Cristiano Ronaldo was in floods of tears after his Al Nassr side lost the King’s Cup final to Al Hilal on penalties late on Friday, extending his Saudi Arabian trophy drought.

The Portuguese superstar, whose arrival last year unleashed a flood of top players to the oil-funded Saudi Pro League, slumped to the ground as Al Hilal celebrated.

Ronaldo, 39, then slowly walked off the pitch and sat in the dug-out with tears streaming down his face.

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In a tempestuous match that saw three red cards, including one for Al Nassr’s ex-Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina, Ayman Yahya scored in the 88th minute to cancel out Al Hilal’s early strike through Aleksandar Mitrovic.

But Al Hilal triumphed 5-4 in the shoot-out to complete the Saudi treble after also winning the Super Cup and the Saudi Pro League, finishing unbeaten in domestic action.

This season Al Hilal, with star signing Neymar injured since October, put together a record, 34-match winning streak in all competitions.

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Al Nassr, who were second in the league behind Al Hilal, and lost to the same team in the Super Cup, missed out once again despite the prolific Ronaldo, who scored a Pro League-record 35 goals.

His sole silverware so far with the Riyadh club is last year’s Arab Club Champions Cup.

Ronaldo’s contract said to net him 400 million euros over two-and-a-half years, runs out at the end of next season.

AFP

The Edo State female football team, Edo Queens, were on Thursday warmly welcomed back to the state amid pomp and pageantry by thousands of fans and other residents after they made history with their triumph at the Super Six Playoffs to clinch a ticket to represent Nigeria on the continental stage of the CAF Women Champions League.

The jubilant fans, led by the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, joined a motorcade of the victorious Edo Queens from Western Boys High School, in Ikpoba-Hill and cheered the team through Aduwawa, Akpakpava, Plymouth, Ring Road and terminated at the Government House, Benin City, where they were received by Governor Obaseki.

Obaseki was joined by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and other top government officials to receive the triumphant girls where he doled out cash reward on the victorious team.

The governor, who praised the team for their excellent campaign at the 2023/2024 season of the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) and victory at the Super Six Tournament, assured them of the state government’s sustained support.

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He said, “I am so happy and proud today as you have done us proud by bringing this trophy home. The trophy we have been looking for in the past 29 years is now with us. We know you will continue to be champions. I encourage you to work hard as your government and Governor will continue to support you.

“Whether I am here or not, the person that will replace me will continue to support you. You have tried and have made us proud. Money alone can’t do it all but we will give you money for a job well done and for making us proud.”

He stated, “Each player of the team will get one million naira (N1,000,000.00) for the achievement, while the coaches will get five million naira (N5,000,000.00).”

Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman won the UEFA Europa League with Italian side Atalanta last Wednesday, capping off what many have described as a fairly successful football season for Nigerian footballers in Europe.

Lookman’s success comes on the back of victories for Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella, who were part of Bayer Leverkusen’s ‘invincibles’ squad in the Bundesliga.

Here is a list of Nigerian players who tasted glory with their clubs in Europe in the 2023–24 season.

Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen)

Victor Boniface and Nathan were part of the Leverkusen side that won the Bundesliga title for the first time in the club’s history. Xabi Alonso’s side won the league, becoming the first team in the competition’s history to go unbeaten in a season.

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Boniface scored 14 goals and registered 8 assists; Tella, on the other hand, scored 5 goals and provided 2 assists for Leverkusen. The club missed out on an unprecedented treble after a 3-0 loss to Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta in the Europa League final. Days later, Leverkusen lifted the DFB Pokal.

Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)

Lookman was the hero for Atalanta, scoring a hat-trick in the final as the team defeated Bayer Leverkusen to win its first-ever European trophy.

Lookman also added 10 goals in the league as La Dea finished fourth in the Serie A.

Peter Olayinka (Red Star Belgrade)

The 28-year-old forward played the entire duration of Red Star Belgrade’s 2-1 win over Vojvodina in the Serbian Cup Final.

He also scored a brace for his side in a 4-1 win over Cukaricki to win the Serbian Super League title. He joined Boniface and Tella as the only Nigerian footballers to win the double.

Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanachio (Leicester City)

In the English Championship, Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho helped Leicester earn a return to the Premier League.

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Ndidi scored 5 goals and recorded 5 assists, while Iheanacho, who saw limited gametime, scored 5 times for the Foxes.

William Troost-Ekong (PAOK FC)

In Greece, Supeer Eagles defender William Troost Ekong returned from injury to help his side clinch the Greek Super League title.

Ekong was crowned the best player of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), as Nigeria finished as runners-up in the tournament.

Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge)

Raphael Onyedika featured 30 times and scored three goals as Club Brugge clinched the Belgian League.

Christy Ucheibe (Christy Uchebe)

In addition to the men’s team, Christy Ucheibe, the midfield powerhouse of the Super Falcons, secured four trophies in Portugal.

Her team S. L. Benfica won the Liga BPI (Portuguese league), Taca de Portugal Feminina (Portuguese Women’s Cup), Taca de Liga Feminina (Portuguese Women’s League Cup), and the Super Taca de Portugal Feminina (Portuguese Women’s Super Cup).