What did Cristiano Ronaldo tell ‘angry’ Vincent Aboubakar who wanted to force Al-Nassr exit? Details of chat revealed
Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival at Al-Nassr saw Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar's time at the club come to an end. The Saudi Pro League side saw their foreign quota get filled up and had to get rid of an international player as a result.
Aboubakar, who joined the club in July 2021, was an important player for Rudi Garcia's side. He scored 13 goals and provided six assists in 39 appearances for the Riyadh-based side.
The Cameroonian, however, had only six months remaining on his contract. He revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo tried to persuade him to stay. Aboubakar, however, wanted to move closer to his family, who live in France. An offer from the Turkish club Besiktas provided him with that chance and he eventually left Al-Nassr.
In a recent interview with Talentsd'Afrique on Canal+, Vincent Aboubakar said:
"We talked a bit and his [Cristiano's] opinion was that he wanted me to stay - I told him, 'No, that I will leave for family reasons.'"
The striker, who scored a last-ditch winner against Brazil in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, further added:
"He asked me where my family was. I told him they are in France and so I prefer to go to Turkey, it's closer. And he told me, 'It's better, if your family is really far away, it's more complicated.' I was firm, I wanted to leave. I had offers, including one from Besiktas. They wanted me to stay until the end of the season. I said, 'No, honestly president I prefer to leave. It was a bit complicated but finally they let me go."
Cristiano Ronaldo putting unknown al-nassr on the globe all by himself. https://t.co/sE6a3qsRT6
While Aboubakar's goals were important for Al-Nassr, Ronaldo has found his goalscoring feet in Saudi Arabia. After going goalless in his first two games for the Middle Eastern side, Ronaldo has scored five goals in his past two games, including four goals against Al-Wehda in the latest match.
Vincent Aboubakar revealed Rudi Garcia told him he was one of the players to be axed after Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival
After Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Al-Nassr, Rudi Garcia notified Vincent Aboubakar that either he or Uzbek star Jaloliddin Masharipov had to leave the club. Recalling the conversation, Aboubakar said (via GOAL):
"I left a little angry because it was not easy. When Cristiano arrived, [Al Nassr] coach Rudi Garcia called me into his office and told me that normally an international player has to leave, it's either me or Jaloliddin Masharipov."
Vincent Aboubakar becomes the first player to score vs Brazil at this World Cup 🤩
He then gets sent off for taking off his shirt while celebrating his goal 🤷 https://t.co/Ts7RkhQQUo
While Cristiano Ronaldo is off and running with Al-Nassr, Vincent Aboubakar is yet to score since re-joining Besiktas.