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☆ Neymar injury delays Al-Hilal debut by a month
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Soccer Football - Neymar arrives in Riyadh after signing for Al Hilal - King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - August 18, 2023 Al-Hilal's Neymar seen upon arrival REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri Acquire Licensing RightsAug 20 (Reuters) - Brazilian winger Neymar might have to wait until September to make his debut for Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal because of injury, coach Jorge Jesus said. Neymar joined Al-Hilal from Paris St Germain last Tuesday on a two-year contract that French newspaper L'Equipe said could earn the 31-year-old 160 million euros ($174 million). "Neymar is an innovative and creative player, he will help us to improve, but he has a slight injury now and I don’t know when he will return. Al-Hilal coach Jesus also expressed his surprise at Neymar's inclusion in the Brazil squad for two World Cup qualifiers next month. Neymar has not played for Brazil since last year's World Cup as he recovers from an ankle injury sustained in February, but he has been included in the squad for World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia on Sept. 8 and Peru four days later.

Persons: Neymar, Al Hilal, King, Hilal's Neymar, Ahmed Yosri, Saudi Arabia's Al, Jorge Jesus, ” Jesus, Jesus, Ahmed Mostafa, David Goodman Organizations: Soccer, Al, King Khalid International Airport, Saudi, Paris St Germain, French, L'Equipe, King Fahd International, Drones, Brazilian national, Brazil, Bolivia, Thomson Locations: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Hilal, Paris, Barcelona, Al, Brazil, Peru

☆ Saudi binge is fiscal free kick for European clubs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Streisand Neto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Saudi binge may help European teams raise funds and meet tough new financial rules. The Roshn Saudi League is a top scorer in the football transfer market. UEFA, the governing body for European football, has introduced new rules limiting clubs’ spending on wages, transfers and agent fees to 70% of revenue. European clubs should take the money before the referee's whistle blows. Saudi clubs have spent over 550 million euros buying players from European clubs in the 2023/2024 transfer season, according to Transfermarkt.

Persons: Al Hilal's, Neymar, Fahd bin Saad Al, Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, Germain, Rúben Neves, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Len Blavatnik, China’s, Oscar, Marouane, Hilal, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neil Unmack, Thomas Shum, Pranav Kiran Organizations: Soccer, Al, Saudi Pro League, REUTERS Acquire, Reuters, Paris Saint, Saudi, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Britain’s Premier League, Premier League, Deloitte’s Sports Business, UEFA, Deloitte, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Bloomberg, BBC, Thomson Locations: Al Hilal, Paris, France, Saudi, Hilal, Saudi League, Al, Ittihad, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Kingdom, Saudi Arabian

☆ Mbappe and Dembele ready to start for PSG, says Luis Enrique
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 18 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain forwards Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are both available and will be ready to start their Ligue 1 clash with Toulouse, manager Luis Enrique said on Friday. I am very happy to have a world-class player like Kylian," Luis Enrique told reporters ahead of Saturday's game. Luis Enrique added that Dembele would be ready to play "from the first minute" but also admitted the club need to strengthen their attack. Luis Enrique also said he had not chosen the team's captain yet, leaving that decision to his squad. "It's very simple, I don't choose the captain, the players choose.

Persons: Paris St Germain, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Luis Enrique, Mbappe, Dembele, Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, Marquinhos, Rohith Nair, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Paris St, Ligue, Toulouse, Lorient, Inter Miami, Saudi, Al, Thomson Locations: Paris, Barcelona, Hilal, Bengaluru

☆ Neymar praises Cristiano Ronaldo for helping the Saudi Pro League grow
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Today, you see the league grow more and more,” the former PSG forward told Al Hilal’s social channels. Since then, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané and Marcelo Brozović have been among the star names to move to the Saudi Pro League. Yes, surely the league will be very competitive especially after the signings made in this summer transfer window.”Neymar joined Al Hilal from French giant PSG. Saudi Pro League/Handout/ReutersThe Brazilian forward spent six years with PSG, winning 13 major trophies along the way. Neymar will now star for Al Hilal alongside the likes of Sergej Milinković-Savić, Rúben Neves and Malcom who have also made summer moves to the club.

