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Cristiano Ronaldo closes in on 1,000 career goals

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Portugal and Al Nassr striker, Cristiano Ronaldo, is on the verge of achieving a milestone no male footballer has ever reached: 1,000 career goals.

According to Sky Sports on Wednesday, following his recent brace against Hungary in the World Cup qualifiers, the Portuguese legend has now scored a staggering 948 goals across club and international competitions, 805 at club level and 143 for Portugal.

He also became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup qualifying history, surpassing Carlos Ruiz on 39, with Lionel Messi third in the list on 36.

Ronaldo turned 40 in February, but he continues to rack up impressive numbers at club level as well as internationally, albeit against weaker opposition in Saudi Arabia, where he has scored 104 goals in 117 appearances across four seasons with Al-Nassr.

With 32 goals already for club and country in 2025, he is maintaining a remarkably consistent level of productivity in front of goal. Ronaldo has averaged more than 50 goals per calendar year since 2010.

His highest scoring year came in 2013, when he smashed 69 goals and won the Ballon d’Or.

Amazingly, his total has only dipped below 39 goals once in a calendar year in the last decade and a half.

With Portugal set to qualify for next summer’s World Cup, and with two years to go on his Al-Nassr contract, Ronaldo is projected to become the first player in recorded history to reach the 1,000-goal mark in October 2026 based on his current scoring rate.

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PHOTOS: President Trump awarded inaugural Fifa peace prize at World Cup draw in Washington

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U.S. President Donald Trump has been named the first winner of the newly created FIFA Peace Prize at the ongoing draw for the 2026 World Cup in Washington DC.

Gianni Infantino, the FIFA President presented the honour onstage at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, saying Trump had been selected “in recognition of his exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity around the world”.

President Trump awarded inaugural Fifa peace prize at World Cup draw in Washington (Photos)
“This is your prize, this is your peace prize,” Infantino said, after Trump took the stage to accept the trophy, a medal and certificate. “There is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go.”

FIFA says the prize is for “individuals who help unite people in peace through unwavering commitment and special actions”.

President Trump awarded inaugural Fifa peace prize at World Cup draw in Washington (Photos)
The governing body has not disclosed details of the selection process, although a new “social responsibility” committee reportedly chaired by the controversial Myanmar tycoon Zaw Zaw will propose the process for future awards.

Accepting the award, Trump called it “one of the great honours of my life”, before claiming to have “saved millions and millions of lives – the Congo is an example, over 10 million people killed and it was heading for another 10 million very quickly. India and Pakistan, so many different wars we were able to end, in some cases just before they started.”

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President Trump awarded inaugural Fifa peace prize at World Cup draw in Washington (Photos)
He went on to praise Infantino for “setting new records on ticket sales” and said the 2026 tournament would be “an event the likes of which maybe the world has never seen”.

Trump concluded: “The world is a safer place now … we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.”

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𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗖𝗨𝗣 𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗪 𝗜𝗡 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 2026

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𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗔:
🇲🇽 Mexico
🇰🇷 South Korea
🇿🇦 South Africa
🇪🇺 European Play-Off D

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗕:
🇨🇦 Canada
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇶🇦 Qatar
🇪🇺 European Play-Off A

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗖:
🇧🇷 Brazil
🇲🇦 Morocco
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
🇭🇹 Haiti

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗗:
🇺🇸 United States
🇦🇺 Australia
🇵🇾 Paraguay
🇪🇺 European Play-Off C

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗘:
🇩🇪 Germany
🇪🇨 Ecuador
🇨🇮 Ivory Coast
🇨🇼 Curaçao

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗙:
🇳🇱 Netherlands
🇯🇵 Japan
🇹🇳 Tunisia
🇪🇺 European Play-Off B

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗚:
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇮🇷 Iran
🇪🇬 Egypt
🇳🇿 New Zealand

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗛:
🇪🇸 Spain
🇺🇾 Uruguay
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
🇨🇻 Cabo Verde

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗜:
🇫🇷 France
🇸🇳 Senegal
🇳🇴 Norway
🌍 FIFA Play-Off Tournament 2

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗝:
🇦🇷 Argentina
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🇯🇴 Jordan

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗞:
🇵🇹 Portugal
🇨🇴 Colombia
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
🌍 FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1

𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗣 𝗟:
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇵🇦 Panama
🇬🇭 Ghana

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Troost-Ekong’s retirement: NFF pays tribute to Super Eagles captain

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has paid tribute to Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, following his announcement of immediate retirement from international football.

In a statement released on Friday, the NFF described Troost-Ekong as a “dedicated, selfless and humble leader” who served the national team with distinction throughout his decade-long international career.

“After a dispassionate evaluation of his 10-year stewardship with the Senior National Team, the Nigeria Football Federation wishes to eulogise William Troost-Ekong following his announcement of immediate retirement from international football on Thursday, 4 December 2025,” the statement read.

The federation praised the defender for his unwavering passion, pride, and professionalism since making his debut in 2015.

“Captain Troost-Ekong was a dedicated, selfless, and humble leader of the Super Eagles for so many years.

“He served with gusto, zeal and patriotic fervour, and he bestrode the pitch with passion, pride, purpose and a commendable sense of duty,” the NFF stated.

It noted that even before becoming captain, Troost-Ekong stood out for his discipline, ambition, and commitment each time he wore the green-and-white jersey.

Highlighting his contributions across major tournaments, the NFF said his performances at the 2019, 2021, and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) were benchmarks for younger players.

He won silver and bronze medals at the championship and also featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, scoring crucial goals for Nigeria at the international level.

“With 83 caps for his motherland across five competitions, he leaves the stage a fulfilled man who can reflect on his decade-long stewardship with pride and accomplishment,” the federation added.

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Troost-Ekong was also celebrated for his standout performance at the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, where he scored three vital goals and was named the Man of the Competition (Most Valuable Player).

“As he retires from the international game, the Nigeria Football Federation wishes William Troost-Ekong the very best in his future endeavours and will do whatever we can to help him accomplish his future goals within the round-leather game,” the statement concluded.

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