RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Cristiano Ronaldo has calmed fears over his fitness for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after recovering from a right hamstring injury that sidelined him for several weeks with Al Nassr, returning to action in early April and quickly reminding fans why he remains Portugal’s talisman at age 41.
Cristiano Ronaldo AFP
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner suffered the muscle injury on Feb. 28 during Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League match against Al Fayha, forcing him off late in a 3-1 victory. Initial reports suggested a minor setback, but coach Jorge Jesus later described it as “more serious than we first thought,” prompting Ronaldo to travel to Madrid for specialized treatment before continuing rehabilitation in Riyadh.
The absence sparked widespread concern about his readiness for what could be his sixth and final World Cup. Ronaldo missed Portugal’s March friendlies against Mexico and the United States, as well as several club fixtures. Yet national team coach Roberto Martinez repeatedly downplayed the issue, calling it a “minor muscle injury” and insisting Ronaldo faced “no danger” of missing the tournament in North America.
Martinez emphasized that Ronaldo’s overall physical condition this season had been excellent and that the setback would not derail Portugal’s plans. “He has a minor injury and will probably be back playing and training next week,” the coach said in late March. “Everything Cristiano has done physically during the season shows that he’s in great shape.”
Ronaldo provided his own positive update via social media in late March, posting gym photos with the caption “Getting better every day.” The images showed him performing leg exercises, signaling steady progress in his recovery. By early April, he had rejoined full training with Al Nassr and was cleared for a return to competitive action.
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On April 3, Ronaldo marked his comeback in emphatic fashion, scoring twice — including a penalty and a clinical finish — in Al Nassr’s 5-2 league win over Al Najma. The quick return to the scoresheet eased lingering doubts and boosted morale ahead of the club’s title push and Portugal’s World Cup preparations.
Fabrizio Romano reported April 2 that Ronaldo was “back available for Al Nassr and set to be called up” for Portugal duty as well. His place in the national squad was never seriously in question, despite the brief absence during the international window.
At 41, Ronaldo continues to defy expectations. He remains Portugal’s all-time leading scorer and captain, with his experience and goal threat still central to the team’s hopes. Martinez has made clear that Ronaldo and Goncalo Ramos will lead the line in Group K, alongside Colombia, Uzbekistan and either DR Congo or Jamaica. Portugal opens its campaign June 17 in Houston.
The injury highlighted the physical demands on an aging superstar who maintains an intense training regimen. Ronaldo has long invested in recovery science, cryotherapy and personalized programs, often training in Madrid with specialists. His ability to bounce back quickly aligns with a career defined by resilience, from early setbacks at Sporting Lisbon to record-breaking spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.
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Portugal qualified comfortably for the expanded 2026 tournament and enters as one of the favorites in a relatively favorable group. Yet questions persist about how to balance Ronaldo’s legendary status with the rising talents around him, including Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao and Vitinha. Martinez has stressed that the highest standards apply to everyone, including the captain.
Ronaldo’s club form with Al Nassr remains strong when fit. The Saudi Pro League leaders rely on his goals and leadership as they chase domestic silverware. His return coincided with teammate Sadio Mane also recovering from injury, giving the side a timely boost.
Broader discussions around Ronaldo’s role at the World Cup have intensified. Some analysts suggest his presence could create selection headaches, while former teammate Ricardo Quaresma argued that Ronaldo’s “last dance” will fuel Portugal’s ambition and desire to win the title for him. “We have more will to win because Cristiano is there,” Quaresma said.
Ronaldo has hinted at retirement after the tournament, making 2026 potentially his final major international stage. He has spoken of the special motivation to lift the trophy in what could be his swan song, adding emotional weight to Portugal’s campaign.
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Medical experts note that hamstring injuries in players over 40 can be tricky due to reduced muscle elasticity and recovery speed. However, Ronaldo’s disciplined lifestyle — strict diet, sleep and training — has helped him manage such issues throughout his career. Daily evaluations during rehab ensured a cautious but effective return.
As April 2026 progresses, Ronaldo continues building match sharpness with Al Nassr. Portugal’s final pre-tournament camp will offer the chance to integrate him fully with the squad. Training base plans include sessions in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, providing ideal conditions to fine-tune fitness before the tournament kicks off across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Fans have reacted with relief and excitement to Ronaldo’s comeback. Social media filled with clips of his brace against Al Najma, while hashtags celebrating his recovery trended globally. Supporters view the injury as a minor bump rather than a serious threat to his World Cup participation.
