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Lionel Messi Is Not Better Than Me – Ronaldo

The highest paid-footballer in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo has stated that his rival, Lionel Messi is not better than him.
He also made it clear that Messi is Not the greatest footballer of all time.
The Al Nassr captain stated this while speaking in a new interview with British journalist Piers Morgan.
The 40-year-old Portuguese star said he does not agree with those who rank the Argentine ahead of him.
“Messi better than me? I don’t agree with that opinion,” Ronaldo said. “I don’t want to be humble.”
For nearly two decades, football fans and pundits have been divided over who truly deserves the GOAT title between the two legends.

Both players have won numerous titles for club and country, but while Ronaldo has lifted the Ballon d’Or five times, Messi holds the record with eight wins.

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LaLiga: Rashford shines as Barcelona return to form with win over Elche

Marcus Rashford was on target as Barcelona bounced back from their El Clasico defeat with a 3-1 victory over Elche at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuïc.

Hansi Flick’s side made their intentions clear early on, taking control of the game from the first whistle. On nine minutes, Lamine Yamal broke the deadlock scoring a composed finish inside the area after a neat pass from Alejandro Balde.

Early double advantage

Just two minutes later, Ferran Torres doubled Barcelona’s lead, tapping in from close range after Fermin Lopez punished a defensive lapse from Elche.

The visitors, however, pulled one back before the break through Rafa Mir, who timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and curl a fine effort beyond Wojciech Szczesny.

Rashford’s thunderbolt restores control

Barcelona regained a comfortable lead in the 60th minute when Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, unleashed a thunderous strike that rattled in off the woodwork.

Flick gets key players back

Manager Flick introduced Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski late on, marking their return from injury. Elche pressed in the closing stages, with Mir striking the crossbar, but Barcelona held firm to secure all three points.

The victory lifts Barcelona back to second place in La Liga, five points adrift of leaders Real Madrid, as they turn their focus to Club Brugge in Wednesday’s Champions League clash.

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EPL: Haaland double fires Man City past Bournemouth

Erling Haaland returned to scoring form with a decisive brace as Manchester City defeated Bournemouth 3-1 to reclaim second place in the Premier League and close the gap on leaders Arsenal to six points.

Pep Guardiola’s men were looking to bounce back after last weekend’s 2-0 loss to Aston Villa, a match that saw Haaland fail to score for only the second time this season.

The Norwegian responded emphatically, proving once again why he remains City’s most lethal weapon.

Early scare, swift response

Bournemouth thought they had the perfect start when teenager Eli Junior Kroupi found the net after just 44 seconds, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

City capitalised soon after, as Rayan Cherki’s clever header released Haaland, who calmly slotted past Djordje Petrovic in the 17th minute to make it 1-0.

The hosts’ lead was short-lived, though, as Tyler Adams pounced on a poor punch from Gianluigi Donnarumma to smash home an equaliser, his first goal in English football.

Haaland restores control

City’s dominance soon resurfaced. Cherki again combined brilliantly with Haaland, who rounded the goalkeeper and finished with composure for his 13th league goal of the campaign and 26th across all competitions.

The striker came close to a hat-trick before the break but was denied by Petrovic’s sharp save.

O’Reilly seals the win

After Kroupi forced Donnarumma into another stop, City struck the killer blow on the hour mark. Midfielder Nico O’Reilly surged forward and buried a low shot into the corner to seal an assured victory for Guardiola’s side.

The win puts Manchester City back on track after their stumble at Villa Park, while Bournemouth’s run hits a temporary setback despite another spirited performance.

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Gyokeres, Rice shine as Arsenal cruise past Burnley

Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points with a 2-0 victory over Burnley on Saturday.

It was business as usual for Mikel Arteta’s side, who dominated from start to finish at Turf Moor.

Early control and set-piece precision

After Bukayo Saka missed a clear chance early on, Viktor Gyokeres broke the deadlock in the 14th minute, tapping in from close range after Declan Rice’s pinpoint corner.

It marked Arsenal’s eighth set-piece goal in their opening 10 league matches, underlining their growing threat from dead-ball situations.

Rice turned scorer just past the half-hour mark, finishing off a slick counter-attack to make it 2-0 and effectively kill the game before halftime.

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Super Eagles To Open Camp For World Cup Playoffs November 9

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that the Super Eagles will commence training for the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs on Sunday, November 9, in Rabat.

Head coach Eric Chelle is expected to release his squad list for the mini-tournament next week.

Nigeria will take on Gabon’s Panthers in the first semi-final on Thursday, 13 November.

The winners will face either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final.

CAF will stage a draw on Thursday (today) to determine match venues of both games.

The El Barid Stadium and the Prince Moulay El Hassan Sports Complex both in Rabat have been lined up to host the games.