Persons: CNN — Neymar, Germain, Cristiano Ronaldo, Al, Ronaldo, Nassr, Karim Benzema, N’Golo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané, Marcelo Brozović, Al Nassr, Yasser Bakhsh, Neymar, “, ”, ” Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Al Hilal, Sergej, Rúben Neves, Malcom Organizations: CNN, Saudi Pro League, Al Hilal, Paris Saint, PSG, Al, Manchester United, Reuters, League Locations: French, Paris, Al Hilal, City of, Paris –

☆ Neymar credits Ronaldo for Saudi Pro League transformation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 16 (Reuters) - Cristiano Ronaldo is responsible for transforming the Saudi Pro League, according to Brazil forward Neymar who is looking forward to facing the Portuguese international when he starts playing for Al-Hilal. Today you see the league grow more and more," Neymar said in his first interview after the transfer on Wednesday. The Saudi Pro League has since invested over 600 million euros to lure a host of top players and coaches from European clubs. And it is a given when you face Ronaldo, Benzema, (Roberto) Firmino, that the excitement is even greater," Neymar said. Al-Hilal host Al-Feiha in the next round of the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.

Persons: Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Ronaldo, Ballon, Nassr, Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, Riyad, Benzema, Roberto, Firmino, Hilal, Jorge Jesus, Ruben Neves, Serbia's Sergei Milinkovic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Malcom, –, Al, Tommy Lund, Ed Osmond Organizations: Saudi Pro League, Portuguese, Al, Paris St Germain, Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Thomson Locations: Brazil, Hilal, Riyadh, Real Madrid, Manchester, Portuguese, Savic, Senegal, Gdansk

☆ As Neymar Heads for Saudi Arabia, Paris Saint-Germain’s Superteam Project Collapses
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Joshua Robinson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/sports/soccer/neymar-saudi-arabia-messi-mbappe-psg-champions-league-b829b54c

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: mbappe, psg Locations: saudi

☆ PSG's Senegal defender Diallo joins Qatar's Al-Arabi
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Aug 15 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain's Senegal defender Abdou Diallo has joined Qatari side Al-Arabi, the Ligue 1 club said on Tuesday. The terms of the deal were not disclosed but French media reported that the 27-year-old has signed a four-year deal after Al-Arabi paid a 15 million euros ($16.35 million) transfer fee. Diallo came through the youth ranks at AS Monaco and made his debut in 2014 before winning Ligue 1 in 2017. Diallo, France's former under-21 captain, has 23 caps for Senegal and helped them win the 2021 African Cup of Nations as well as featuring at last year's World Cup. ($1 = 0.9173 euros)Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Abdou Diallo, Arabi, Diallo, Janina Nuno Rios, Ken Ferris Organizations: Paris St, Qatari, Al, Ligue, AS Monaco, Qatar Stars League, PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Bundesliga, Mainz, RB Leipzig, of Nations, Thomson Locations: Paris, Paris St Germain's Senegal, France's, Senegal, Mexico City

☆ Factbox: Brazil and Al-Hilal forward Neymar
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

* Made 33 appearances and scored 10 goals in his first league season. * Scored 42 goals in 60 appearances in all competitions in 2010 as Santos won the Campeonato Paulista and Copa do Brasil. * Scored six goals in the 2011 Copa Libertadores as Santos won the competition for the first time since 1963. * The following season, Neymar became the fastest in the club's history to reach 50 league goals (58 games), but PSG finished second in Ligue 1. * Neymar scored 118 goals in 173 appearances in all competitions for PSG, winning 13 domestic trophies.

Persons: Neymar, Saudi Arabia's Al, Neymar da Silva Santos Jr, SANTOS, Santos, FIFA Puskas, Dunga, Pele's, Trevor Stynes, Ken Ferris Organizations: Saudi Arabia's, Paris St Germain, Portuguesa Santista, Santos, Real Madrid, Campeonato Paulista, Copa, Brasil, Libertadores, FIFA, Flamengo, South, Barcelona, Supercopa, Atletico Madrid, Barca, Champions League, Juventus, Brazilian, La Liga, Copa del Rey, PSG, UEFA, Manchester United, Rennes, Bayern Munich, Ligue, PSG's, Brazil, Confederations, Colombia, Croatia, Thomson Locations: Hilal, Spain, Barcelona, BARCELONA, Nou, BRAZIL, United States, Brazil, Germany, Belgium

☆ Neymar joins Saudi club Al-Hilal from PSG in two-year deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Saudi Professional League (SPL) club Al-Hilal announced that Neymar had signed a contract until 2025, with the Brazilian saying, "I am here in Saudi Arabia, I am Hilali" in a video on the team's social media accounts. "I love winning and scoring goals, and I plan to continue doing that in Saudi Arabia and with Al-Hilal." He scored 118 goals in 173 appearances for the Paris club and won numerous trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles. Neymar won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2015 but had to settle for a runners-up medal in the 2020 final, which PSG lost to Bayern Munich. SAUDI TRANSFERSThe most successful club in Saudi Arabia and Asia, Al-Hilal have won 66 trophies and hold the record for number of league and Asian Champions League titles with 18 and four respectively.

