"What is this", "Why are there so many attackers?" - Fans react as Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr name XI for final against Al-Hilal
Fans share their opinions as Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr named their starting XI for the Saudi Super Cup final against Al-Hilal. The match is slated for Saturday, August 17, 2024, at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium.
The Knights of the Najd bagged a 2-0 win against Al-Taawoun in the semi-final of the Saudi Super Cup on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal won 4-1 on penalties against Al-Ahli Saudi to reach the final.
Al-Nassr's starting XI in the Saudi Super Cup final includes Bento, Alex Telles, Ali Lajami, Aymeric Laporte, and Sultan Al-Ghannam. Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Otavio, Talisca, Ayman Yahya, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sadio Mane complete the XI.
Fans flooded social media with posts expressing their thoughts about Al-Nassr's starting XI. While some fans were unimpressed with the line-up, some questioned and were doubtful about the Riyadh-based club's chances against Al-Hilal. Here are some reactions on X:
One fan wrote:
"😭😭😭😭 what is this"
Another added:
"Why are there so many attackers?"
"why is there 5 attackers💀," chimed in another fan.
One account posted:
"Talisca in mid field?🫠"
Another tweeted:
"Haaa What’s this midfield 😭😭"
"Wtf is that midfield man ..we are done 😭😭," posted another.
One user wrote:
"So wtf will Otavio do only defending"
While another wrote:
"Hopefully Talisca performs well today , we need him"
Al Nassr have won the Saudi Super Cup twice in 2019 and 2020 while Al-Hilal have claimed the title four times in 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2023.
Cristiano Ronaldo closing in on milestone after scoring in Al-Nassr’s Saudi Super Cup semi-final
Following his vacation after the Euro 2024 campaign, Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Al-Nassr on his return in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final against Al-Taawoun. The match ended in a 2-0 win for the Knights of the Najd at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium.
The Portuguese icon missed all of Al-Nassr's pre-season matches where the Riyadh-based club failed to bag a win. However, Ronaldo scored in the club's first competitive match of the new season.
The Knights of Njad opened their scoring with winger Ayman Yahya's goal from an assist by captain Cristiano Ronaldo just eight minutes into the match. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner doubled the score in the 57th minute.
The goal against Al-Taawoun marked Cristiano Ronaldo's 896th career goal, taking him one step closer to creating a new record. The 39-year-old forward is now just four goals away from reaching the incredible 900-goal milestone for club and country. He will become the only person to reach it as he is already the all-time top scorer in football.