Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr in December on a 2-1/2 year contract following his exit from Manchester United, said he had paved the way for other top players to sign with Saudi teams and that more would make the move to the desert kingdom.
* Bayern Munich have appointed Christoph Freund as the club's new sporting director, the Bundesliga side announced on Tuesday. The 46-year-old Austrian will join the German giants from Austrian Bundesliga side Red Bull Salzburg, where he currently holds the same position, and will take charge from Sep 1.
* Daniel Ricciardo hopes to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull once the Mexican's contract ends, team boss Christian Horner said on Tuesday (Jul 18). The 34-year-old Australian will be starting his Formula One comeback with Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri in Hungary this weekend after leaving McLaren last season and serving as Red Bull reserve.
* Former Barcelona defender Jordi Alba will join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer (MLS) club's president Jorge Mas said on Tuesday. The 34-year-old left back was released by Barcelona at the end of last season after playing more than 450 games for the club, winning the Champions League in 2015, six LaLiga titles, five Copa del Rey titles, four Spanish Super Cups and the Club World Cup.
* England forward Marcus Rashford has extended his contract with Manchester United until June 2028, the Premier League club said on Tuesday (Jul 18). Rashford, whose previous deal was set to expire in 2024, has made nearly 360 appearances for United since making his debut in 2016, scoring 123 goals in all competitions.
* Ivory Coast midfielder Seko Fofana has joined Al Nassr from Ligue 1 side RC Lens on a contract until 2026, the Saudi Pro League club said on Tuesday. The financial details were not disclosed but French media said the transfer fee was around €25 million (US$28.10 million).
* Kim Min-jae has left Serie A champions Napoli, the Republic of Korean defender announced on Tuesday amid links with German giants Bayern Munich. The 26-year-old, who joined Napoli from Turkish side Fenerbahce in July last year, was a vital part of the team that won the Scudetto for the first time in more than three decades last season.
* Sweden defender Hanna Lundkvist is out of the Women's World Cup after suffering an ankle injury in her side's final friendly against the Philippines on Monday, the Swedish Football Association (SvFF) has announced. The 21-year-old picked up the knock in a 5-1 win over the Philippines in a game that took place behind closed doors, and despite the best efforts of Sweden's medical team, she will not be fit in time to take part.
* Short-format content on social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram are helping drive rapid interest in the 2023 Women's World Cup, according to WSC, a provider of AI-driven sports content. The firm predicts a more than 50 per cent jump in interest among 'avid fans' - defined as those who follow the tournament fully - compared to the 2019 edition, amid soaring interest in the women's game worldwide.
* Rory McIlroy will start his British Open bid playing alongside European Ryder Cup team mates Jon Rahm and Justin Rose in the first two rounds at Hoylake. The trio will begin their opening round at 1459 local time (1359 GMT) on Thursday as world number two McIlroy looks to claim his fifth major title at the course where he won the Open in 2014.
