Cristiano Ronaldo unlikely to travel to India for FC Goa clash

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Saudi Arabia`s top club Al Nassr is all set to arrive in India on Monday night for their AFC Champions League 2 away match against FC Goa.

Ahead of the match, star player Cristiano Ronaldo is unlikely to join Al Nassr for the match, which is scheduled to be played on October 22.

According to Saudi Arabia`s sports newspaper Al Riyadhiah, Ronaldo will not be a part of the visiting team despite multiple requests from the FC Goa management.

Al-Nassr are bracing up for their third game in the continental club tournament after their comfortable league win over Al-Fateh, and their next match is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.

On the other hand, FC Goa came victorious against AL Seeb in order to qualify for ACL 2. The Goa-based club also drew the match with Al Nassr in Group D of the tournament.

With Al Nassr and the Indian Super League (IPL) club FC Goa securing a draw in the same group of the tournament, there had been earlier raised expectations of witnessing Ronaldo visiting India for a competitive match.

It is understood that his contract with Al-Nassr has a clause giving him the right to pick and choose matches outside Saudi Arabia.

Al-Nassr will be arriving at the Dabolim International Airport.

The 40-year-old superstar, who is aiming to feature in the 2026 World Cup, is also managing his workload for the global showpiece.

Moreover, Al-Nassr have won both their group-stage fixtures of the Asian AFC Champions League 2 in the absence of Ronaldo, and are poised to advance to the next round.

After their match against FC Goa, Al-Nassr will be taking on rivals Al Ittihad in a round of 16 clash of the King`s Cup on October 28.

On the other hand, Argentina`s legendary football star, Lionel Messi, confirmed his participation in the GOAT Tour of India 2025.

On his return to India after 14 years, Messi said it was an honour to revisit a nation passionate about football and that he was looking forward to interacting with the new generation of players.

The organisers of the tour had already unveiled the itinerary on August 15. Messi`s statement marked the first confirmation from the footballer himself.

In Mumbai, Messi will also attend the `Padel GOAT Cup` and participate in a celebrity line-up that could include Shah Rukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Bollywood stars.

(With PTI Inputs)

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