Persons: Al Hilal's, Neymar, Fahd bin Saad Al, Al, Nasser Al, Khelaifi, Germain, We've, Pele, Hilal, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nassr, Ittihad, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Angelica Medina, Aadi Nair, Anita Kobylinska, Ken Ferris Organizations: Soccer, Al, Saudi Pro League, REUTERS Acquire, Saudi, Paris St Germain, Champions League, L'Equipe, Saudi Professional League, PSG, Paris, Ligue, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint, Confederations, SAUDI, Asian Champions League, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Qatar, French, Real Madrid, UEFA Champions, France, Argentine, Major League Soccer's Inter Miami, Thomson Locations: Al Hilal, Paris, France, Hilal, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Europe, Al, Barcelona, Asia, Riyadh, Ittihad, Ahli, Portugal, Real

☆ Neymar: Paris Saint-Germain agrees deal with Al-Hilal to sell Brazil forward, according to reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Paris Saint-Germain has agreed to a deal with Saudi club Al-Hilal to sell forward Neymar Jr. for a fee of around €90 million ($98.5M) plus add-ons, according to multiple reports. Ekhbariya, a state-owned television company in Saudi Arabia, posted on social media on Monday: “Al-Hilal club officially agrees with Brazilian star Neymar in a record transfer deal from Paris Saint-Germain. When contacted by CNN, a spokesperson for PSG said the club had “no information to give currently.” CNN has also reached out to Al-Hilal. In six years in the French capital, Neymar has helped PSG win 13 major trophies, including five league titles and three French Cups. Now, Neymar looks to set to join a fast-growing list of star names moving to the Saudi Pro League.

Persons: Germain, Neymar, “ Al, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Messi, Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nassr, Karim Benzema, N’Golo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané, Marcelo Brozović Organizations: CNN, Paris Saint, Saudi, Al, Sky Sports, PSG, Champions League, European, Bayern Munich, League, Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, Saudi Pro League, Portugal, Manchester United Locations: Hilal, €, Saudi Arabia, Paris, Brazilian, Al, Barcelona, Europe

☆ Saudi soccer league lures Brazilian star Neymar as it seeks to attract 'exceptional players only'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Saudi Arabia also recruited soccer legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema with contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and it's expected to bid to host the 2030 World Cup. Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo poses for a photo with the jersey after signing with Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr Football Club in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 30, 2022. Sports analysts are doubtful that Saudi Arabia will see its ambitions to have a top soccer league realized, even with all the money it can offer to top-tier players. Charles Laberge | LIV Golf | Getty ImagesOther criticism comes from an attitude among many that a Saudi league could never be a serious arena for athletes. Emenalo, himself a former defender for Nigeria's national soccer team and former technical director at English club team Chelsea, called the criticisms "outrageous."

Persons: Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr, Jean Catuffe, Neymar, Germain, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Kalidou, Lyon's Moussa Dembele, Michael Emenalo, Saudi Arabia's, Al, Hilal, Kylian Mbappé, LIV, shockwaves, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Captain Brooks Koepka, Ricky Elliott, Charles Laberge, LIV Golf, Emenalo, it's, Khalid Al, Falih, that's Organizations: PSG, UEFA Champions League, Celtic Glasgow, Paris Saint Germain, Celtic Park, Getty, Getty Images, Saudi, Al, Paris Saint, Brazil national, L'Equipe, Manchester, Saudi Pro League, Nassr Football Club, Al Nassr Football, Anadolu Agency, France national, Sports, American PGA Tour, Saudi Crown, CNBC, Royal Greens, & Country Club, King Abdullah Economic, Nigeria's, soccer team, Chelsea, Saudi League, Guardian, Saudi Investment, Public Investment Fund Locations: Getty Images Saudi Arabia, Hilal, Barcelona, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Europe, Jeddah, King Abdullah, King Abdullah Economic City

