Fans hailed the return of the 'first Cristiano Ronaldo' on Tuesday after the Portuguese superstar's stunning strike marked an important return for the Saudi title chasers Ut Al-Nassr
Al-Nassr keeps in touch with Saudi championship thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo strike
Al-Nassr keeps in touch with Saudi championship thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo strike
Al-Nassr raised hopes of winning the Saudi Arabian Professional Football League with a formidable winner from Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday.
The Knights of Najd - who finished second in Saudi Arabia's top league - were 2-0 up at home by third-placed Al-Shabab after 40 minutes. However, goals from Luiz Gustavo and Abdulrahman Ghareeb on either side of the first half gave the team plenty of time to spare.
And their talisman eased any lingering tension with a long shot that left fans praising the second return of 'Ronaldo the First'. The Portuguese sent the ball down the left wing before drifting inside, evading two defenders and performing a dangerous dive from 22 yards. The next match is Ronaldo's 14th in 15 appearances for Al-Nassr in the tournament, who are still three points behind leaders Al-Ittihad with just two rounds left. Only Brazilian Anderson Talisca (18 goals in 21 appearances) has scored more goals for the club this season.
It makes fans remember what Ronaldo has produced so much more often that even a rare talent like him cannot maintain the same form as before at the age of 38.
Cristiano Ronaldo sealed victory back for Al-Nassr with a strike reminiscent of his 'premium' years
Cristiano Ronaldo sealed victory back for Al-Nassr with a strike reminiscent of his 'premium' years
"Classic Ronaldo," commented one fan, delighted to see the five-time Ballon d'Or winner come back to life with his old tricks. "No matter the league, this is a classy goal," wrote another. Others were quick to suggest that the veteran should still thrive in Europe, and not for the first time given his prolific track record in the Middle East:
"He was too good to play in the Saudi League, he joined too early."
The forward trajectory and angle of the ball are trademarks of Ronaldo and are reminiscent of the 'punching' technique that the Portuguese once popularized in his heyday. In fact, it was so good that he even forgot about his usual “Siu” celebratory stride, instead clapping lasers with his teammates.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus player is yet to lead Al-Nassr to his first league title since 2019, but that will require a mistake from Al-Ittihad next week. Ronaldo's first season in Saudi Arabia will be considered a success with or without titles, and goals like Tuesday's show he's not a stellar player.
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