Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he will not be going to this month's Fifa Club World Cup, although the veteran attacker admitted there had been “plenty of invitations” to play.
Last month, Fifa president Gianni Infantino claimed that discussions had taken place about the possibility of Ronaldo joining one of the clubs taking part in the inaugural tournament that is being held in the United States.
Days later, Ronaldo seemed to suggest that his time at Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr was coming to an end following a frustrating campaign in the Middle East.
For the second season running Ronaldo had topped the SPL scoring charts but not only had Nassr finished without a trophy but also failed to qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite.
“This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all,” the 40-year-old posted on social media after Al Nassr's defeat at Al Fateh in their final game of the season.
This sparked a flurry of speculation that Ronaldo was set to move ahead of the Club World Cup with Al Hilal, who will be participating in the US, linked as one of his possible destinations.
But, speaking ahead of Portugal's Uefa Nations League final against Spain in Munich on Sunday, the former Sporting Club, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus striker played down the possibility of appearing at the Club World Cup.
“It's irrelevant, at the moment it doesn't make sense to talk about things other than the national team,” said Ronaldo, who scored the winner in Portugal's semi-final win over Germany on Wednesday – his 137th international goal.
“There has been plenty of contact [from clubs], I see things that make sense, others that don't. You can't go to all of them [clubs], you have to think short, medium and long term.
“It's something that's practically decided on my part, which is not to go to the Club World Cup, but I've had plenty of invitations.”
Al Nassr remain hopeful that Ronaldo will remain at the club despite sporting director Fernando Hierro admitting there were “many clubs interested in signing him”.
“Cristiano’s arrival was not just a signing – it was a national project,” Hierro added. “He opened up the Saudi league to the world. It’s phenomenal he had the courage to come, to stay, and to help us grow.”
Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in 2023 and has scored 99 goals in 111 appearances for the Riyadh-based club, including 35 times last season.
With his club future seemingly up in the air, Ronaldo is focusing on winning this third major honour with Portugal, after the European Championship (2016) and Nations League (2018/19).
Looking to stop the Portuguese at the final hurdle will be reigning European champions Spain and there teenage wonderkid Lamine Yamal.
The 17-year-old has just helped Barcelona seal a domestic treble, winning the title back from Ronaldo's old club Real while also beating Los Blancos in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercup finals.
Yamal also played a key role in Spain winning Euro 2024 last summer when he won the young player of the tournament award and scored the goal of the tournament in the semi-final win over France.
And now the final is being touted as being a face-off between the world football's young pretender up against one of the game's all-time greats. But the man himself – whose rivalry with Barca legend Lionel Messi has been a backdrop to his whole career – played down the idea.
“It's always been like that, whenever I've played football, whenever I've played a big game it's always been Cristiano against this one, against that one,” Ronaldo said.
“It's been 20-something years and it's still the same, it doesn't keep me up at night any more, it's a normal thing. They're completely different generations, a generation that's starting out, another that's finishing, which is my case.
“In reality it's not like that, it's a team against a team. It will always be like that … What I want most is for Portugal to be at a good level, confident that things can go well, that we can play a great game and win against a very good team, possibly the best in the world.”
Ronaldo also played down suggestions that Yamal should be the front-runner for this year's Ballon d'Or award, with the five-time winner adding: “In my opinion … The Ballon d'Or winner should be in a team that has won the Champions League.”
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Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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New Zealand 274
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- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
Destroyer
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Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
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Ahmed Saadawi
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm
