Cristiano Ronaldo tests positive for Covid-19 – Portuguese FA

Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for coronavirus, the Portuguese football federation announced on Tuesday.

Ronaldo “is asymptomatic” and “will not play against Sweden” in Wednesday’s Nations League match, the federation said on its website.

The 35-year-old Juventus forward, who has been voted the world’s top player five times, played in Portugal’s goalless Nations League draw against France on Sunday.

Ronaldo has scored 101 goals for Portugal and will be a huge absence for his team against Sweden as they aim to hold on to top spot in their group.

The test result also means Ronaldo is a doubt for Juventus’ Champions League group match with Barcelona on October 28, which was set to pit Ronaldo against his old rival Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo, who has also starred for Manchester United and Real Madrid, is the highest-profile footballer to test positive for Covid-19, which has killed over a million people since the start of the pandemic earlier this year.

Brazil forward Neymar, his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe and AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic have also tested positive for the virus in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Slovakia’s football team coach Pavel Hapal has tested positive for Covid-19, the Slovak Football Association said on Tuesday, bringing the number of infected players and technical staff to nine.

“All those infected were isolated and entered the mandatory ten-day quarantine,” SFZ said in a statement on its website.

Hapal, players Milan Skriniar and Jaroslav Mihalik, the team’s spokesperson and five technical staff have all tested positive.

The team is  preparing for a Nations League match against Israel on Wednesday in Trnava.

“All members of the team comply with all hygiene measures as ordered by the Public Health Office of the Slovak Republic, but also UEFA,” SFZ said.

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