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Al-sportsblog", Kampala city, Kampala (2026)

13/09/2026

Rafa Yuste: Yamal deserves the Ballon d'Or for bringing joy to children worldwide

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona officials held a pre-match dinner with Levante before their away fixture at the Ciutat de València stadium. Barça Vice President Rafa Yuste publicly stated his hope that Yamal would win the Ballon d'Or, believing the young player brings immense joy to the world.

Barcelona and Levante executives demonstrated their good relations ahead of the match. Club President Joan Laporta led the Barça delegation to the dinner at El Gordo de Cortés restaurant, where they were received by Levante official Pablo Sánchez. Due to the early kick-off time, the dinner was scheduled for around 7:15 PM CET to allow sufficient time to travel to the stadium.

Laporta made no statement upon arriving at the dinner, but Vice President Rafa Yuste gave an interview, calling for Yamal to be awarded the Ballon d'Or. Yuste said, "He is a young lad who is bringing great aspirations to young people around the world. He possesses incredible talent for his age; I haven't seen a player like him in many years. Therefore, I believe and hope that justice will be served, and this well-deserved Ballon d'Or will be his. Simply because he brings so much joy to so many children around the world and to all of us who love football."

Barcelona has had an outstanding start to the season, with five wins in five matches and 22 goals scored. Hansi Flick's team arrived in Valencia and will seek to continue this momentum against Levante. Levante previously defeated Betis 5-2 in their only home match this season, setting the stage for an exciting encounter.

Related：
Barcelona
Yamal

13/09/2026

Maguire: Losing the Manchester derby at home hurts as much as losing to Liverpool.

Manchester United will face Manchester City at Old Trafford. Ahead of the match, Manchester United defender Harry Maguire reflected on his past Manchester derbies in an interview shared by JioStar, discussing the pain of derby defeats and the belief the team needs to compete with Manchester City.

Recalling his first Manchester derby in 2019, when he captained the team at the Etihad Stadium, Maguire said: "In 2019, my first Manchester derby, I led the team out as captain, and we won away from home. That feeling was very special because we knew what that game meant to the fans. At that time, I think Manchester City was probably the team that everyone wanted to beat. So to go to their home ground and win against our rivals was a very important victory."

Speaking about the pain of losing a Manchester derby at Old Trafford, Maguire said: "The pain is on the same level as losing to Liverpool because both are very important rivalries. Losing any football match is disappointing, but when you lose to a rival at home, especially at Old Trafford, in front of your own fans, that pain lasts for a while. At that point, you just hope the next game comes quickly, and you hope to win it and get back on track."

Referring to the 2024 Manchester derby, where Manchester United came from 0-1 down to win with Amad Diallo scoring the winning goal in the final stages, Maguire said: "We were 0-1 down and then we completed the comeback, and Amad scored the winning goal in the last minute. That feeling, both during the game and celebrating with our fans afterwards, was fantastic for us. That's football. I think that's why football is so exciting, because you can score a goal in an instant, or completely change the momentum of a game in an instant. There's no better way to win a game than in the last minute."

Recalling playing the full 90 minutes in Michael Carrick's first game as manager, despite the medical team advising a maximum of 60 minutes, Maguire said: "I had been out for quite a long time with an injury. As the game approached, there was a lot of discussion about whether I should start or not. The medical team advised me to play a maximum of 60 minutes. But once I was on the pitch, I didn't want to come off. As the game went on, I ended up playing the whole match. At that time, adrenaline and the desire to help the team took over everything. When the team needed me on the pitch, I couldn't imagine just walking off."

Speaking about the team needing to show attitude from the start in the derby and challenge Manchester City, Maguire said: "We know they are a top team, they have dominated English football for the past nine years. But we also know that we have a very good squad, good squad depth, and we are capable of competing with any team."

Related：
Manchester United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Carrick
Maguire

13/09/2026

Ronaldo: My mother went hungry so I could eat and worked as a cleaner at night to buy my first boots

According to Mundo Deportivo, Ronaldo recalled his impoverished childhood in Portugal.

Ronaldo is currently in the final stages of his career in Saudi Arabia. The Portuguese superstar is 21 goals away from reaching 1,000 goals, after which he will retire with a glorious record. Ronaldo has won almost everything and is one of the most important players of his generation.