For Portugal, the focus remains on peaking at the right moment. The team won the Nations League with Ronaldo and boasts a blend of experience and youth capable of challenging for the title. Yet success will depend on Ronaldo staying fit and delivering in key moments inside the box, where his finishing remains lethal.
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Ronaldo’s journey to 2026 has been one of relentless ambition. From breaking scoring records to adapting his game at Al Nassr, he continues to set standards few can match. The hamstring scare served as a reminder of his mortality on the pitch, but his rapid recovery reinforced his enduring elite status.
As the countdown to the World Cup intensifies, all eyes will remain on Ronaldo’s fitness and form. Portugal travels with high expectations, fueled in part by the desire to send their greatest player out on a high note — or perhaps with the ultimate prize.
Whether Ronaldo lifts the trophy or simply bows out after one final memorable tournament, his presence ensures Portugal remains a team to watch. For now, the superstar is back scoring goals and easing concerns, ready to write another chapter in one of football’s most remarkable careers.
Shares of JSW Energy plunged as much as 8% to their day’s low of Rs 512 on the BSE on Tuesday after it reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 574 crore for the March quarter, marking a 38% increase from Rs 414 crore recorded in the same period last year.
Revenue from operations rose sharply by 41% year-on-year to Rs 4,499 crore in Q4FY26, compared with Rs 3,189 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. The company’s board has recommended a dividend of Rs 2 per equity share and fixed Friday, June 5, as the record date to identify shareholders eligible for the payout.
On a sequential basis, profit after tax grew 8% from Rs 529 crore reported in Q3FY26, while revenue increased 10% quarter-on-quarter from Rs 4,082 crore in the October-December quarter.
Total expenses during the quarter stood at Rs 4,666 crore, higher than Rs 4,366 crore in Q3FY26 and Rs 3,142 crore in Q4FY25. This reflects a rise of 7% sequentially and 48% on a yearly basis. The increase in expenditure was driven by higher fuel costs, employee expenses and finance costs, among other factors.
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Power sales volume climbed 48% year-on-year to 11.7 billion units (BUs) from 7.9 BUs. Renewable energy generation rose 68% to 2.9 BUs from 1.7 BUs a year ago, while thermal generation increased 43% to 8.8 BUs from 6.2 BUs.
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Generation under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) grew 25% year-on-year to 8.6 BUs from 6.9 BUs. Short-term PPA generation surged 201% to 3.1 BUs, compared with 1.0 BU in the year-ago period. JSW Energy’s cash and cash equivalents stood at Rs 10,013 crore during the quarter, reflecting a strong liquidity position. The company reported a net debt-to-equity ratio of 2.1x, while operational net debt-to-EBITDA stood at 5.2x.EBITDA for Q4FY26 jumped 72% year-on-year to Rs 2,602 crore from Rs 1,512 crore reported in the corresponding quarter last year.
JSW Energy shares are up 9.5% in the last 1 month and about 15% in the last 1 year.
The federal government is replacing the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount with a new minimum rate and is restricting negative gearing to new builds to boost housing stock.
The shares of Vodafone Idea dropped nearly 4% after the telecom giant issued a clarification on a report claiming that its parent Vodafone Plc plans to transfer part of its stake to the company itself, which had sparked an 8% rally in the share price yesterday.
UK-based Vodafone Plc, which owns a 19% stake in Vodafone Idea, was considering transferring part of its shareholding to the company itself for the Indian telco to hold in its treasury, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. It added that the share transfer would take place instead of Vodafone injecting more cash into the Indian business.
The company’s shares sharply rallied more than 8% on Monday despite the overall stock market crash following the report, which claimed that the move could boost the balance sheet of the loss-making Vodafone Idea, and help its current efforts to raise debt.
Vodafone Idea’s clarification
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After exchanges sought clarification from Vodafone Idea following the sharp surge in share price, the company said that it has not yet received any communication related to this from the Vodafone Group.
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Vodafone Idea said that the report may possibly be referring to disclosures already made in December last year about the Contingent Liability Adjustment Mechanism (CLAM) arrangement. As part of the December exchange filing, which the company reshared yesterday, Vodafone Idea had announced that it amended a major agreement with its UK-based parent company to secure the recovery of nearly Rs 5,836 crore linked to liabilities arising from the 2017 Vodafone-Idea merger. Vodafone Idea share priceVodafone Idea shares have seen a significant surge recently, jumping 10% in one week and 28% in one month. Shares of the telecom company are up more than 2% in 2026 so far.
