Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a spectacular goal to propel Al Nassr ahead in their Arab Club Champions Cup quarterfinal match against Raja.
As halftime approached, Al Nassr held a commanding 3-1 advantage over Moroccan team Raja.
The Saudi side was on the verge of securing a berth in the semi-finals of the prestigious Arab Club Champions Cup, a tournament featuring top-tier clubs from both Africa and the Middle East.
Ronaldo played a pivotal role, breaking the deadlock with an impressive goal just 22 minutes into the game.
Anderson Talisca initiated the sequence by collecting the ball on the right wing, skillfully maneuvering towards the corner before locating Ronaldo positioned on the edge of the box.
Demonstrating his exceptional skill, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner powered a left-footed strike into the bottom corner of the net, propelling his team to a 1-0 lead.
NAH RONALDO WHAT A GOAL WITH HIS WEAK FOOT 😭😭🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Janty (@CFC_Janty) August 6, 2023
Ronaldo things 💥
(via @AlNassrFC_EN)pic.twitter.com/QJ5yMA7JxR
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 6, 2023
Ronaldooooooooooooooooooooo pic.twitter.com/myqUqMkedt
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) August 6, 2023
Ronaldo made his move to the Saudi Pro League club in January, and since then, several of Europe’s most prominent stars have followed suit in heading to the Gulf nation.
This summer has witnessed notable figures such as Benzema, N’Golo Kante, and Ruben Neves transitioning to teams within the Saudi Pro League.
Furthermore, players of the caliber of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah have also garnered attention and interest.
Remarkably, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has taken control of four of the nation’s premier teams – Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ahli. Simultaneously, the remaining 14 top-tier clubs have acquired the resources necessary to attract some of Europe’s finest talents.
Indeed, Ronaldo has talked up the standard of the Saudi Pro League. When asked about making a move to the U.S. like his former rival Lionel Messi, Ronaldo said in July via ESPN: “The Saudi league is better than MLS. I opened the way to the Saudi league, and now all the players are coming here.
“In one year, more and more top players will come to Saudi. In a year the Saudi league will overtake the Turkish league and Dutch league.”