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King Cup: What Ronaldo Said After Al-Nassr’s Exit

Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo has reacted following his team’s elimination from the King Cup of Champions by Al-Ittihad on Tuesday.

The Portugal forward wants Al-Nassr to learn from the defeat and use it to better themselves for the remainder of the current season.

Recall that Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Nassr 2-1 in the King Cup Round of 16 tie.

In a post via his X account, Ronaldo posted an eight-word message for his Al-Nassr, along with a team picture.

The 40-year-old then urged his teammates to stand tall despite the loss to Al-Ittihad.

“We stand tall, learn, and move forward together,” Ronaldo wrote.

Al-Nassr’s next game is against Al Feiha in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.

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CAF Confirms World Cup 2026 Playoff Fixtures, Venue, Time; Nigeria, Others Get Opponents

The Confederation of African Football (CAF), in partnership with hosts Morocco, has officially announced the match venues and schedule for the African qualifiers of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Intercontinental Playoff tournament.

The high-stakes mini-tournament will take place from 13 to 16 November 2025 in Rabat, Morocco, featuring four African powerhouses: Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).

According to CAF, the semi-finals will be played on Thursday, 13 November 2025, at El Barid Stadium and the Prince Moulay El Hassan Sports Complex.

A draw scheduled for 30 October 2025 will determine which fixture is assigned to each venue.

The opening semi-final will see Nigeria’s Super Eagles take on Gabon at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT).

This will be followed by the second semi-final between Cameroon and DR Congo at 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT).

The tournament’s final is slated for Sunday, 16 November 2025, at Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium, with kick-off set for 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT).

Confirmed Fixtures: CAF 2026 Playoff

  • Match 1: Nigeria vs Gabon — 17:00
  • Match 2: Cameroon vs DR Congo — 20:00

The overall winner will advance to the FIFA Inter-Continental Play-off in March 2026, where they will compete for Africa’s 10th and final slot at the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The tournament represents the last h

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2026 WCQ: Super Eagles World Cup Hopes Would Have Been Dead Without Victor Osimhen – Mikel Obi

Former Nigerian international Mikel Obi has asserted that without star striker Victor Osimhen, the Super Eagles’ chances of reaching the 2026 World Cup playoffs would be “nonexistent.”

Speaking on the Obi One podcast, Mikel emphasized Osimhen’s crucial role in reviving Nigeria’s World Cup bid. This sentiment follows the decisive final Group C match against Benin, where the Galatasaray star scored a hat-trick in a commanding 4-0 victory, which ultimately sealed the playoff berth for the Super Eagles.

Mikel argued that even against a lesser opponent, the striker’s performance under intense pressure was remarkable.

“If we didn’t win that game, we wouldn’t be talking about trying to qualify for the World Cup. Victor Osimhen has singlehandedly kept us alive. One of the biggest games, he’s come out and scored a hat-trick.”

Mikel underscored Osimhen’s importance by pointing to the team’s record in his absence. He noted that the Super Eagles failed to secure a single win in the matches Osimhen missed, instead recording four draws and one loss. This stark comparison highlights the striker’s profound influence on the team’s results.

Mikel praised the intangible qualities that Osimhen brings to the field: “You can see the intensity, passion, aggressiveness he shows. When the pressure is on, the big boys step up, and that’s exactly what he has done. He’s the big boy in that team right now, and we all needed him.”

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LaLiga: ‘He’ll Never Change’ – Burley Slams Vinicius Over Alonso Behaviour

Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley has criticized Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. for his conduct towards manager Xabi Alonso during last weekend’s El Clásico victory over Barcelona.

Recall that Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, thanks to goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham.

However, Vinicius displayed unsportsmanlike behaviour towards Alonso after being substituted in the 72nd minute of the encounter. The Brazilian international expressed his frustration with the Real Madrid manager and left the pitch in a huff, though he later returned to the bench.

Burley, however, was not pleased with Vinicius’ attitude towards Alonso, insisting that the player will never change his behaviour.

“It is difficult as a player because sometimes you just cannot see the bigger picture, which is that Real Madrid needed fresh legs,” Burley told ESPN FC.

“You don’t walk down the tunnel when there is a Clasico still on against your biggest rivals. Yes, he came back out. But Xabi Alonso didn’t look best pleased about his antics and then disappearing down the tunnel.

“This is something he has to work with. I don’t think this player will ever change from this type of behaviour.”

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Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace: Eze fires stunning half-volley against former club in Gunners victory

Eberechi Eze delivered a magical moment against his former club, firing home a stunning half-volley as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace in a tense London derby at the Emirates Stadium.

The goal kept the Gunners in charge of their own fate, as they extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Palace hold firm despite Arsenal pressure

Crystal Palace kept things tight at the back throughout the first half, except for the 39t minute strike from Eze.

Mikel Arteta’s men struggled to convert possession into clear chances for the remaining parts of the game as Palace’s defensive discipline stood firm.

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