Cristiano Ronaldo Is in ‘Spectacular’ Form, Says Portugal’s Neves

Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo takes part in a training session at Shahaniya Sports Club in Al Samriya, northwest of Doha on November 19, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)
Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo takes part in a training session at Shahaniya Sports Club in Al Samriya, northwest of Doha on November 19, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)
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Cristiano Ronaldo Is in ‘Spectacular’ Form, Says Portugal’s Neves

Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo takes part in a training session at Shahaniya Sports Club in Al Samriya, northwest of Doha on November 19, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)
Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo takes part in a training session at Shahaniya Sports Club in Al Samriya, northwest of Doha on November 19, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. (AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal team mate Ruben Neves says his captain is in "spectacular" shape as the team prepare for their opening World Cup match against Ghana on Thursday. 

Wolves midfielder Neves, one the leaders of the changing room, dismissed any speculation that 37-year-old Ronaldo was not in peak form, saying he looked like his old self in training. 

"From what I've seen in training, he's in spectacular shape," Neves told a news conference in tournament host Qatar on Sunday. "He doesn't worry us at all, we as a team know perfectly well what we need to work on so that each individual stands out on gameday." 

"If we're good as a team, Cristiano will be phenomenal." 

Neves also said Cristiano Ronaldo's explosive TV interview, in which the Manchester United forward said he had been betrayed by the club and was being forced out, had not been a distraction in the Portugal changing room. 

He said the furor had nothing to do with the national squad. 

"Sure, it's impossible for us to walk around without been asked about the controversy, but I don't think there's any controversy at all between us in the changing room," added 25-year-old Neves. "We have a spectacular environment right here." 

After missing Thursday's friendly against Nigeria in Lisbon due to a stomach problem, Ronaldo trained normally on Saturday, smiling and joking with his team mates. 

Portugal are in World Cup Group H with Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea. 



Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Drive Club World Cup Ratings

Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Inter Miami CF Training - Inter Miami CF Training Centre, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US - June 26, 2025 Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi with Luis Suarez during training REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Inter Miami CF Training - Inter Miami CF Training Centre, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US - June 26, 2025 Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi with Luis Suarez during training REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
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Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Drive Club World Cup Ratings

Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Inter Miami CF Training - Inter Miami CF Training Centre, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US - June 26, 2025 Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi with Luis Suarez during training REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Inter Miami CF Training - Inter Miami CF Training Centre, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US - June 26, 2025 Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi with Luis Suarez during training REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Lionel Messi, arguably the most recognizable player in the Club World Cup, is steering viewership to his underdog team.

Messi and his Inter Miami teammates are helping the expanded tournament draw US television ratings that are roughly comparable to those of the Premier League in the recently concluded season, Reuters reported.

Club World Cup broadcasts in English on TNT Sports (TNT, TBS and truTV) were averaging 360,000 through Wednesday, per Sports Media Watch. Sports Business Journal noted that the highly popular Premier League drew 394,000 per match on USA Network in the 2024-25 season.

Only a small number of Club World Cup are carried by TNT Sports, with all matches available on DAZN.

Three of the top seven English-language telecasts on TNT Sports featured Inter Miami, led by 676,000 tuning in to see the Major League Soccer side draw 2-2 with Brazil's Palmeiras on Monday. The Miami matches attracted even larger viewership on Spanish-language broadcasts.

Inter Miami drew 0-0 with Egypt's Al Ahly (371,000 viewers), then earned an upset 2-1 win over Portugal's Porto (349,000) before the tie with Palmeiras. Those results allowed Messi & Co. to finish second in Group A, setting up a Round of 16 matchup with Paris Saint-Germain that should be a rating bonanza.

The Sunday contest in Atlanta pits Messi against the team he represented immediately before coming to Miami. And PSG are the newly crowned winners of the UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious continental club tournament.

According to Sports Media Watch, the CONCACAF Gold Cup matchup on Sunday between the US men's national team and Haiti attracted an audience of 1.2 million viewers on Fox. The US won 2-1 to finish atop its group and set up a Sunday quarterfinal contest against Costa Rica in Minneapolis.