Vietnam national team aims to win all 6 points against Nepal; Ronaldo becomes the first football billionaire.

Coach Kim Sang Sik: "The Vietnamese national team's goal is to win all 6 points against Nepal."

The Vietnamese national team will play two matches against Nepal at home, both home and away. Therefore, the goal for coach Kim Sang Sik and his team is to win both matches and secure a full six points.

At the press conference held this afternoon (October 8th), coach Kim Sang Sik opened the pre-match press conference for the Vietnam vs Nepal game by sharing: “Tomorrow is the third match of the 2017 Asian Cup qualifiers, and our goal is nothing less than winning 3 points. In this important match, I sincerely hope that the fans in Thu Dau Mot, Ho Chi Minh City, and everyone else will come to the stadium in large numbers to cheer us on as we achieve our goal.”

When asked what the Vietnamese national team knew about their opponent Nepal in preparation for the upcoming two matches, the South Korean coach said: “Our goal is to win both matches against Nepal at home. In recent days, we have been watching videos of Nepal's recent matches and noticed that they have two very impressive players, numbers 14 and 17. These two players perform quite well, and our players must pay close attention to them.”

Coach Kim Sang Sik also added: “With the goal of winning both matches against Nepal, we have prepared very thoroughly and always respect our opponents. Regarding the tactics for the match, of course, we cannot reveal them. However, in this training camp, we have many U23 players, so I will try to create the best combination between young players and veteran players. Vietnam currently has a very high-quality U23 generation of players; they will be the springboard and the future of Vietnamese football in the near future.”

Also at the press conference, reporters asked about FIFA's penalty for the Malaysian national team, as this would affect Group F. Coach Kim Sang Sik stated: "At this point, I don't know what FIFA will decide on the penalty for the Malaysian national team, but I always respect their decision, and whatever happens, we are determined to win the remaining matches to keep our hopes alive."

Meanwhile, player Do Duy Manh shared: “This is a very important match for the Vietnamese team, and we have trained hard to win. The weather in the North and South is also slightly different, so we will try to adapt to be able to perform at our best in the next two matches against Nepal.”

It's now Indonesia's turn to face a dead end.

While the Malaysian national team is considered to be in a hopeless situation in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers due to the scandal involving naturalized players, the Indonesian national team faces a different predicament, but one that seems equally difficult.

Specifically, the Indonesian national team is facing a "matrix," a competition that many Indonesian fans feel is unfair, from the schedule to the referees, in the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

It's easy to see that Indonesia will face a tough challenge even before the match starts. Saudi Arabia was chosen as the host of Group B. They will play Indonesia in the opening match, then have a six-day break before facing Iraq. Meanwhile, Indonesia only has three days of rest after the match against Saudi Arabia before facing Iraq, a team that "sit out" in the first round because the group only has three teams.

Another important factor is that Saudi Arabia and Iraq could determine the outcome, as they will face each other in the final round, while the Indonesian team has already played both matches.

Furthermore, the AFC appointed a Kuwaiti refereeing team to officiate the Saudi Arabia-Indonesia match. This sparked outrage in Indonesia. The reason is clear: Kuwait is a neighbor of Saudi Arabia, and having a West Asian refereeing team officiate an important match between a West Asian and a Southeast Asian team is highly sensitive in terms of objectivity.

The Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) submitted a request to change the referee, but the AFC rejected it. This angered Indonesian fans. Indonesia's concerns are not unfounded. In the third round of the World Cup qualifiers in the Asian region in October 2024, they were dissatisfied with a 2-2 draw against Bahrain. Bahrain's equalizer came in the 9th minute of injury time, even though the scoreboard only showed 6 minutes of added time. Omani referee Ahmed Al-Kaf was subsequently criticized by the Indonesian public.

Maguire is considering leaving Man United to seek a new challenge.

Maguire is reportedly set to leave Man United for a Saudi Pro League club next summer, as his current contract expires in June 2026.

According to sources in England, two clubs, Al-Nassr and Al-Ettifaq, are expressing particular interest in Harry Maguire. The 32-year-old will be free to negotiate with foreign clubs when the winter transfer window opens, and if he leaves Manchester United on a free transfer, he could receive a huge salary in Saudi Arabia.

Maguire was offered a 12-month contract extension by Manchester United last season, although he himself admitted that the decision rested entirely with the club. He also revealed that Manchester United's management has not yet made any clear moves regarding his future: "I'm sure that in the next few months we will have to sit down and discuss whether they want to extend my contract or not. As for me, I also have my own intentions about what I want to do."

However, according to several internal sources, Manchester United are unlikely to offer Maguire a new contract, as he will turn 33 next March. The English defender is reportedly considering one last chance to secure a lucrative deal before ending his peak career.

Ronaldo becomes the first football billionaire.

Cristiano Ronaldo made history by becoming the first football player to surpass a net worth of £1 billion.

CR7's success, in addition to his talent on the pitch, is also due to massive commercial deals throughout his career. According to Bloomberg, Ronaldo will receive an additional £492 million over two years from his new contract with Al-Nassr, raising his total net worth to £1.045 billion.

At 40 years old, Ronaldo still holds a top position after moving to Al-Nassr in 2023, signing a record-breaking contract worth £173 million per year. Prior to that, he had been linked with a move to another club as his contract neared its end, but ultimately agreed to stay with a higher salary.

Ronaldo has surpassed Lionel Messi in the ranking of the world's richest football players. Leo's net worth is estimated at £620 million. According to Bloomberg, Messi could close the gap after acquiring a large stake in Inter Miami.

CR7 has played for Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Al-Nassr under massive contracts. But Ronaldo's income doesn't just come from the pitch. He benefits from a series of commercial deals with Nike, Armani, Herbalife, Tag Heuer, Clear Shampoo, DAZN, LiveScore, Panini, and has even partnered with KFC. His personal brand of perfumes, fashion, and underwear also generates significant revenue.

The gap in wealth between Ronaldo and his rivals highlights the stark difference. "Ronaldo is not only a legend on the pitch, but also a rare commercial and financial icon in football history," wrote The Sun.