Cristiano Ronaldo chose to forego the opportunity to complete a hat-trick for Al Nassr, opting not to take a penalty after already scoring two goals.
During their Saudi Pro League match against Al Shabab on Tuesday, Ronaldo’s team secured a 4-0 victory. Ronaldo himself netted twice in the first half by converting two penalty kicks.
Sadio Mane, formerly of Liverpool, added a third goal for the team before halftime, while Sultan Al-Ghannam sealed the win with a goal in the 80th minute.
Interestingly, the ex-Manchester United player had the chance to achieve a hat-trick when Al Nassr was awarded a penalty shortly after the one-hour mark. Despite being on two goals already, Ronaldo chose to pass the ball to Abdulrahman Ghareeb, opting not to go for a potential hat-trick.
The Al-Nassr fans were not happy with Ghareeb taking the penalty over Ronaldo.
But Cristiano and Mané told them to support him. pic.twitter.com/SGcIlGdM69
— TC (@totalcristiano) August 29, 2023
Abdulrahman Ghareeb was entrusted with the penalty kick, likely due to his recent struggle with form. However, the decision wasn’t well-received by the fans in the stadium. Both Ronaldo and Mane signaled to the crowd, urging them to support Ghareeb.
Regrettably, Ghareeb faltered during his attempt. His shot hit the post and he managed to score on the rebound, but the match referee deemed there was an infringement and consequently blew the whistle.
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s gesture, Abdulrahman Ghareeb couldn’t convert the penalty successfully.
Nevertheless, this act demonstrates the qualities of the five-time Ballon d’Or awardee, showcasing his willingness to forgo a potential personal goal to support a teammate.
It’s even more commendable when considering that this act would have taken the 38-year-old’s career goal tally to 850.
On the other hand, Al Nassr now stands in sixth place in the league with six points secured.
Their league campaign continues with an away match against Al Hazm scheduled for Saturday.