BANGALORE: Coimbatarao Gopinath is the last survivor from the XI that clinched India’s first Test victory, against England in Chennai in 1952. He played eight Tests across an eight-year period, missing several others because his employers wouldn’t grant him leave. A few years ago, at an event that also included Sourav Ganguly and Ravi Shastri, the current coach, Gopinath spoke of the financial hardships players endured in his time.
“It wasn’t uncommon for catches to be dropped deliberately so that the game went into a fifth day,” he said. “We were paid 50 Rupees a day as allowance. And if the game finished early, you would forfeit the fee for that day.”
Just let that sink in. If you factor in inflation, the match allowance for Gopinath and his teammates (250 Rupees) would be worth around 13,500 now. Virat Kohli’s current retainer with the national team is worth 20 million Rupees. Match fees and win bonuses are additional.
But even those sums are dwarfed by the money that Kohli will earn for leading Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Having already represented the franchise for ten seasons, he was retained by them ahead of the mega auction that precedes season XI. The sum guaranteed? An eye-watering $2.7million a year.
Considering that the IPL is a six-week event, it means that Kohli will be taking home nearly as much money as Cristiano Ronaldo (on £365,000 a week) does at Real Madrid. In fact, there are only seven footballers, most of them now based in China, that earn more than Kohli will per week.
In his first season, when he was drafted in as an Under-19 player, Kohli was paid 3 million Rupees. It’s a sign of the times that Sarfaraz Khan, the third player to be retained by RCB after Kohli and AB de Villiers, will be paid 17.5 million Rupees for the season.
When Kohli was first contracted, he had already won a World Cup with the Under-19s and shown his mettle for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. Sarfaraz too was an Under-19 star, but he has done precious little since. There was a season of big hitting in the IPL (2015), but Kohli dropped him the following year because his fitness levels were not up to the mark.
Given his mastery of the white-ball formats, the money invested on Kohli can be seen as a low-risk proposition. But the list of retained names serves as a reminder of how ruthless the franchises have become, of how there’s absolutely no room for sentiment.
Take the Mumbai Indians, the most successful team in the competition’s history, with three titles. Rohit Sharma (150 million Rupees), Hardik Pandya (110 million) and Jasprit Bumrah (70 million) have all been retained, but HarbHajjan Singh, Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga, who were central to Mumbai’s transformation from nearly men to the real deal, have all been sent back to the auction pool.
Mumbai do have two right-to-match cards they can use at the auction to bring those players back into the fold, but there’s no guarantee they’ll use them. Kolkata Knight Riders won two titles under Gautam Gambhir’s captaincy. But they’ve retained only Sunil Narine, who revealed another string to his bow last season with some devastating hitting at the top of the order, and Andre Russell, back after serving a drugs ban.
There’s no room at the Chennai Super Kings for Ravichandran Ashwin, the local hero, with Ravindra Jadeja the chosen spinner alongside MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina. Sunrisers Hyderabad, winners in 2016, have retained only David Warner and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Yuvraj Singh, who helped kickstart the Twenty20 revolution in India with his six sixes off Stuart Broad at the World Twenty20 in 2007, goes back to the auction.
At least, Yuvraj, Gambhir and the others shunned by the franchises they served don’t have to worry about spending nights in a railway carriage. That was what Gopinath and his teammates did when they toured Pakistan in 1954-55. Their accommodation in Bahawalpur, where they played a Test, was a carriage in a siding.
It’s unlikely that Kohli will have to worry about the room service bill any time soon.
Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers IPL pay ‘on par with Ronaldo’
Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers IPL pay ‘on par with Ronaldo’
Dubai’s ISD Sports City partners with Real Madrid in landmark deal
- Real Madrid Foundation will bring its unique program that combines education and sports to ISD’s world-class facilities, including its state-of-the-art pitches
DUBAI: ISD Sports City has announced a landmark partnership with the Real Madrid Foundation to manage a new branch of the Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program in Dubai.
The deal was announced with a commemorative photograph taken with Daniels Petrovs, CEO of ISD Sports City, and the Real Madrid Ambassador Roberto Carlos, marking the official launch of the collaboration.
Real Madrid Foundation will bring its unique program that combines education and sports to ISD’s world-class facilities, already home to state-of-the-art pitches. These include the latest hybrid-generation football fields, with all-natural pitches slated for hybrid conversion by the end of the year, an upgrade that positions ISD as a premier destination for international teams and events.
“Dubai is increasingly becoming the global epicentre for sport and youth development,” said Petrovs. “Partnering with the Real Madrid Foundation allows us to elevate our football offering to high-quality standards while giving children across the UAE access to an unique experience and facilities.
“Our goal is simple: to build a center of excellence that sets the benchmark globally.”
Petrovs, who has led ISD for the past 15 months, brings his expertise in building modern sports facilities, including converting all pitches to hybrid surfaces and also embedding sustainability and performance into every inch of ISD’s infrastructure.
