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Ronaldo Makes Saudi League Debut for Al-Nassr

Al-Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (C) attempts a shot during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Nassr and Al-Ettifaq at the King Fahd Stadium in the Saudi capital Riyadh on January 22, 2023. (AFP)
Al-Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (C) attempts a shot during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Nassr and Al-Ettifaq at the King Fahd Stadium in the Saudi capital Riyadh on January 22, 2023. (AFP)
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Ronaldo Makes Saudi League Debut for Al-Nassr

Al-Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (C) attempts a shot during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Nassr and Al-Ettifaq at the King Fahd Stadium in the Saudi capital Riyadh on January 22, 2023. (AFP)
Al-Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (C) attempts a shot during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Nassr and Al-Ettifaq at the King Fahd Stadium in the Saudi capital Riyadh on January 22, 2023. (AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score in his Saudi Pro League debut for Al-Nassr, but his presence electrified fans at King Saud University Stadium as the team beat Ettifaq 1-0 to retake first place on Sunday.

Talisca headed the winner in the 31st minute when Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem’s cross was too high for Ronaldo, who didn’t seem to mind as he wheeled around to celebrate with the Brazilian midfielder and the rest of his new teammates.

Al-Nassr, which has played 14 games, moved a point ahead of defending champion Al-Hilal, which has played a game more.

On Thursday, Ronaldo played for a combined XI from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal in an exhibition game against a Paris Saint-Germain team featuring old foe Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner who starred for Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United, signed a deal to June 2025 with Al-Nassr, after rejecting offers from Europe, North America and beyond.

Ronaldo had been a free agent after his contract was terminated by Manchester United following an explosive TV interview in which he criticized manager Erik ten Hag and the club’s owners after having been repeatedly benched and even temporarily suspended by the club.

He also came off a disappointing World Cup where he was benched in the knockout rounds and left the field in tears after Portugal lost in the quarterfinals to Morocco.

Saudi Arabia earned its biggest international football win ever at the World Cup in neighboring Qatar when it beat eventual champion Argentina in its first group-stage game.

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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)

South Korea expressed regret that its delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was introduced as from rival North Korea and has demanded assurances from organizers the mistake will not happen again.

As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" - the official name of North Korea - in French and English.

The announcer used the same introduction when the North Korean delegation passed.

South Korea's vice minister for sports and culture, Jang Mi-ran, who was in Paris, had requested a meeting with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach, the ministry said in a statement.

"We express regret that the country was introduced as North Korea at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games when the athletes of the Republic of Korea were entering," it said.

South Korea's National Olympic Committee immediately referred the incident to the Games' organizers and requested that the error will not be repeated.

South Korea's delegation includes 143 athletes competing in 21 events. North Korea, which is returning to the Games for the first time since Rio 2016, has sent 16 athletes.