Cristiano Ronaldo has been broadly mocked on social media after the reality of what appears like an excellent second from his Saudi Arabian membership soccer debut was revealed.
Ronaldo made a profitable begin to life within the Saudi Pro League as he led Al Nassr to a 1-0 victory over Ettifaq in his first match since turning into the very best paid footballer in historical past.
The Portuguese famous person didn’t rating however there have been promising indicators for Al Nassr, who’re eyeing home and continental silverware after the 37-year-old moved for offers totalling greater than 400 million euros.
Watch the world’s finest footballers each week with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. LIVE protection from Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Carabao Cup, EFL & SPFL. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
However, Ronaldo’s league debut had an anticlimactic really feel in entrance of twenty-two,862 followers after he scored twice on this week’s vigorous 5-4 exhibition defeat to Lionel Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain.
After the sport Ronaldo shared images of the match to his 539 million Instagram followers with the caption: “First recreation, first win – nicely executed guys. Thanks to all of the followers for unimaginable help.”
However considered one of his picture decisions drew scrutiny on Twitter.
The fourth snap within the five-picture gallery confirmed Ronaldo going up for a bicycle kick, with the ball simply coming into body – presumably simply earlier than discovering his ft, after which the again of the online.
But one fan shared a video of the particular second the place Ronaldo missed wildly and as an alternative introduced an opponent to the turf with him.
Ronaldo actually made himself look a bit higher with this image choice. The actuality was much less flattering.Source: FOX SPORTS
“He’s among the finest gamers within the historical past of soccer, so it’s crucial for us to do all the pieces doable to place him in the very best situation,” stated Al Nassr coach Rudi Garcia.
“I need him to get pleasure from taking part in and tonight he was pleased to play for the primary time along with his new group.”
Ronaldo, who was given the important thing duty of captain, made a low-key begin within the first half, twice shedding the ball with tried trickery as his team-mates struggled to get him on the ball.
Ronaldo’s early shot from the sting of the field was deflected over, and he almost met Abdulmajeed Al Sulaiheem’s cross that was headed in by Anderson Talisca for the sport’s solely aim on 31 minutes.
Shortly afterwards Ronaldo, met by shouts of “Siu!” each time he touched ball, blazed over with a free kick from an inviting place simply exterior the penalty space.
Al Nassr’s entrance three started to click on within the second half and Ronaldo arrange Pity Martinez and Talisca — after some trademark stepovers — for shut possibilities in fast succession.
A swing and a miss at a bicycle kick confirmed Ronaldo was warming to his job, and he then tried a shot from a virtually unimaginable angle after a dribble into the field.
But there was to be no aim for Ronaldo, watched by his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez, in a win that stored Al Nassr on high of the Saudi Pro League.
Anything you are able to do… CR7 & Messi shine | 01:11
Ronaldo arrived in oil-rich Saudi Arabia in early January however his debut was delayed whereas he served a two-match ban for knocking a cell phone out of a fan’s hand whereas at Manchester United.
The transfer to Saudi is a step down for Ronaldo, an undisputable all-time nice who has frequently delivered on soccer’s greatest phases and amassed an astonishing haul of group and private honours.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is the all-time Champions League top-scorer, gathering 5 titles alongside the way in which, and has received seven home championships with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.
Ronaldo additionally holds the document for worldwide targets — 118 with Portugal, with whom he received Euro 2016 — and profession targets with 819. In Qatar final yr, he grew to become the primary man to attain at 5 World Cups.
His shock transfer to Al Nassr got here after his second stint at Manchester United collapsed in acrimony when he savaged the membership in a TV interview.
According to a supply near Al Nassr, he signed for greater than 200 million euros on high of a separate 200-million-euro deal to behave as an envoy for Saudi Arabia’s anticipated 2030 World Cup co-hosting bid.
It will additional swell the financial institution stability of Ronaldo, who grew to become the primary footballer to cross $1 billion in profession earnings in 2020.
Part of his attraction is his huge social media presence, with almost 800 million followers throughout Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
However, his switch has been criticised by activist teams together with Amnesty International, which warned he was turning into a “instrument of Saudi’s sportswashing” of its “appalling human rights document”.
