rival fans, but sheer sadness for those who support the red side of Manchester.

The news has caused outrage with Manchester United fans, who have taken to Twitter to vent the anger and betrayal they could endure if ”Ronny” does swap red for blue.

Manchester United Fan Reaction to Ronaldo-Man City Transfer

Here are some of the best reactions:

Popular Man United fan Mark Goldbridge seems to have taken the news quite well…

It is safe to say Ronaldo is no longer going to be considered the GOAT in the red side of Manchester.

Paddy Power was always going to make this into a high-profile joke in expense of sickened Man United fans.

Man United fans already know what it’s like to lose a high-profile player to the blue half of Manchester, once beloved Carlos Tevez made the switch back in 2009.

That being said, if Ronaldo actually does move to Manchester City, expect fireworks.

For more news and stories on the Premier League, click here.

 

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Manchester City The Desired Destination For Ronaldo https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/manchester-city-the-desired-destination-for-ronaldo https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/manchester-city-the-desired-destination-for-ronaldo#respond Wed, 25 Aug 2021 11:04:30 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=19948 Cristiano Ronaldo is looking to engineer a move away from Juventus with Manchester City his top priority, according to reports in France (L’Equipe). The 36-year-old has been with Juve for the past three years after joining the club in the summer of 2018. The Portuguese forward has scored 101 goals in 134 games for the […]

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Cristiano Ronaldo is looking to engineer a move away from Juventus with Manchester City his top priority, according to reports in France (L’Equipe).

The 36-year-old has been with Juve for the past three years after joining the club in the summer of 2018.

The Portuguese forward has scored 101 goals in 134 games for the Old Lady and has won two Scudettos, two Italian Super Cups and one Coppa Italia in his time there.

Ronaldo’s contract at the club expires next year and a move away may suit both parties as the Italian giants could get cashback for the former Real Madrid star.

He has been linked with a move to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in recent weeks and has even publicly addressed the speculation surrounding him.

The all-time Portuguese national team top scorer did not start Juventus’ opening day draw with Udinese, playing 30 minutes from the bench.

The club’s Vice President Pavel Nedved spoke on the topic and is quoted by GFFN: “We are not going to try to create sensationalist stories when there are none. It was a decision we shared with the player. At the beginning of the season, he is naturally not at top form.”

Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes is looking to get a part-swap deal that includes the striker’s countryman Bernardo Silva, who wants to leave the English champions.

Aymeric Laporte is another name mentioned that could be part of a deal but City boss Pep Guardiola has been impressed with him recently.

The Portuguese captain could be seen as an alternative to Harry Kane.

Mendes is confident that a deal can be done and that his star client can get his move.

It remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will add to the exciting 2021 summer transfer window or if this saga will fail to come to fruition.

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Standout players over the European Championship group stages https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/standout-players-over-the-european-championship-group-stages https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/standout-players-over-the-european-championship-group-stages#respond Thu, 24 Jun 2021 17:18:12 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=16982 The knockout rounds will commence this Saturday. Just over a week after kicking off, the European Championship group stages have come to an end. The next step being the knockout rounds in which 16 teams will compete for a place in the final – the ultimate hope being to lift the trophy. With each team […]

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The knockout rounds will commence this Saturday.

Just over a week after kicking off, the European Championship group stages have come to an end. The next step being the knockout rounds in which 16 teams will compete for a place in the final – the ultimate hope being to lift the trophy.

With each team playing just 3 games in their group, it’s still difficult to gauge just how well some will fare in the knockouts.

During those games, there has been a number of players who have impressed.

That said, we’ve compiled a list (in no particular order) of 5 footballers who have impressed us the most in the tournament so far.

ROMELU LUKAKU | BELGIUM | STRIKER

One of the favourites to claim top scorer before the tournament commenced, Romelu Lukaku has certainly lived up to expectation so far.

The Inter Milan striker had a prolific season at club level and appears to have continued that form into the Euros, scoring 3 goals in 3 games.

Not only has Lukaku been impressive in terms of goal contributions, he’s also received praise for his general play. His role in the build-up for Belgium’s 2 goals against Denmark being particularly evident of his improved link-up play over the years.

