“Cristiano has always shown that he is a great goalscorer” - Real Madrid star rates Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-breaking Al-Nassr season
Real Madrid star Lucas Vazquez hailed his former club teammate Cristiano Ronaldo as a "great goalscorer" following the Portuguese icon's stunning campaign with Al Nassr.
The 39-year-old scored 50 goals in all competitions for the Knights of Najd, including 35 in the Saudi Pro League to win to the league's Golden Boot.
It's a remarkable record for a player of his age, and an enduring testament to his unbelievable longevity too, as Ronaldo continues to shine in his club career.
Now, he is set to lead his nation at the UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany, with Portugal opening their campaign against the Czech Republic in Group F on Tuesday.
As always, Ronaldo will be a key player for the Selecao, and is among the top favorites for the competition's top scorer award too.
Vazquez, who played a few years with him at Real Madrid, reserved special praise for the evergreen star when asked for his opinion on Ronaldo by Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. He said:
“Yes, I follow him… He scored 35 goals this season, and these are very good numbers. Cristiano has always shown that he is a great goalscorer, a great player, and I think he had a great season.”
Indeed, this was Ronaldo's best season in terms of goals since the 2015-16 season, when he bagged 51 times for Real Madrid in all competitions.
Having joined Al Nassr in December 2022, the Portuguese star has made a total of 70 appearances for the Riyadh outfit, and scored 64 goals, while lifting the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup.
Euro 2024 will be Ronaldo's true test of mettle
Cristiano Ronaldo's 50-goal tally for Al-Nassr is impressive by all accounts but the Euro Cup is a different ball game altogether. Given the highly competitive nature of the championship, it will be the real test of the forward's mettle.
In the last edition, he managed to score five goals, joint most along with Czech Republic's Patrik Schick but won the Golden Boot courtesy of having assisted more times than him.
At the Euro 2024, which is most likely his last with Portugal, Ronaldo will once again be relied upon for the goods upfront. Following an extremely poor World Cup campaign in Qatar 18 months ago, he will feel he has a point to prove here.