☆ Neymar set for Saudi's Al Hilal after PSG agree deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Saudi state media report deal is doneTwo year deal would net Neymar $175 millionBrazilian joined PSG in 2017 for record 222 million eurosAug 14 (Reuters) - Brazil forward Neymar is headed for Saudi Arabia after Pro League side Al Hilal agreed a two-year deal with Paris St Germain, Saudi state media reported on Monday. Al Hilal, managed by Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, play Al Fayha on Saturday with Neymar expected to wear the number 10 shirt. Al Hilal had tried to sign PSG's France international Kylian Mbappe, who was reinstated into the Paris club's first team on Sunday. Strengthening the squad is a priority for the Riyadh-based club, as the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced in June an investment and privatisation project for sports clubs involving league champions Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Nassr and Al Hilal. Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr last season soon after the World Cup in a deal which made him the highest-paid athlete on the planet, while Al Ittihad signed Karim Benzema from Real Madrid.

Persons: Al Hilal, Neymar, Jorge Jesus, Al Fayha, Luis Enrique's, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Ittihad, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino, Alan Baldwin, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Angelica Medina, Toby Chopra, Pritha Sarkar, Hugh Lawson Organizations: PSG, Saudi Arabia, Pro League, Al, Paris St, Ligue, Qatar Sports Investments, French, L'Equipe, Reuters, King Fahd, Barcelona, Lorient, Spanish, France, Kylian, Paris club's, Saudi, Major League Soccer's Inter Miami, Asian Champions League, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Al Ittihad, Saudi Pro League, Real Madrid, Champions, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Brazil, Paris St Germain, Paris, Riyadh, Portuguese, Spanish, Barcelona, Al, Saudi Arabia, Asia, Al Ahli, Real, London, Bengaluru, Mexico City

☆ Kylian Mbappé reinstated into PSG’s first-team squad after ‘positive talks’ with the club
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Kylian Mbappé has been reinstated into the Paris Saint-Germain first-team after being frozen out of the squad during its preseason tour of Japan, amid his ongoing transfer saga. The 24-year-old has been training separately from the first team while his standoff with the club rumbles on. “Following very constructive, positive talks between PSG and Kylian Mbappé before the game vs Lorient, the player has been reinstated into the first team training squad this morning,” PSG said in a statement on Sunday. Mbappé watched PSG's league opener against Lorient from the stands on Saturday. It’s not yet clear whether Mbappé will sign a new deal at the club.

Persons: Kylian Mbappé, Germain, Frenchman, ”, Mbappé, Nasser Al, Khelaifi, Christophe Saidi, Al Hilal, It’s Organizations: CNN, Paris Saint, Lorient, PSG, ” PSG, Saudi, Real Madrid Locations: Paris, Japan, Saudi Arabian, Al

☆ PSG coach Enrique hoping for solution to Mbappe dispute
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 11 (Reuters) - Manager Luis Enrique said on Friday he hopes Paris Saint-Germain can find a solution to a dispute with Kylian Mbappe, noting the Ligue 1 club have prior experience in resolving contract issues with the French star. This is not the first time PSG and Mbappe have been involved in a contract standoff. Asked about Mbappe ahead of Saturday's season-opening home match against Lorient, Enrique told reporters: "It's a subject we've come across before and a solution was found between the club and the player. "He's not a PSG player yet, he won't be here tomorrow. Not 100%, but 99% he's a PSG player," Enrique said.

Persons: Luis Enrique, Germain, Kylian Mbappe, Nasser Al, Khelaifi, Mbappe, Enrique, Neymar, Marco Verratti, Ousmane Dembele, Aadi Nair Organizations: Paris Saint, Ligue, Mbappe, PSG, Real Madrid, Lorient, Parc des Princes, Champions League, Thomson Locations: Paris, Parc des, Barcelona, Bengaluru

☆ Ronaldo streets ahead of Instagram influencers in annual ranking
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The list, compiled by Instagram scheduling tool Hopper HQ, is based on internal and publicly available data on how much each user can charge for a post on Instagram and YouTube. The Portugal forward brings in a massive $3.23 million per Instagram post, according to Hopper HQ, as he nears 600 million followers on the social media platform. "It's still shocking to me that the annual money made on the platform increases every year," Mike Bandar, co-founder of Hopper HQ, said. The highest earning influencer on Instagram, TikTok star Khaby Lame, is number 40 on the list. Ronaldo earns almost 10 times the amount Lame brings in for his Instagram posts.