Today, Ronaldo enjoys life in Riyadh with his family. But many years ago, before gaining fame in Manchester or Madrid, Ronaldo experienced a very different childhood in Portugal. He came from a modest family, and playing football was his biggest dream.

Ronaldo said: "My mother sacrificed her life for me. She went hungry so I could eat. We had nothing."

Ronaldo recalled: "I just played football with friends on the streets of Madeira. When I say streets, I don't mean an empty alley, I mean the actual streets. We had no goals, nothing, and we had to stop playing every time a car passed by. I was happy like that."

Ronaldo also said: "She worked seven days a week as a cleaner at night, just to buy me my first pair of football boots so I could become a player. All my success is dedicated to her. As long as I live, she will always be by my side, and I will give her everything I can. She is my refuge and my greatest gift."

Related：
Al Nassr FC
Ronaldo

13/09/2026

Levante vs Barcelona LINE-UPS: Rodri and Yamal lead as Raphinha and Espart start

The line-ups of Levante vs Barcelona have been announced.

Levante XI:

Coming soon...

Barcelona XI

Related：
Barcelona
Levante

13/09/2026

Mourinho says free-flowing Madrid will soon score seven goals in a game

Jose Mourinho believes it is only a matter of time before Real Madrid score seven goals in a game, such has been the quality of their attacking play this season.

Having seen their perfect domestic start halted by Real Betis earlier this month, Madrid got back to winning ways in LaLiga on Saturday, thrashing Rayo Vallecano 4-1.

Kylian Mbappe got a brace to bookend the scoring, with Alvaro Carreras and Jude Bellingham also on target for Los Blancos.

They ended the game with 24 shots, 11 of which hit the target, compared to Rayo's 18 attempts (seven on target).

Mourinho's men also racked up 2.62 expected goals to Rayo's 1.21 xG, albeit that figure was boosted by Mbappe's opening goal coming from the penalty spot.

Only defending champions Barcelona have scored more goals (17 to 14) or generated a higher xG total (15.74 to 14.59) than Madrid in LaLiga this season, and Mourinho expects a statement result to arrive at some point.

"We created a lot of chances, but we also missed a lot of chances," Mourinho said after Saturday's win.

"I just told my team, one day, some poor team will pay for all these chances we have missed. Someday, we will score seven goals against someone.

"We are very vertical as a team, very chaotic and frenetic in attack. We don't hold the ball for long periods of time.

"When we win the ball back, we go straight to the attack, whether we score or lose the ball.

"It's not always possible to press high, but it's something I like very much. It's normal for opponents to put you in danger, but it was an important and deserved victory."

Madrid's victory was also notable for Yan Diomande making his first start for the club, having made five straight appearances off the bench following his big-money move from RB Leipzig.

Diomande created two chances for his team-mates, completed 92.3% (24/26) of his passes and won more duels (nine of 14) than anyone else on the pitch, with that latter figure including four dribbles attempted and three completed.

"He's going to keep improving. He has very little experience playing top-level European football and has a lot to learn. His potential is clearly visible," Mourinho said of the Ivorian.

"He's a very strong player and gives us a lot of options. He can play on the right, or where Vinicius plays, and I have to make choices.

"I want the player to develop, as I already know what the others are capable of."

Mourinho also confirmed his decision to withdraw captain Federico Valverde at half-time, when Madrid were 3-0 up, was precautionary after the Uruguayan endured discomfort in Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League win over Inter.

"I took Fede off as a precaution," Mourinho said. "He played against Inter with pain in his Achilles tendon. He was also tired, so I took him out to be safe."

Related：
Real Madrid
Mourinho

13/09/2026

Levante coach: Barcelona is one of the best in the world, we must perform at our best

Levante coach Castro expressed full confidence at the pre-match press conference ahead of Barcelona. He stated that his team must perform at their best, and while Barça is one of the best teams in the world, Levante competes in the same league and is capable of challenging their opponents.

"We have to be at our best. We know they are one of the best teams in the world, but we are in the same league as them," Castro said.

Related：
Barcelona
Levante
Luís Castro

13/09/2026

Baleba still not training with main squad, could return after international break.

