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Ronaldo’s Final Bid for World Cup Glory

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying match between Hungary and Portugal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying match between Hungary and Portugal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)
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Ronaldo’s Final Bid for World Cup Glory

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying match between Hungary and Portugal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying match between Hungary and Portugal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)

For some, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential spearhead for Portugal's 2026 World Cup bid, while others believe his presence will prevent Roberto Martinez's strong side from flourishing.

The debate around the five-time Ballon d'Or winner rages on, as it did at Euro 2024 and four years ago in Qatar -- yet Ronaldo endures, ready to play in a record sixth World Cup.

The 41-year-old remains a global superstar, playing for Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr and is the leading men's international goalscorer with 143 strikes.

With 25 of those coming in 30 games under Martinez, the coach insists that Ronaldo is being selected on merit rather than because of his status.

The Spanish coach himself also faced scrutiny after Portugal's Euro 2024 quarter-final exit, with his detractors believing that such a strong squad was capable of winning.

Martinez started Ronaldo in all five games they played but the striker failed to find the net in Germany.

This season, Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes set a new record for Premier League assists, and the Paris Saint-Germain contingent, including Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes, are among the best in their positions in the world.

When he was appointed in 2023, Martinez had the choice of whether to make a clean break from Ronaldo or maintain him as the team's captain and talisman, opting for the latter.

In response to the naysayers, Martinez can point to the team's successful 2025 Nations League triumph as proof that he is right to lean on Ronaldo.

The Portugal icon struck against Spain in the final to win his third international trophy, after Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League.

"I have many titles with clubs, but nothing is better than winning for Portugal," said Ronaldo after the game. "It's tears. It's mission accomplished, and pure joy."

The striker is closing in on 1,000 career goals for club and country, currently just 17 short.

Ronaldo is the team's captain and leader, feared by opponents and with international experience gained over more than two decades -- his Portugal debut was in 2003.

Martinez has highlighted the "inspiring mindset" of the veteran forward, who operates now as a center-forward rather than the flying winger of his youth.

Ronaldo's team-mates still believe the striker is delivering for Portugal.

PSG midfielder Vitinha told FIFA that it was "fantastic" to play with the former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward.

"He's one of the greatest players in history," said Vitinha.

"I'm very proud to share the dressing room with him, learn from him and witness his professionalism every day.

"I hope we can win the World Cup with him and for him as well."

- 'Can't worry' about Ronaldo -

In Portugal, where Ronaldo is a revered icon, it is rarely advisable to argue against him.

"Cristiano inside the box continues to be a very high-level player," Fernandes told Canal 11, a television channel run by the Portuguese football federation, in December.

"I know what people think, that it's clear we play better without Ronaldo, that the players are freer and more fluid," Fernandes continued.

"If that happens, it's partly our fault. We can't worry if Cristiano is on the pitch, because Cristiano can give us things."

Portugal's pressing suffers with Ronaldo and the team appears more cohesive without him. When Ronaldo starts, sometimes it seems as if the team works largely to service him.

The forward even came in for rare criticism in his protective homeland after he was sent off against Ireland for an elbow in qualifying, although FIFA let him off the hook by suspending two matches of his ban, meaning he is clear to play from the start of the World Cup.

Portugal begin their campaign in Group K against DR Congo on June 17, before facing Uzbekistan on June 23 and Colombia on June 28.

Martinez said he is not concerned that the intense tournament schedule might impact the 41-year-old.

"In my experience, at a World Cup, a player doesn't follow the pattern of club form, age-related performance or anything like that," said the coach after naming his squad for the tournament in North America.

It is stronger than arguably any Portugal squad to arrive at a World Cup prior and even as the debates around Ronaldo continue, what is inarguable is that they have the quality to succeed this summer.