Persons: Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon, Ronaldo, Rich, Hopper, Ronaldo's, Lionel Messi, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, Dwayne, Johnson, Virat Kohli, Neymar, Paris, Paris St Germain, Kylian Mbappe, Mike Bandar, Messi, Trevor Stynes, Ken Ferris Organizations: Forbes, YouTube, Argentina, Paris St, Hopper, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, Portugal

CNN —With some of the world’s leading soccer players being tempted by the money on offer from Saudi Arabian soccer clubs, the Saudi Pro League’s (SPL) new Director of Football, Michael Emenalo, says the Gulf state is “disrupting the industry, but we are disrupting to enhance. We’re adding value to the industry.”The Saudi Pro League consists of 18 clubs, four of which are 75% owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) – one of the world’s top 10 sovereign wealth funds. Cristiano Ronaldo, N’golo Kanté, Riyad Mahrez and current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema are just a few of players who have joined a variety of SPL clubs over the last few months. That’s true, but there is also a sensible, logical, thoughtful process to making the league better,” said the SPL’s new Director of Football. The new 2023/24 Saudi Pro League season begins on Friday, August 11, with Al-Ahli hosting Al-Hazm.

Persons: Michael Emenalo, Cristiano Ronaldo, N’golo, Riyad Mahrez, Ballon d’Or, Karim Benzema, Emenalo, Germain, Mbappé, Al Hilal’s, coy, ” Emenalo, Darren Lewis, “, that’s, he’s, Jurgen Klopp, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Al Ettifaq, Al Ittihad, ”, ” Michael Emenalo, Henderson, – it’s Organizations: CNN, Saudi Pro League’s, Football, Saudi Pro League, Saudi Public Investment Fund, Saudi, Al Hilal, Paris Saint, PSG, SPL, Liverpool, Saudi FA, Al Locations: Saudi Arabian, Gulf, France, Paris, Al Hilal, Saudi, Al, Liverpool, Turkey, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Mahrez, Ahli

☆ PSG sign Portugal striker Ramos on loan from Benfica
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Soccer Football - Primeira Liga - Portimonense v Benfica - Estadio Municipal de Portimao, Portimao, Portugal - May 13, 2023 Benfica's Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Rodrigo Antunes/File PhotoPARIS, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain have signed Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos from Benfica on a season-long loan with an option to buy, the Ligue 1 club announced on Monday. PSG is one of the biggest clubs in the world with one of the best squads," the 22-year-old said in a statement. Ramos made his debut for Benfica in 2020 after joining the club's academy aged 12 and scored 41 goals with 16 assists in 106 appearances for the Portuguese champions. The Ligue 1 champions are also close to completing a deal to sign France forward Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona. ($1 = 0.9088 euros)Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Benfica's Goncalo Ramos, Rodrigo Antunes, Paris St Germain, Goncalo Ramos, Germain, Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marco Asensio, Milan Skriniar, Lee Kang, Hugo Ekitike, Lucas Hernandez, Manuel Ugarte, Christophe Galtier, Luis Enrique, Ousmane Dembele, Janina Nuno Rios, Ken Ferris Organizations: Soccer Football, Primeira Liga, Benfica, Estadio Municipal de, Portugal, Ligue, Paris Saint, PSG, Thomson Locations: Estadio Municipal de Portimao, Portimao, Portugal, Paris, Portuguese, Barcelona, Spain, France, Mexico City

☆ Bellingham fever fuels Real Madrid hopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Soccer Football - Real Madrid present new signing Jude Bellingham - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - June 15, 2023 Real Madrid's new signing Jude Bellingham during the presentation REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura/File PhotoMADRID, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Real Madrid are banking on the arrival of England midfielder Jude Bellingham to regain the LaLiga title from Barcelona andchallenge seriously for a record-extending 15th European Cup. Bellingham has made an instant impact in the dressing room with his coach and team mates delighted by his performances in pre-season matches. For now, however, Real are lacking a top-level striker to replace Benzema and coach Carlo Ancelotti is relying on the versatile Bellingham, changing the system he used in his former spells at Real Madrid when they won the Champions League in 2014 and 2022. "Bellingham is a complete midfielder and different from the others we have," the Italian told reporters during Real's pre-season trip to the U.S."He is a fantastic player. Real Madrid start their bid for a record-extending 36th Spanish title on Saturday at Athletic Bilbao.