Ahead of the Manchester Derby, the Manchester Evening News held a fan Q&A session covering Manchester United's squad selection and player injury status, discussing Zirkzee's playing opportunities, Doku's competition with Luke Shaw for the left-back position, and providing updates on the recovery progress of Baleba and Ugarte.

When will the Glazer family and INEOS sell the club to someone willing to invest money and bring in top-tier players?
Not in the short term. I think the players Manchester United signed this summer fit that description of high-level players, but they didn't invest as much money as some competitors. A new owner might be able to loosen some financial restrictions, and reducing debt would also help. But now, constrained by spending rules, it's impossible to spend lavishly without considering the balance sheet. Meanwhile, Manchester United still owes a considerable amount in transfer fees, and Marcus Rashford's wages have also impacted the team's wage budget.

If Manchester United cannot qualify for the Champions League every season, they will not have enough funds to spend at the same scale as some competitors. I think this is the biggest problem.

The relationship between the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe still gives the impression of a marriage of convenience, maintained for mutual benefit and realistic interests. However, this relationship may continue for some time.

I think Zirkzee should be given some playing time; he performed well after coming on as a substitute against Al-Ain. What do you think?
Zirkzee has had two good performances this season, once in pre-season against Rosenborg and again in the Champions League against Al-Ain. This might also indicate the kind of match intensity where he can best utilize his strengths.

When in form, he can be a very capable player, but his style of play requires certain space and time on the ball, which the Premier League rarely offers. This is why he sometimes struggles in domestic competitions. Sesko and Cunha are both ahead of him in the pecking order for the centre-forward position, and I imagine Mbeumo is as well, and Rashford is likely ahead of him too. I expect him to get more playing time against Brighton, but I'm not sure if he'll get an opportunity against Manchester City.

When will Baleba be back?
The £70 million player has not yet joined team training, and I believe at this stage, it's unlikely he'll return before the international break. He suffered an injury early in pre-season, so he's still a bit behind in his preparation. The upcoming three-week international break will give him more time to rejoin first-team training and gradually restore his physical and match fitness. Hopefully, he'll be back on the field by October.

Luke Shaw should be benched, and Doku should get more playing time.
I think Doku's performance against Al-Ain was mixed. Undoubtedly, as an attacking left-back, he can be a very good option, but his defensive positioning is sometimes sloppy. If he were to face Manchester City, I feel they would be happy to exploit this weakness.

Doku was also primarily responsible for Everton's equalizing goal. He pressed forward prematurely when the team's overall pressing system hadn't fully formed, and that press was completely unnecessary, leaving space on the right flank. He is a very talented player. If Manchester United were in control of the game and had a clear advantage, I would be very willing to start him at left-back.

But if Shaw cannot play against Manchester City, I would choose the more defensively stable Mazraoui. I think Carrick would probably make the same choice.

I'd like to know how Ugarte is recovering? I know his injury was quite serious.
Ugarte is still in the very early stages of recovery, and I don't think we'll see any signs of him nearing a return until well after the New Year. Serious knee ligament injuries can often keep players out for around nine months, and when he does return, the team will certainly be very cautious with his recovery process.

It's been a little over two months since his surgery, and he has returned to Carrington. Currently, he is doing some knee-strengthening exercises in the gym, both to get his knee moving again and to gradually restore its flexibility. It will probably be quite some time before we see him back training on the grass.

Related：
Manchester United
Luke Shaw
Ugarte
Zirkzee
Carlos Baleba
Patrick Dorgu

13/09/2026

Mourinho: We "played" only 45 minutes, lacked the energy to maintain same intensity in the 2nd half

In a recently concluded La Liga match, Real Madrid defeated Rayo Vallecano 4-1 at home. Coach Mourinho explained his selection choices for this game at the post-match press conference.

Would Real Madrid play better with Güler starting?
I agree. He was very involved in the game, but I am 100% sure that if Diomande hadn't started today, your first question would be when will Diomande start?

Everyone is on our bench except for the injured players. Just look at the squad, and you can see our strong bench depth. Arda Güler is excellent, Brahim played brilliantly against Inter, Diomande is working hard to improve himself, and I will continue with Vinícius until he returns to his best form. We have a strong squad, Güler is excellent and very talented. He stabilized the game when he came on.