Naturally, Belgium are one of the favourites to win the tournament and with Lukaku up top complimented by the creative talents of Kevin De Bruyne among others, they’ll be hard stopped.

CRISTIANO RONALDO | PORTUGAL | STRIKER

You wouldn’t think Ronaldo was one of the oldest players at the tournament. 3 games in with a massive 6 goal contributions (5 goals, 1 assist), the Portuguese legend is showing no sign of slowing down. In fact, he currently leads the top scorer table by 2 goals with the aforementioned Romelu Lukaku being tied second.

Not only is Ronaldo top scorer at the Euros, his last goal against France left him equal at the top with Iran’s Ali Daei for the top men’s international goal scorer of all time with 109 goals – incredible.

Although Portugal have qualified for the knockouts, their reliance on Ronaldo so far has been worrying. The Juventus striker has been involved in all but one of their goals and to tell the truth, their hasn’t been many standout performers other than him.

Even Bruno Fernandes – who is Manchester United’s main source of goal contributions – was dropped against France for his lacklustre performances in the other games.

That said, though, Portugal did manage to win the last European Championships despite poor performances in the group stages. Time will tell.

PAUL POGBA | FRANCE | MIDFIELDER 

Often a scapegoat for when things go wrong at club level, the same can’t be said for Pogba on the international scene.

He has his critics, but his performances so far in the tournament should silence them – at least for the time being.

Arguably France’s best player so far, Pogba has shown his importance to the national side, dictating play and spraying some magnificent passes to find his team mates.

Pogba was one of the key players when his country lifted the World Cup in 2018, can he be just as instrumental in this tournament?

GEORGINIO WIJNALDUM | NETHERLANDS | MIDFIELDER

The newly-signed PSG man wasn’t necessarily known as a goal scorer during his time at Liverpool, but his time with the national team and previous sides would say otherwise.

Wijnaldum is currently the joint-second in the scoring charts after scoring 3 goals in 3 games from midfield.

His scoring record for the national team is so impressive in fact, that he has more goals than AC Milan and Ajax legend Marco van Basten.

Not only is he scoring at will, he also has a highly impressive pass completion rate of 90% over the 3 games which is nothing to be scoffed at.

EMIL FORSBERG | SWEDEN | WINGER

It would be unfair not to include a Swedish player on the list. Not many fancied the Scandinavian side before the tournament but they’ve arguably been the biggest surprise package so far, winning 2 of their 3 games and drawing the other.

In fact, they’re still being overlooked by many despite reaching the quarter final being a realistic target. They’re up against Ukraine in the round of 16 who were less than impressive in their most recent showing.

There are a number of players we could have picked including Alexander Isak, who despite not scoring a goal as a striker has earned himself plenty of fans or alternatively, Victor Lindelöf, who’s been a rock at the back for his county.

But we’ve gone for Emil Forsberg.

The winger has long been regarded as one of the best talents in the Bundesliga, but inconsistency has been a problem for the 29-year-old over the years. But so far this tournament, he’s been nothing but consistent.

Like Wijnaldum and Lukaku, Forsberg currently sits second in the scoring charts having scored 3 goals.

His last performance was particularly impressive, scoring 2 brilliantly taken goals as his side ran out 3-2 winners over Poland.

With Forsberg and a recently fit Kulusevski on either wing, Sweden will be a tough challenge for any team to get past.

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Cristiano Ronaldo criticised for role in Juventus’s Champions League exit https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/cristiano-ronaldo-criticised-for-role-in-juventus-champions-league-exit https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/cristiano-ronaldo-criticised-for-role-in-juventus-champions-league-exit#respond Wed, 10 Mar 2021 12:40:50 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=14063 The Portuguese icon failed to perform as his side fell to Porto in the last 16. Cristiano Ronaldo has come under fierce criticism from fans and sections of the media for his performances over two legs against Porto in the Champions League. Although normally a consistent performer, he failed to impress as Juventus bowed out […]

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The Portuguese icon failed to perform as his side fell to Porto in the last 16.

