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Ronaldo Tops Forbes’ Highest-paid Athletes

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Cristiano Ronaldo (38) became the world’s highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr nearly doubled his annual playing salary while Paris St Germain duo Lionel Messi (35) and Kylian Mbappe (24) round off the top three, according to Forbes.

Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi club on a deal until 2025 after leaving Manchester United last year, earned $136m with Forbes saying his annual playing salary went up to an estimated $75m.

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Ronaldo’s contract has been estimated by media to be worth more than 200 million euros ($219.98m).

PSG forward Messi was next on the list after bringing home a combined $130m while club team mate and France captain Mbappe – the youngest on the list at 24 – earned $120m to sit third.

PSG are owned by Qatar Sports Investments.

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Los Angeles Lakers player and NBA great LeBron James (38, $119.5m) and Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez (32, $110m) rounded out the top five.

Last year also saw the advent of LIV Golf, the breakaway tour that has lured away some of the U.S.-based PGA Tour’s top players with huge sums of money, and two of its golfers make the top 10.

READ ALSO: Ronaldo ‘Wants To Leave Al-Nassr’ Just Months After Joining

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Former world number one Dustin Johnson (38, sixth with $107m) made the biggest gain after making the controversial switch to LIV Golf having not even made the cut for the top 50 in 2022 while he was joined by fellow LIV golfer Phil Mickelson (52, seventh with $106m).

Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry (35, $100.4m) and Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant (34, $89.1m) are the other two basketball players on the list.

Former tennis ace Roger Federer (41, $95.1m) is the only retired player in the top 10.

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AC Milan Scrap Victor Boniface Transfer Over Failed Medical Tests

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AC Milan has called off its proposed transfer of Nigerian striker Victor Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen, claiming the player failed to pass mandatory medical examinations.

The deal, which had been verbally agreed upon with a €5 million loan fee and a €24 million buy option, fell through despite Boniface’s arrival in Milan within the last 48 hours.

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The decision was confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, on Sunday.

READ ALSO:Man City Agree Fee With AC Milan For Midfielder Reijnders

AC Milan call Victor Boniface deal off as Nigerian striker did not pass the medical tests,” Romano posted.

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Despite verbal agreement for €5m loan fee and €24m buy clause with player in Milano in the last 48h, deal called off due to medical. Boniface, returning in Germany today.”

According to reports, the 24-year-old Nigerian international had two anterior cruciate ligament operations and recurring groin problems that have affected his availability in recent seasons.

Milan are not the first Serie A club to have reservations about the striker’s fitness, with reports suggesting that Roma rejected a swap proposal involving Boniface and Ukrainian forward Artem Dovbyk several weeks ago due to similar concerns over the Nigerian’s condition.

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Why I’ll Never Advise My Son To Visit Nigeria – Taribo West

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A former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, on Friday, berated the Nigeria Football Federation and Lagos State Government for allegedly abandoning the family of late goalkeeper, Peter Rufai.

Speaking at Rufai’s burial in a video posted by News Central on Friday, the ex-Inter Milan star expressed disappointment over what he described as the neglect of Nigerian football heroes after their death.

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It’s disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association. They drop the bulk on the family. I felt in my spirit that there is nothing to put your life for. That’s why I say I have to shift back so that I will not implode. It’s grieving.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Ex-Eagles Goalkeeper, Peter Rufai, Is Dead

My mother passed on. I never shed tears. My father passed on in my hands. I never shed tears. When Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples on my body. And every individual I’m speaking to, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?” he said

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The former international recalled similar situations with late football icons such as Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha, stressing that the treatment of ex-players discouraged him from encouraging his children to serve the country through football.

READ ALSO:Ex-Super Eagles Coach, Monday Sinclair, Is Dead

With this kind of example, I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. Send me out! Do we have a Football Federation or do we have a Football Association in this Lagos State? That this hero, this soldier, this football evangelist, has to be treated this way in his family.

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“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit in within our groups to ask for money? That is madness. Look, please let me go. I don’t want to pour my heart,” he stated.

Rufai, fondly called “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations triumph and the country’s debut at the FIFA World Cup the same year.

He passed away in July 2025.

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CHAN 2024: Top Scorers Ahead Of Quarter-final Fixtures

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Uganda’s Allan Okello and South Africa’s Thabiso Kutumela are currently joint top scorers at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), with three goals each as the tournament heads into the quarter-final stage.

The group stage concluded on Tuesday, with Sudan holding Senegal to a 0-0 draw to finish top of Group D, while Nigeria defeated Congo 2-0.

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READ ALSO:US Envoy, Minister Address Visa Policy Changes, Urge Compliance

Here are the top scorers going into the CHAN quarter-finals:

Allan Okello (Uganda) – 3 goals
Thabiso Kutumela (South Africa) – 3 goals
Abdelrazig Omer (Sudan) – 2 goals
Kaporal (Angola) – 2 goals
Austin Odhiambo (Kenya) – 2 goals
Clement Mzize (Tanzania) – 2 goals
The quarter-final fixtures are scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

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