How do you explain the team's performance drop after halftime?
We basically played for 45 minutes in this game, and there's not much to say about what came after. The team lacked the physical and mental energy to play like in the first half, made more mistakes, struggled with pressing, and dropped deeper, allowing the opponent to push forward. With my Champions League experience, I knew today's game might unfold similarly. Our goal was to start with intensity and finish the match as quickly as possible, and we did that.

Regardless of the process, you want to win. But is there anything about the team's performance that concerns you?
I am very satisfied. We have been working together for three months, but not everyone has been present the entire time. Building a perfect team is impossible; perfection does not exist in football. We have many positives in our current performance, and we will continue to strive for improvement.

What do you think of Diomande's performance in his first start?
I am old, so I don't feel pressure, but as a coach, you have different squads at your disposal. Sometimes you can only pray that no one gets injured, and other times you have many choices. He will get better and better; he has had very little exposure to high-level European football and still has a lot to learn. His potential is obvious; he is physically strong and can provide us with many options. He can play on the right wing or in Vinícius's position, and I have to make a choice. I hope he continues to grow because I know very well what he can bring to the team.

What do you think of Vinícius's performance?
His physical condition is nearly at its peak, just slightly below his top speed. His ability to make repeated sprints is very strong, and I have high defensive demands on him, which he is gradually adapting to. He is a mentally strong young man who knows this club very well. He has always carried great responsibility, whether at Real Madrid or with the Brazilian national team. He is calm and knows his body well; he is getting back into form. The most important thing now is to provide assists and actively contribute from a defensive perspective; goals will come sooner or later.

Why did you bring on Cucurella with two minutes left in the game at 3-1?
It's easy to explain. I wanted to win and score as many goals as possible, but we were 3-1 up with five minutes remaining, and Rayo's right-back is a very good player—strong in attack, quick, with great strength and impressive repeated-sprint ability, constantly causing trouble on the right. I thought it was best to close off that channel completely. In my opinion, this was no longer the time for fancy tricks and scoring more goals. Later we scored a fourth goal, which was even better.

Related：
Real Madrid
Rayo Vallecano
Mourinho
Cucurella
Vinicius
Güler
Yan Diomande

13/09/2026

Derby Day: What colors are the sky of Manchester?

Some fans say they won't watch the next match, yet their alarms never fail them on derby day.

Some people sing when they hear "Blue Moon."

And some haven't decided their allegiance, but they cherish every great goal.

A new Manchester derby is set to kick off at 15:30 UTC at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United.

Which side are you backing?

Drop the name of your team in the comments and let us know who you're supporting!

Related：
Manchester United
Manchester City

13/09/2026

Ronaldo vs. Messi: Goal tally update shows 979 to 928, 51 goals apart

After Inter Miami's 2-2 draw with Nashville, Argentine media outlet Olé provided real-time updates on the goal-scoring comparison between Messi and Ronaldo.

Even in the final stages of their careers, the goal-scoring race between Messi and Ronaldo remains incredibly close. This past Saturday, Messi scored a spectacular goal for Inter Miami, moving him a step closer to Ronaldo on his path to the 1000-goal milestone.

In every match, these two legendary players continue to break seemingly unattainable records. Ronaldo continues to lead the all-time top scorer list and is steadily approaching a goal that seemed out of reach for years: 1000 official career goals.

The Goal Battle Between Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to hold the top spot in the all-time top scorer list with 979 goals in 1334 matches. Lionel Messi follows closely behind with 928 goals in 1171 official matches, continuing this fierce rivalry that has captivated world football.

The current goal difference between the two is 51 goals. Although the gap remains significant, both Cristiano and Messi maintain a high level of performance, and their goal tallies remain remarkable even in the twilight of their careers.

Rank | All-Time Top Scorers
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 979 goals

Lionel Messi (Argentina): 928 goals

Josef Bican (Austria): 805 goals

Romário (Brazil): 772 goals

Pelé (Brazil): 757 goals

Related：
Al Nassr FC
Messi
Ronaldo
Inter Miami CF

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