Persons: Jude Bellingham, Violeta Santos Moura, Ballon, Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Joselu, Kylian Mbappe, Paris St Germain, Carlo Ancelotti, Ancelotti, Vinicius Jr, Vinicius, Fernando Kallas, Ed Osmond Organizations: Soccer Football, Real Madrid, Santiago Bernabeu, Borussia Dortmund, Spain, Espanyol, France, Paris St, Benzema, Champions League, Real's, Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Thomson Locations: Santiago, Madrid, Spain, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bellingham

☆ Barcelona bank on Gundogan, Lewandowski experience
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BARCELONA, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Barcelona claimed their 27th LaLiga title and first for four years last season led by coach Xavi Hernandez, relying on a mixture of young talent and seasoned veterans like striker Robert Lewandowski who was the league's top scorer. They recruited experienced midfielder Ikay Gundogan, who captained Manchester City to the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble last season, ending a successful seven-year stint in England during which he won 12 major trophies. Gundogan will help mentor a young Barca squad as they try to retain the LaLiga crown and get back to winning ways in the Champions League after years of European disappointments. A Barcelona court has agreed to take on the case and UEFA has provisionally cleared the club to compete in this season's Champions League despite ongoing investigations. Reporting by Fernando Kallas, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Xavi Hernandez, Robert Lewandowski, Ikay Gundogan, Gundogan, Lionel Messi, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, Marc, Andre ter Stegen, Gavi, Ronald Araujo, Luuk De Jong, Jules Kounde, Ousmane Dembele, Fernando Kallas, Ed Osmond Organizations: Manchester City, Premier League, FA, League, Champions League, Europa League, Manchester United, Barcelona, UEFA, Nou, Paris St Germain, Getafe, Thomson Locations: BARCELONA, Barcelona, England, Spanish

☆ Lionel Messi helped Apple TV+ beat its subscriber targets, Tim Cook says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Lionel Messi joining Major League Soccer boosted Apple TV+ subscriber numbers, according to Tim Cook. "The fact that Messi went to Inter Miami helped us out there a bit," Cook said Thursday. Apple's streaming service is already feeling the benefit of soccer superstar Lionel Messi joining Major League Soccer, according to Tim Cook. Cook said in a quarterly earnings call Thursday that Apple TV+ had beaten its subscriber targets over the three months ending July 1. The Athletic reported in June that Messi had also inked revenue-sharing agreements with both Apple TV and Adidas, which is one of MLS's largest corporate sponsors.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Tim Cook, Messi, Cook, we're, Messi suiting, Germain Organizations: Major League Soccer, Apple, Inter Miami, Inter Miami CF, MLS, Paris Saint, Athletic, Apple TV, Adidas Locations: Florida

☆ Lionel Messi scores twice for Inter Miami in Leagues Cup win
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Lionel Messi continued his impressive start with Major League soccer team Inter Miami as he scored twice in a 3-1 win against Orlando City in the Leagues Cup. A successful penalty kick from Josef Martínez early in the second half saw Miami regain the lead before Messi combined with Taylor and Martínez to score his second volley and complete the victory. Inter Miami has now won three consecutive games with Messi scoring in all of them. It wasn’t a blemish-free evening for the forward, however, as he was yellow carded in the first half and later escaped a second booking for a challenge on Araújo. The victory at DRV PNK Stadium means Messi and Miami will now face FC Dallas in the Leagues Cup round of 16 on Sunday.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Germain, Robert Taylor, Orlando, César, Pedro Gallese, Josef Martínez, Messi, Taylor, Martínez, Mike Ehrmann Organizations: CNN, Major League soccer, Inter Miami, Orlando City, Leagues, Paris Saint, Messi, Miami, Orlando, Cruz Azul, Atlanta United, FC Dallas Locations: Argentine, United States, Paris

