分类： sports

Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo is set to grace Dubai’s ultra-luxury Atlantis The Royal on December 28, 2025, for the exclusive 16th Globe Soccer Awards ceremony. The Portuguese superstar and Al Nassr forward arrives as a finalist for the Best Middle East Player award, a title he previously secured in 2024.

Ronaldo faces formidable competition for this year’s honor from prominent regional players including Salem Al-Dawsari (Al Hilal), Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad), and Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli). The finalists were determined through an extensive global voting process that garnered over 30 million fan votes worldwide.

The awards ceremony, an invitation-only gala, will assemble football’s elite including current stars, legendary figures, key decision-makers, and emerging talents. Beyond the player awards, the event will recognize excellence in categories such as Best Agent, Best Sporting Director, and the prestigious Maradona Award, alongside various career achievement honors.

This visit marks Ronaldo’s return to the UAE following his recent appearance in Abu Dhabi on December 10, where he participated in a friendly match between Al Nassr and Al Wahda FC at Al Nahyan Stadium. The football legend has maintained strong connections with the region, having competed in the Saudi Super Cup in Abu Dhabi in April 2024 and participated in AFC Champions League quarterfinals against Al Ain FC earlier that year.

Ronaldo has previously expressed admiration for the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards’ integrity and organization, noting after last year’s ceremony: ‘This is why I love the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards. They do it so well every year here. They do an honest award. So many champions have attended this event over the years because they always do a great event.’ He received the 2024 award from Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Under overcast skies at a capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, England captain Ben Stokes made a bold tactical decision by winning the toss and electing to bowl first in the pivotal fourth Ashes test on Friday. The move came as Australia, having already retained the urn following three consecutive victories, fielded an all-pace attack featuring recalled quicks Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser.

Weather conditions appeared to favor England’s strategy, with a maximum temperature of 18°C (65°F) and considerable cloud cover creating an environment conducive to swing and seam bowling. The pitch itself showed a noticeable green tinge, prompting Stokes to remark at the toss about the “nice coverage of grass” and emphasizing that execution would be paramount.

The match represents England’s final opportunity to salvage pride in the series after suffering defeats in the first three tests within just eleven days of play. The visitors’ campaign suffered a significant setback with the confirmed absence of star bowler Jofra Archer for the remainder of the series, including the fifth test scheduled for Sydney in January.

England’s lineup features two notable changes: 22-year-old Jacob Bethell, capped four times previously, replaces the omitted Ollie Pope, while Gus Atkinson fills the void left by Archer’s injury.

Australia’s lineup remains formidable with Travis Head and Jake Weatherald opening the batting, followed by the prolific middle order of Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Usman Khawaja. The hosts’ bowling arsenal, now strengthened by Richardson and Neser joining Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, presents a formidable challenge to England’s batting order.

The tactical decision to bowl first represents a high-risk approach for England, banking on their pace attack to exploit the favorable conditions and finally gain an early advantage against their dominant hosts.

In a decisive display of cricketing prowess, Dubai Capitals clinched their place in the tournament playoffs with a comprehensive six-wicket triumph against Sharjah Warriorz at Dubai International Stadium on Christmas Eve.

The defending champions demonstrated superior all-round capabilities, first restricting Warriorz to a modest 134/8 before chasing down the target with five deliveries remaining. The bowling unit set the tone for victory, with Haider Ali’s remarkably economical spell of 2/13 in four overs and Waqar Salamkheil’s 2/29 effectively containing the opposition batsmen.

Sharjah Warriorz’s innings never gained momentum despite Johnson Charles’ resilient 43 off 46 deliveries. Early setbacks included the run-out of Monank Patel (24 off 13) and the quick dismissals of Tom Abell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, the latter smartly stumped by wicketkeeper Shayan Jahangir off Haider Ali’s bowling.

The chase began shakily for Capitals with the early departure of Sediqullah Atal at 17 runs. However, Jahangir and Jordan Cox engineered a match-defining partnership of 76 runs from 63 balls that essentially secured the outcome. Jahangir’s aggressive 51 off 42 deliveries earned him Player of the Match honors, while Cox remained unbeaten on 61 from 50 balls, an innings featuring six boundaries and one maximum that also propelled him to the top of the tournament’s scoring rankings.

Although Sikandar Raza briefly revived Warriorz hopes with two quick wickets in the 14th over, removing both Jahangir and Mohammad Nabi, the Capitals maintained their composure. Cox’s mature innings guided the team across the finish line, cementing their third consecutive victory and playoff qualification.

Post-match reflections highlighted contrasting emotions. Cox praised his partner’s aggressive approach: ‘Jahangir was very impressive. We’ve been encouraging him to be aggressive, and it was great to watch from the other end.’ Warriorz captain Tim Southee remained pragmatic: ‘The nature of the wickets is keeping sides in it for long. Not over for us. One game left, we win that and give ourselves a chance.’

MELBOURNE, Australia – In a significant tactical departure from tradition, Australia’s cricket selectors have announced a pace-heavy 12-man squad for the pivotal fourth Ashes Test against England, opting against including a specialist spin bowler despite Nathan Lyon’s series-ending injury. The decision, announced Thursday, reflects the team’s strategic response to the unusually grassy surface at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Offspinner Todd Murphy, who was called up as a potential replacement for the injured Lyon, has been omitted from the final squad. Captain Steve Smith confirmed the final playing XI would be announced at the toss on Friday, leaving open the possibility of further adjustments based on last-minute pitch conditions.

This selection marks a rare instance of an Australian side entering an MCG Test without a frontline spinner, a venue where legendary bowlers like Shane Warne and the recently injured Lyon have historically excelled. The move is driven by the current nature of pitches, which team analysis suggests favor seam bowling.

“The wickets we’re encountering presently are decidedly more seam-friendly than spin-friendly,” Smith explained during Thursday’s press conference. “Last week in Adelaide was an anomaly where rough conditions allowed Nathan to play a crucial role. Our strategy must adapt to the surface presented, and this one appears to offer substantial assistance to seam bowlers.”

Australia heads into the match having already retained the Ashes urn following three consecutive victories in the first eleven days of play. England, meanwhile, faces additional challenges with the confirmed loss of star bowler Jofra Archer for the remainder of the series.

The Australian squad sees the inclusion of fast bowlers Jhye Richardson, Brendan Doggett, and Michael Neser, while veteran left-handed batsman Usman Khawaja retains his place following impressive performances in Adelaide. Richardson stands to play his first Test in over four years following an extensive recovery from injuries.

England named its team on Wednesday, with both sides finalizing their approaches for what promises to be a seam-dominated contest at one of cricket’s most iconic venues.