In the longer term, the stock jumped over 67% in one year, 69% in three years and more than 34% in five years. The company currently has a market capitalisation of more than Rs 1.26 lakh crore.
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
Jyothy Labs shares declined 5% to Rs 225.20 during Tuesday’s trading session, extending losses for the second consecutive day. The stock has fallen nearly 15% over the two sessions following the company’s announcement that the licence agreements for the dishwashing brand Pril and the personal care brand Fa with Henkel will not be renewed beyond May 31, 2026.
On Saturday, Jyothy Labs said the decision marks the end of a nearly 15-year partnership between the two companies.
The company added that it is preparing for an “orderly transition” and plans to sharpen its focus on its owned brands, especially Exo in the dishwash category. While Pril has historically been Jyothy Labs’ flagship dishwash liquid brand, Exo has remained a strong player in the dishwash bars segment.
Jyothy Labs had acquired Henkel’s India consumer business in 2011 through a transaction involving brands, assets, and operations. Under the agreement, Pril and Fa were operated under fixed-term licence arrangements, whereas brands such as Mr White and Henko continued under perpetual licence agreements.
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The company fully owns brands including Margo, Neem toothpaste, Tuhina, and Chek. Jyothy Labs also stated that discussions with Henkel regarding a possible renewal had been underway for several months, including the evaluation of “commercial and business continuity alternatives”.
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Share Price and Technical Indicators
Jyothy Labs currently commands a market capitalisation of Rs 8,300.88 crore. The stock touched a 52-week high of Rs 378.20. On the valuation front, the company is trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 26.14, while its price-to-sales (P/S) ratio stands at 2.46. The price-to-book (P/B) ratio is 5.48. Technically, the stock’s 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 43.6. Typically, an RSI below 30 indicates oversold conditions, while a level above 70 suggests the stock may be overbought. Jyothy Labs is currently trading below all eight of its key simple moving averages (SMAs), signalling a bearish trend.
Institutional sentiment remained subdued during the March 2026 quarter. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) trimmed their stake from 12.77% to 12.35%, while Mutual Fund holdings declined from 13.73% to 13.15%.
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
The company’s new food items are proving popular and ‘appealing to new and younger customers’
08:55, 12 May 2026Updated 09:05, 12 May 2026
Greggs has announced a rise in sales as new items prove popular(Image: ChronicleLive)
North East food-on-the-go firm Greggs has toasted a rise in sales after announcing its first overseas shop launch. The Newcastle firm has announced results for the first 19 weeks of the year, showing total sales are up 7.5% to £800m.
Like-for-like sales in company-managed shops grew by 2.5% in the first 19 weeks of 2026, and improved to 3.3% in the most recent 10 weeks, as sales of its new menu items took off. Greggs said its new food items including matcha drink, tandoori chicken pizza slice, and its chicken roll – its chicken version of its bestselling sausage roll – were proving popular.
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Tapping into demand in the market for protein meals, new salads were also launched last week to include chicken caesar and chicken, grains and greens. The firm said its partnerships with franchisees and grocery retailers are progressing well and contributing to the growth in overall sales.
It also said it has made “encouraging” profit progress in the year to date, partly reflecting a weak comparator period but also good operational cost control.
In a trading update it said: “The launch of our new chicken roll in April has been a standout, quickly establishing itself as a customer favourite and complementing our iconic sausage roll and vegan roll.
Greggs Chicken Roll is a new permanent addition to its menu(Image: Samantha Bartlett)
“Our drinks range has also been energised through flavour-led innovation across iced coffees, lemonades and refreshers, with the launch of matcha – which has proved extremely popular – marking an important step in appealing to new and younger customers.
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“Together, these launches reflect our focus on relevance and innovation, while staying true to the familiar quality customers expect from Greggs.”
Meanwhile, Greggs is continuing to target the opening of around 120 shops this year – while announcing it has Tenerife as the location for a new international outlet.
In the update to shareholders it said: “In the coming weeks we will open our first shop in an airport outside the UK, working in partnership with leading global travel operator Lagardère Travel Retail at Tenerife South Airport. Tenerife South is a destination for millions of UK and international passengers each year and represents an excellent opportunity to test our offering in an international travel hub.”
The bakery chain, which runs 2,759 shops, also warned that it could be facing higher costs if the Iran war continues.
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It added: “We are monitoring the situation in the Middle East and should the conflict continue and become prolonged we, like all food retailers, will likely see higher overall cost inflation through the end of 2026 and into 2027. In this uncertain environment, our value offer remains highly attractive as customers look to make their money go further.”
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