Donyell Malen received an offer from Saudi Arabia but decided to stay at Roma to focus on the Giallorossi project and participate in the Champions League.
Unai Simon puffed out his chest and threw down the gauntlet to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner. The Spain goalkeeper, before facing Portugal in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, spoke about the challenge and the main danger represented by Cristiano Ronaldo. Admitting, however, that the time has passed for the 41-year-old Madeiran, almost with a provocative tone. "The Cristiano we see at the World Cup is not the same as six or seven years ago, when he was in his prime," he declared at a press conference. "We have to try to keep him as far away from the area as possible," he added in front of the media. However, Unai Simon knows well the feeling of conceding goals from CR7, given the last precedent against Spain: "In the Nations League final he had a ball inside the area and threw it in. He has that ability to score that we would all like to have in our team". Subsequently, the starter between the posts for Spain could not help but show respect for the Mexican football legend Memo Ochoa, when faced with the question of a journalist present at the press conference: "In all tournaments there are goalkeepers who make themselves known or who shine. I have seen Ochoa in all the World Cups that I have watched, and sharing the tournament with him is a pride for me. The role of the goalkeeper is truly decisive and a little thankless when things go wrong, as well as unrewarding when you reach a goal."
Canada reached the round of 16 of the World Cup for the first time, beating South Africa 1-0. Jesse Marsch's team will face the winner between Morocco and the Netherlands.
Ange Postecoglou has been officially appointed as Al-Nassr manager, taking over from Jorge Jesus and managing Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League.
Fenerbahçe deny Mason Greenwood transfer rumours, stating that no member of their football committee is currently in France for such discussions.