☆ Given Plenty of Space, Lionel Messi Is Putting on a Show
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Victor Mather | More About Victor Mather | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When it was announced that Lionel Messi was coming to Major League Soccer, there was excitement, of course. Would he treat his stay in the league as a retirement tour or even a vacation? Messi had two more goals on Wednesday night, bringing his total to five in his three games for his new team, Inter Miami. Still saddled with the worst record in the league, Inter is playing with panache, and Messi, at times, looks unstoppable. Messi’s arrival after two years at Paris St.-Germain coincided with the start of the Leagues Cup, a newly expanded tournament for teams from M.L.S.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Messi, Germain Organizations: Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, Inter, Paris St, Leagues, M.L.S, Mexico’s Liga MX Locations: Paris

☆ Klopp complains about Saudi transfer deadline, dismisses Mbappe links
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Premier League's transfer window closes on Sept. 1, the deadline for most of Europe's top leagues, but Saudi Pro League clubs can sign players until Sept. 20. Liverpool have already seen three of their key players move to Saudi clubs, including skipper Jordan Henderson and fellow midfielder Fabinho while striker Roberto Firmino moved on a free transfer. "The influence of Saudi Arabia is massive at the moment," Klopp told reporters on Tuesday, a day before their pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich in Singapore. "Pretty much the worst thing I think is that the transfer window in Saudi Arabia is open three weeks longer. Mbappe has also been linked with a world record move to Saudi Arabia, but media reports said he rejected the idea of playing in the Gulf kingdom as he eyes a transfer to Real Madrid.

Persons: Juergen Klopp, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, Klopp, Ballon, Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo, Frenchman, Mbappe, I've, Rohith Nair, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Christopher Cushing Organizations: FIFA, Liverpool, Saudi Pro League, Bayern Munich, UEFA, World, Al, Paris St Germain, Real Madrid, Sky Germany, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Europe, Qatar, Portugal, Bengaluru

☆ Italian keeper Buffon hangs up gloves after 28 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Aug 2 (Reuters) - Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has retired from football, the 45-year-old announced on Wednesday, after 28 years in which he reached exceptional milestones for club and country. Buffon, who in 2006 lifted the World Cup, won 10 Serie A titles with Juventus and a Ligue 1 title with Paris St Germain. Buffon played a record 657 times in the Italian top flight and was UEFA Club Footballer of the Year in 2003. He is the most capped goalkeeper of all time, having played 176 times for Italy. He retired from international football in 2018 after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Persons: Gianluigi Buffon, Buffon, Paris St Germain, Parma, Tommy Lund, Pearl Josephine Nazare, Ken Ferris Organizations: Juventus, Ligue, Paris St, Juve, Parma, PSG, Serie, AC Milan, UEFA Club, Thomson Locations: Parma, Turin, Italy, Russia, Gdansk, Bengaluru

☆ Joan Laporta: Barcelona president says there are ‘no sporting reasons’ for soccer stars to join Saudi Pro League
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Don Riddell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“Fortunately, most of the players like Football Club Barcelona,” Laporta told CNN Sport’s Don Riddell from Los Angeles during the Spanish team’s pre-season tour of the U.S., which wrapped up on Tuesday against AC Milan in Las Vegas. “And when a player, and with all respect, prefers to go to Saudi Arabia, basically there are no sporting reasons. Last week, Al-Hilal, which is one of four Saudi clubs owned by the PIF, made a world-record bid of over $332 million (300 million euros) for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) striker Kylian Mbappé. “My view is that it’s more important to have the assistance of the clubs, the traditional clubs, specifically the European clubs,” added Laporta. “The priority of last season was the Spanish league and this new season, for us, the league is the priority as well,” said Laporta.

Persons: Joan Laporta, “, ” Laporta, CNN Sport’s Don Riddell, Germain, Kylian Mbappé, Ballon d’Or, Karim Benzema, N’Golo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino, Jordan Henderson, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Hussein Malla, ”, Laporta, Xavi, – Pep Guardiola, Johan Cruyff, Pep, Lionel Messi’s, Jorge Messi, Messi, Cruz Azul, Sam Navarro Organizations: CNN, CNN Sport, Saudi Pro League, Football Club Barcelona, AC Milan, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Saudi, Paris Saint, PSG, Saudi Arabian football, SPL, Al, Gulf state’s, ”, Barcelona, La Liga, Champions League, Spanish League, Liga, Barca, MLS, Inter Miami, Cruz, USA, Sports, Reuters, Camp, Good Locations: Saudi Arabia, Barcelona, Gulf, Los Angeles, Spanish, U.S, Las Vegas, Al, Hilal, Paris, Fabinho, Saudi, Xavi

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