Cristiano Ronaldo sits defender down with incredible piece of skill on Al-Nassr debut (WATCH)
While Cristiano Ronaldo didn't score on his Al-Nassr debut against Ettidaq, the Portuguese ace provided a few moments for fans to rejoice.
One of the moments came inside the Ettifaq penalty box when Ronaldo sat his marker down with a trademark piece of skill. The 37-year-old, soon to be 38, turned his man inside out as he faked a shot before going free.
Las habilidades son sorprendentes de @Cristiano de verdad tiene 38 años😳
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Ronaldo joined the Saudi Pro League a while ago as a free agent. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, however, was ineligible to make his debut as the FA handed him a two-game ban. The suspension came as a result of him smashing an Everton fan's phone in April 2022 during a Premier League away fixture.
Cristiano Ronaldo finally made his debut in the Middle-East against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on January 19. He scored a brace in the friendly match.
The match against Ettifaq marked his official debut for Al-Nassr. While Ronaldo couldn't get on the scoresheet, Anderson Talisca's first-half goal secured all three points for Rudi Garcia's team. They now have 33 points from 14 games and are leading second-placed Al-Hilal by a point with a game in hand.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr debut showed the quality of the Saudi Pro League
While Al-Nassr managed to earn a win in Cristiano Ronaldo's debut match, any notion that the league is not competitive enough for Ronaldo has been dispelled. The clash against Ettifaq was a thoroughly competitive affair.
Ronaldo's former professional rival and current Barcelona coach previously said that the Portuguese would be surprised by the level of football in Saudi Arabia.
Xavi has previously played for and has coached Qatari side Al-Sadd. Xavi spoke about Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr a few weeks ago (via Mirror):
"Ronaldo has signed for one of the best clubs in Saudi Arabia, but it's a challenge. This league is very complicated. I played against several of their teams when I coached Al Sadd. It will be a challenge."
Cristiano Ronaldo still got the flair 🔥
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