Cristiano Ronaldo has come under fierce criticism from fans and sections of the media for his performances over two legs against Porto in the Champions League.

Although normally a consistent performer, he failed to impress as Juventus bowed out to the Portuguese champions in the round of 16.

He had a particularly miserable time of it last night. He wasn’t presented with many opportunities, but when he was, he didn’t finish chances with the same clinical edge he’s displayed over the years.

He was also partly responsible for what turned out to be the winning goal for 10-man Porto. He lined up in the middle of the wall as Sérgio Oliveira lined up to take a free kick from around 30 yards out. He shot and his effort found it’s way into the bottom left corner, however it could have been easily prevented. Ronaldo turned his back and raised his leg just as Oliveira went to shoot which led to the ball going straight through his legs and into the net.

Ronaldo has always been associated with continental success at his previous clubs, particularly at Real Madrid. However, Juventus’s Champions League performances have actually declined since he joined the club in 2018.

Yesterday marked the second season in a row where Juventus have failed to progress past the round of 16. They lost in the same round to Lyon in the 2019/20 season which was also seen as an upset.

The previous season they went out at the quarter final stage at the hands of Ajax.

Many have suggested that the ascension of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland is coinciding with the decline of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo who have dominated the European game for well over a decade.

Erling Haaland scored twice last night as he helped his Dortmund side progress to the quarter finals.

Kylian Mbappé already showed up Lionel Messi in the first leg of the Champions League tie between PSG and Barcelona. Could he do the same tonight and help his side reach the semi-final?

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Best FIFA Men’s Player 2020 finalists announced https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/best-fifa-mens-player-2020-finalists-announced https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/best-fifa-mens-player-2020-finalists-announced#respond Fri, 11 Dec 2020 17:43:29 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=12161 Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski were chosen as the finalists. FIFA have announced that Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski will make up the final three players contesting for the title of Best Men’s Player 2020. This marks the first inclusion as a finalist for Robert Lewandowski, while Cristiano Ronaldo (2) and […]

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Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski were chosen as the finalists.

FIFA have announced that Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski will make up the final three players contesting for the title of Best Men’s Player 2020.

This marks the first inclusion as a finalist for Robert Lewandowski, while Cristiano Ronaldo (2) and Messi (1) have both won the award since it started in 2016.

Lewandowski is seen as the favourite for the award having enjoyed an unbelievable 2020. The Polish striker has averaged more than a goal a game this year while also helping his team win a multitude of honours including; UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga & DFB-Pokal.

Some football fans have also suggested that Lewandowski was “robbed” of a Ballon D’or, with the prestigious individual award being cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are both – for once – seen as outsiders for the award.

FIFA have also announced the finalists for their other categories:

The Best FIFA Women’s Player:
  • Lucy Bronze (England / Olympique Lyonnais / Manchester City WFC)
  • Pernille Harder (Denmark / VfL Wolfsburg / Chelsea FC Women)
  • Wendie Renard (France / Olympique Lyonnais)
The Best FIFA Men’s Player:
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Juventus FC)
  • Robert Lewandowski (Poland / FC Bayern München)
  • Lionel Messi (Argentina / FC Barcelona)
The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper
  • Sarah Bouhaddi (France / Olympique Lyonnais)
  • Christiane Endler (Chile / Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Alyssa Naeher (USA / Chicago Red Stars)
The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper:
  • Alisson Becker (Brazil / Liverpool FC)
  • Manuel Neuer (Germany / FC Bayern München)
  • Jan Oblak (Slovenia / Atlético de Madrid)
The Best FIFA Women’s Coach:
  • Emma Hayes (England / Chelsea FC Women)
  • Jean-Luc Vasseur (France / Olympique Lyonnais)
  • Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands / Dutch national team)
The Best FIFA Men’s Coach:
  • Marcelo Bielsa (Argentina / Leeds United FC)
  • Hans-Dieter Flick (Germany / FC Bayern München)
  • Jürgen Klopp (Germany / Liverpool FC)
FIFA Puskás Award:

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