All 4 Brazilian clubs advance at Club World Cup, one is guaranteed to make the quarterfinals
- Flamengo and Palmeiras topped their groups — Flamengo stunned Chelsea 3-1 to be the first team to qualify for the knockout rounds
- Botafogo, which shocked Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain, and Fluminense qualified in second place
SAO PAULO: One clear and unexpected force has surged as the group stage of the Club World Cup comes to a close: Brazil.
Flamengo, Palmeiras, Botafogo and Fluminense — all Copa Libertadores winners in recent years — all advanced to the second round. All offered tough competition to the powerful European clubs, and all have excited tens of millions of fans at home.
There’s renewed hope for Brazilian fans after years of defeats against European teams in FIFA competitions.
Flamengo and Palmeiras topped their groups — Flamengo stunned Chelsea 3-1 to be the first team to qualify for the knockout rounds. Botafogo, which shocked Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain, and Fluminense qualified in second place.
“Our first objective was the Round-of-16, but that isn’t the end objective,” Fluminense midfielder Jhon Arias said Wednesday after a 0-0 draw with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. All four clubs from Brazil have similar expectations for the knockout stage.
Botafogo and Palmeiras will face off Saturday, a game which guarantees at least one Brazilian club a spot in the quarterfinals. Flamengo take on Bayern Munich on Sunday and Fluminense will face Inter Milan on Monday.
Corinthians were the last Brazilian club to win the world club title, beating Chelsea in 2012. That tournament format was much smaller than the current 32-team competition which features clubs from five continents.
New optimism
Copa Libertadores champion Botafogo produced the biggest group-stage upset with the June 19 win over PSG. Before that encounter, Brazilian fans and soccer pundits expected the French club to bulldoze the carioca side, which have had ups and downs this year.
“Botafogo were the team that best defended against us in the entire season,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said. “They deserved it.”
Two factors have helped Brazilian clubs: they’re halfway through their season, unlike the European clubs which have finished, and they’re familiar with the kind of heat that has blanketed the tournament.
Still, Brazilian coaches, executives, players and fans weren’t showing much optimism before the tournament began. That has also changed, as Flamengo fans showed in Philadelphia by chanting “the time is coming” for Bayern Munich after the German club were confirmed as their next opponent.
“The cemetery of football is full of favorites,” Botafogo coach Renato Paiva said after victory over the European champions. “Almost nobody can openly face PSG. Could I try that? I could, but that was a big risk in a competition of this kind.”
Atletico Madrid’s late 1-0 over Botafogo was the only defeat for a Brazilian club in the group stage.
South American power
Brazilian teams are so competitive in South America that they have won the past six editions of the Copa Libertadores, including five all-Brazil finals. Their regional superiority can also be seen in this Club World Cup as their two Argentinian rivals in the tournament, Boca Juniors and River Plate, failed to get through the group stage.
Much of that success for Brazilians comes from talent of the rest of South America, as it has happened in the Club World Cup.
The Brazilian league attracts young footballers from across the region before they move elsewhere for money and more prestige. But some choose to stay and grow in a tough league outside of Europe, with up to six serious contenders for the trophy every year.
Flamengo playmaker Giorgián de Arrascaeta is Uruguayan. Botafogo’s key player is Venezuela’s Jefferson Savarino. Fluminense highly depend on Arias. Palmeiras are trusting more goals will come from Argentina’s Flaco López. And none of those have ever played in Europe.
“Many good things in all history that happen in football come from South America,” Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said Sunday. “The greatest players come from there.”
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said ahead of Thursday’s game against RB Salzburg that European teams will benefit from “seeing the competitive level from outside.”
“Adapting is important, but we can see teams that we don’t have to day-to-day and they are very good,” said Alonso, who mentioned the Brazilian teams and River Plate among those who caught his interest. “Before the start we said it was going to be in a way with the Europeans, and now we have opened our eyes.”
Brazil has also brought in several Portuguese coaches, with success. Paiva took over Botafogo from his countryman Arthur Jorge. And Abel Ferreira has won almost every title with Palmeiras since he joined the club in 2020. That has also made Brazilian clubs more competitive.
“I am very proud to be in Brazil. I had many chances to leave and I did not,” Ferreira said at the start of the tournament.
Asked how big the gap is between his team and European clubs, Ferreira said: “It is minimal. We have to compete.”
The knockout stage of the Club World Cup will tell whether he is right.
From dust to data: NEOM McLaren’s Bird and James eye strong finish after tough Jakarta test
- Despite some setbacks this season, Bird emphasized the importance of staying focused and united as a team
Riyadh: Coming off a demanding weekend at the Jakarta E-Prix, NEOM McLaren Formula E driver Sam Bird and managing director and team principal Ian James joined a media roundtable on June 24 to discuss their takeaways from the race and the team’s trajectory heading into the final stretch of the season.
Bird pointed to the circuit conditions in Jakarta as the toughest challenge of the weekend. He said that while dust was expected at the venue, the addition of rain made the surface even more unpredictable. “We saw a dusty circuit almost get even dustier and even more difficult,” he said.
