"This is how we do it" - Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after scoring a hat-trick for al Nassr in win over Al Tai
Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo sent an emphatic message after his side beat Al-Tai 5-1 in the Saudi Pro League. The Portuguese icon was at the forefront of the affair, scoring a second-half hat-trick to lead his side to victory.
Following the game, he had this to say about the win on his Instagram account:
"This is how we do it. Amazing victory and another hat-trick!"
Goals from Otavio and Abdulrahman Ghareeb in the first half ensured that Al-Nassr went into the break with a 2-1 lead. It was then the Ronaldo show in the second half, as he scored thrice in 23 minutes.
His first was off a corner played short as Sadio Mane swung the ball in low and the 39-year-old finished into the bottom corner in the 64th minute. Then, just three minutes later, he was in the right place to fire home from close range on a rebound off the post. He completed his hat-trick in the 87th minute, heading home from close range.
It was his career's 64th hat-trick. He also solidified his spot as this season's Saudi Pro League top scorer with 26 goals. Al-Nassr, however, are still chasing Al-Hilal in the title race and are 12 points behind their rivals with only nine games to go.
Football pundit makes interesting claim about Cristiano Ronaldo's role with national side
Pundit Andy Brassell believes Cristiano Ronaldo has understood that he is not Portugal's top star anymore. Brassell stated that the side's most important player is not the 39-year-old but Manchester City's Bernardo Silva.
Speaking on the Kick Off podcast, he said:
“Roberto Martinez does have options. But because there’s so much quality in that Portuguese squad, I think people understand if he takes those options.
“I think Cristiano Ronaldo realises now that sometimes he’ll start, and sometimes he’ll be a squad player and that is just what he’s going to have to live with.
“It’s interesting because to even think about criticising Ronaldo two or three years ago would have been treated as complete heresy in Portugal. Whereas now, I think people understand that Bernardo Silva is their best player.”
The Al-Nassr superstar was in top form for Portugal during their Euro 2024 qualification campaign. He scored 10 goals in nine games as the Selecao managed a perfect run, winning all 10 of their games.
Ronaldo will hope to lead the side to victory once again in the Euro and emulate their success from the 2016 edition. They have been placed in Group F alongside Turkey, Georgia and Czechia.