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Al-Nassr Defeats Esteghlal, Advances to AFC Elite Champions League Quarters

10 March 2025, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his side's third goal of the game from a penalty shot during the AFC Champions League round of 16 second-leg soccer match between Al-Nassr and Esteghlal at Al-Awwal Park. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa
10 March 2025, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his side's third goal of the game from a penalty shot during the AFC Champions League round of 16 second-leg soccer match between Al-Nassr and Esteghlal at Al-Awwal Park. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa
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Al-Nassr Defeats Esteghlal, Advances to AFC Elite Champions League Quarters

10 March 2025, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his side's third goal of the game from a penalty shot during the AFC Champions League round of 16 second-leg soccer match between Al-Nassr and Esteghlal at Al-Awwal Park. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa
10 March 2025, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his side's third goal of the game from a penalty shot during the AFC Champions League round of 16 second-leg soccer match between Al-Nassr and Esteghlal at Al-Awwal Park. Photo: -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa

Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr qualified for the AFC Elite Champions League quarterfinals after defeating Iran's Esteghlal 3-0 on Monday in the second-leg match played at King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh.
Jhon Durán netted two goals for Al-Nassr in the 9th and 84th minutes, while Cristiano Ronaldo added another from the penalty spot in the 27th minute.
With the victory, Al-Nassr secured a spot in the quarterfinals following a goalless draw in the first-leg match held in Tehran.

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England’s Kane Optimistic About Chances of Winning First Ballon D’Or 

Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - England Training - St George's Park, Burton upon Trent, Britain - March 18, 2025 England's Harry Kane and Kyle Walker during training. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - England Training - St George's Park, Burton upon Trent, Britain - March 18, 2025 England's Harry Kane and Kyle Walker during training. (Action Images via Reuters)
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England’s Kane Optimistic About Chances of Winning First Ballon D’Or 

Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - England Training - St George's Park, Burton upon Trent, Britain - March 18, 2025 England's Harry Kane and Kyle Walker during training. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - England Training - St George's Park, Burton upon Trent, Britain - March 18, 2025 England's Harry Kane and Kyle Walker during training. (Action Images via Reuters)

England captain Harry Kane sees a real chance of winning the next Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world, but knows securing silverware with Bayern Munich would be key to fulfilling that dream.

The 31-year-old striker, England's all-time leading goalscorer, has scored 32 goals and provided 11 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions this season for Bayern, helping the German giants top the Bundesliga table and book a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

While no English player has won the Ballon d'Or since former Liverpool striker Michael Owen in 2001, Kane believes his chance of winning soccer's top individual award has been boosted by his August 2023 move from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern.

"Just being at a club like Bayern Munich has helped push me on even more, confidence-wise and responsibility-wise," Kane told reporters ahead of Friday's FIFA World Cup European qualifier against Albania.

"I feel like I've definitely got better, I've improved, and maybe the 'aura' of me as a player is a bit more respected than what it has been in the past, because you're playing in big games, big nights.

"That's probably what I mean in terms of being respected more worldwide, on the bigger stage. For something like that, you have to win enough team trophies to be considered in that and probably score 40-odd goals, but that is a possibility this season."

Kane said his goal-scoring feats are not always appreciated but he remains motivated as ever.

"It's like when (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi were throwing these crazy numbers out there and the next season they'd score 40 goals instead of 50. It was like they were having a bad season," Kane said.

"People take it for granted and maybe a little bit with England as well. I've scored 69 goals and when you score against Albania or Latvia, or these teams, people just expect it, so it's not spoken about so much.

"If I was 25 now and doing what I'm doing, the excitement around me would maybe be a little bit different to what it is now. That's part of where we are with football ... Maybe people just get a little bit bored of what you do, but I'm certainly not bored. I'm excited for these games and the games ahead."