RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo marked his return to club football with a goal as Al-Nassr registered a convincing 3-0 victory over Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League, with fans rallying behind the Portuguese superstar following his recent controversy with the national team.
The 41-year-old forward returned to action after leaving Portugal’s national team camp midway through the international break. Ronaldo had been an unused substitute against Norway and subsequently criticised Portugal coach Jorge Jesus, his former manager at Al-Nassr, accusing him of an “absolute breach of trust”.
Despite the controversy, Ronaldo made an immediate impact for his club, with Al-Nassr supporters displaying a large banner before kick-off in a show of support for their celebrated forward.
The banner read: “Greatness is earned, CR7, all-time top scorer in football history.”
Ronaldo responded on the pitch by opening the scoring in the 23rd minute. The Portuguese captain reacted quickest after Kingsley Coman’s initial effort was saved, converting the rebound to give Al-Nassr the lead.
The strike took Ronaldo’s career tally to 980 official goals, bringing him closer to the unprecedented landmark of 1,000 goals in competitive football.
Ronaldo has scored for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr, in addition to his goals for Portugal. He remains focused on becoming the first player to reach 1,000 goals in official senior matches.
The veteran forward also holds the records for the most goals and appearances in men’s international football, having scored 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal.
Al-Nassr continued their strong performance after the opener, doubling their advantage when Samu Costa headed home Joao Felix’s corner.
Coman, who had contributed to the opening goal, got on the scoresheet himself in the 77th minute. The French winger ran through on goal and finished to complete the 3-0 victory.
The result provided Ronaldo with a positive return to club duty, while the attention surrounding his disagreement with Portugal ensured that his comeback attracted interest beyond the Saudi Pro League.
With his career tally now at 980 official goals, every appearance brings Ronaldo closer to a milestone that would add another remarkable chapter to his extraordinary career.