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Fernandez’s Chelsea Future Uncertain as Alonso Seeks Commitment

Football - Premier League - Fulham v Chelsea - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - August 24, 2026 Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez comes on as a substitute. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Fulham v Chelsea - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - August 24, 2026 Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez comes on as a substitute. (Reuters)
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Fernandez’s Chelsea Future Uncertain as Alonso Seeks Commitment

Football - Premier League - Fulham v Chelsea - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - August 24, 2026 Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez comes on as a substitute. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Fulham v Chelsea - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - August 24, 2026 Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez comes on as a substitute. (Reuters)

Xabi Alonso said he wants players that "feel a desire" to play for Chelsea after Enzo Fernandez was left out of Thursday's League Cup win over Luton.

The Argentina midfielder has been linked with a move to Manchester City, but no suitor has yet met Chelsea's reported £120 million ($163 million) valuation of Fernandez.

The 25-year-old came off the bench in the Blues' 3-2 win over Fulham to give Alonso a winning start to his reign in the Premier League on Monday.

However, the former Real Madrid boss hinted that Fernandez may not be involved against Brighton on Sunday.

"We need to take everything into consideration, players that are in good moments, players that are not feeling that energy to play. For me it's very important that they feel that desire to play and to have good preparation," said Alonso.

"We talked and we decided that (for Luton) it was better not to be part of the squad. He's a top player, there's no doubt about that."

Selling Fernandez would ease the pressure on Chelsea to meet financial sustainability regulations after another window of heavy investment in the transfer market.

Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, Valentin Barco, Pep Chavarria, Danny Welbeck, Emmanuel Emegha and Geovany Quenda have arrived at Stamford Bridge for combined fees in excess of £300 million.

Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez is also expected to join to replace the error-prone Robert Sanchez as Chelsea's first choice goalkeeper.

There have also been a raft of departures from the club in recent days, with strikers Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson bringing in nearly £100 million between them.

Alonso, who previously said his bloated squad size needed to be drastically cut, is satisfied with the clear-out.

"We are quite close to the plan that we had. We will see where we finish, if it's fully executed or there are some things still to be done," he added.

"But overall the balance of what we have is going to be good. We need to see how the last few days develop."

Sports

Roger Federer Heads to the Tennis Hall of Fame and Says He ‘Had the Best Time’ During His Career

Swiss former tennis player Roger Federer in action during the "Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York" exhibition match during US Open Fan Week at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, US, 25 August 2026. (EPA)
Swiss former tennis player Roger Federer in action during the "Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York" exhibition match during US Open Fan Week at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, US, 25 August 2026. (EPA)
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Roger Federer Heads to the Tennis Hall of Fame and Says He ‘Had the Best Time’ During His Career

Swiss former tennis player Roger Federer in action during the "Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York" exhibition match during US Open Fan Week at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, US, 25 August 2026. (EPA)
Swiss former tennis player Roger Federer in action during the "Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York" exhibition match during US Open Fan Week at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, US, 25 August 2026. (EPA)

Roger Federer loved to win, of course, and at the peak of his career almost always did.

All those victories and trophies he piled up alone would have made Federer remembered forever in tennis, but they were only part of the reason he enjoyed playing. He liked traveling to tournaments, meeting people and making new friends, whether they were on the other side of the net or sitting in the stands.

Only after he finished competing did Federer realize how much that impacted his legacy in the sport.

“I think when you retire, I think I said it before, that there was a lot of talk also about maybe my personality and what I brought to the game overall when I wasn’t on court, which I was a little surprised,” Federer said. "I thought it was about, in the moment, forehands and backhands and saving break points and victories and all that stuff.

"But actually it becomes a little bit, not irrelevant eventually, but it’s about what were you remembered for, how did you behave in the locker rooms or in the corridors or maybe with the media, or with the tournament directors, the ball kids."

Federer will have a chance to reflect back on it all Saturday when he is enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.

The 45-year-old from Switzerland, who will be honored along with broadcaster and former player Mary Carillo, said it would be his first trip to Newport. That seemed surprising, given how many places he's gone for his tennis.

Sure, there was regular stops such as New York and London and Paris for Grand Slam tournaments, but there were also cities like Cape Town, South Africa, for an exhibition match against Rafael Nadal that drew nearly 52,000 fans; or Mexico City, for one against Alexander Zverev that drew more than 42,000.