The only grip available was on the narrow racing line, and deviating from it often meant a ruined lap or a potential crash. “There was pretty much only the racing line that cleaned up, and then if you put one wheel off the racing line, the lap was finished or you were in the wall,” Bird said. That made overtaking extremely limited, and strategy around attack mode became even more critical.
A technical issue with attack mode activation during the race also stood out as a key learning moment for Bird. Despite following standard procedures — pressing the activation button and passing over the loops — his boost failed to activate.
“We put that down to a regulation I didn’t know about with regards to the amount of time that I needed to press the button for,” he said.
In response, the team is now conducting an internal study of his button press durations over the past year to ensure consistency and compliance in future.
Despite some setbacks this season, Bird emphasized the importance of staying focused and united as a team. “If we can all operate at 100 percent — that’s engineers, mechanics, myself, Taylor (Barnard) — then we know that we can score some big points,” he said. Acknowledging a few missed opportunities, Bird noted that the remaining four races are an opportunity to convert potential into performance.
For James, the most rewarding part of his role has been leading a group of highly skilled and motivated individuals. He described the NEOM McLaren Formula E team as “a group of men and women who are brilliant at what they do,” crediting their dedication and collaboration as key drivers of success. “In bringing all of those ingredients, all those team members together, you then really unlock the performance potential of the team,” he added.
Beyond the racing, James highlighted the progress the team has made in brand development and fan engagement. He confirmed that internal benchmarks in these areas have been met, reflecting Formula E’s growing global appeal.
In particular, he pointed to Saudi Arabia as a case study for that growth. He recalled the early days of Formula E in Diriyah in 2018 when the sport was still unfamiliar to many in the Kingdom. “Every year that we’ve gone back, that interest has grown and grown,” he said, noting that the recent move to Jeddah has introduced the championship to new audiences and strengthened its presence in the region.
With the team fourth in the standings with four races to go, James admitted that more work is needed to meet their goal of a top-three finish. Still, both he and Bird expressed confidence that the team has the talent, structure, and momentum to close the season on a high.
Ronaldo renews Al-Nassr contract until 2027
- “Cristiano Ronaldo is staying at @AlNassrFC until 2027,” the club wrote in a post on X
- Ronaldo later posted a message on his Instagram, confirming the extension
RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo inked a two-year extension with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, the club announced Thursday, following months of speculation over which team he would sign for next season.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is staying at @AlNassrFC until 2027,” the club wrote in a post on X.
Minutes before the official confirmation, the team posted a teaser video, with the 40-year-old Ronaldo walking along a beachfront and saying: “Al-Nassr forever.”
Ronaldo later posted a message on his Instagram, confirming the extension.
“A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together,” read the post.
The Portuguese superstar arrived in 2023 in the kingdom to play with the club, heralding a rush of players in the latter stages of their careers to the Kingdom.
Last month, Ronaldo posted “This chapter is over” hours after the Saudi Pro League wrapped up with Al-Nassr finishing third and trophyless once again.
“Ronaldo’s presence is a key factor in developing the Saudi league in the last two years and a half. He opens the door for elite and young players to come to Saudi Arabia,” a source from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a major investor in Saudi football, told AFP last month.
Ronaldo’s announcement in May came just months after Brazilian star Neymar ended his injury-plagued 18-month stay in January, after playing just seven times for Al-Hilal — on a reported salary of around $104 million a year.
Although Ronaldo was the Pro League’s top scorer with 25 goals, he has been unable to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al-Nassr, who lost in the Asian Champions League semifinals last month.
Last year, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said he could end his career with the Riyadh team.
Saudi Arabia has shaken up football by spending heavily on stars from Europe, starting with Ronaldo’s move in late 2022, and the desert nation will host the World Cup in 2034.
For the past two years, Saudi football fans could watch the likes of Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, with six Ballons d’Or between them, on any given weekend during the football season in the kingdom.
Pakistan grouped with Saudi Arabia, Iraq in AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers
- Thirty-one international teams to partake in qualifiers from Sept. 20-24
- AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 will be contested in Jan. 27-Feb. 7
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s football team has been selected in Group D along with Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Chinese Taipei for the qualifiers of the upcoming AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) confirmed on Thursday.
Thirty-one teams have confirmed their participation for the 11th qualifiers, which will take place between September 20 to 24. The draw has divided the teams into eight groups— seven groups of four and one group of three— with each to be played in a centralized league format.
“Our journey to the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 begins in Group D, sharing the pitch with hosts Saudi Arabia,” the PFF wrote on social media platform X.
“An exciting draw that sets the stage for some incredible matches. Time to prepare!“
India are in Group A with Kuwait, Australia and Mongolia while top seeds Thailand will have to contend with Korea Republic, Bahrain and Brunei Darussalam in Group B.
Four-time winners Japan are the top seeds in Group C with hosts Tajikistan, Macau and Cambodia their challengers. Group E will see Vietnam, Lebanon, hosts China and Hong Kong face each other while Group F includes Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic (hosts), Timor-Leste and Palestine.
Iran, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh are part of Group G while Afghanistan, Myanmar and Maldives are part of Group H.
The AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 will be contested from January 27-February 7.