Those were near the end of his career, when Federer was forced to limit his schedule for health reasons. He hated having to do so, because he liked going too many places, even ones that didn't host the biggest events.

“For me, if I look back, that’s kind of what I’m very happy about, that I went through 25 years on tour, and actually felt like I made a lot of friends and a lot of people miss me,” Federer said. "Same with fans. They come up to me and say, ‘What a shame you’re not playing anymore.’

“Then I get a flashback saying it was an amazing time, and I say it every time. I loved it, and it’s a shame I can’t be on the tour anymore. But it was a great, great time and I miss it dearly.”

The fans clearly miss Federer. When he returned to the US Open this week for an exhibition, his first time playing in Flushing Meadows since 2019, the lines of fans waiting to get into Arthur Ashe Stadium resembled a night in the second week of the tournament, not well before it even began.

Federer won five straight US Open titles from 2004-08, during a stretch when he compiled a 247-15 record from 2004-06 and reached a record 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals from 2005-07, winning eight. He went on to win 1,251 matches and 103 tournaments, including 20 Grand Slams.

“He’s the best I’ve ever played against,” Andre Agassi, Federer's opponent in the 2005 final, said in a video the US Open showed before Federer took the court Tuesday.

The way he won, with far more flair than some stuffy champions of the past but without the temper tantrums of others, earned him accolades that his skills alone couldn't. He won the ATP Tour's sportsmanship award every year from 2004-09, and again from 2011-17, and the fan favorite award every year from 2003-21. Those came while earning prize money of nearly $130.6 million.

Federer hits sometimes with his children — he and wife Mirka are parents of two sets of twins — and tries to attend a few events a year to keep him connected to the sport.

“I’m in a very comfortable place today, but I’m still happy to be out there and being in the tennis world from time to time, because it is the glue to everything that surrounds me still today,” Federer said.

“I had the best time, had a lot of friends on tour, from players to people who were organizers, et cetera. So I hope that a lot of the players who retire also feel the same way about the game, because I care dearly.”

Sports

Frankfurt Signs Goalkeeper Noah Atubolu from Freiburg as Bundesliga Season Starts

Freiburg's goalkeeper Noah Atubolu gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg in Leverkusen, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2025. (AP)
Freiburg's goalkeeper Noah Atubolu gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg in Leverkusen, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2025. (AP)
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Frankfurt Signs Goalkeeper Noah Atubolu from Freiburg as Bundesliga Season Starts

Freiburg's goalkeeper Noah Atubolu gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg in Leverkusen, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2025. (AP)
Freiburg's goalkeeper Noah Atubolu gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg in Leverkusen, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2025. (AP)

Eintracht Frankfurt signed the up-and-coming German goalkeeper Noah Atubolu from Freiburg on the day the new Bundesliga season gets underway.

Atubolu was key to Freiburg's run to the Europa League final last season — where it lost to Aston Villa — and had been linked with a potential move to Villa in the summer as he sought to leave.

Instead, he heads to Frankfurt on what is initially a season-long loan with “a purchase option, which will automatically trigger an obligation to buy under certain conditions,” Frankfurt said.

Atubolu had a year left on his old Freiburg contract and has signed an extension to make the loan-to-buy deal possible, Freiburg said. That prevents him from moving elsewhere as a free agent next summer instead of joining Frankfurt permanently.

It ends a long-running transfer saga which included Freiburg signing Germany Under-21 goalkeeper Mio Backhaus from Werder Bremen as its replacement for Atubolu, who was left out of the squad for Freiburg's opening three games of the season in the German Cup and Conference League qualifiers.

“We have very complicated weeks and months behind us,” Freiburg sporting director Jochen Saier said in a statement.

The Bundesliga gets underway with defending champion Bayern Munich playing Stuttgart on Friday. Frankfurt visits Union Berlin on Saturday before Freiburg takes on Backhaus' former club Bremen on Sunday.