Cristiano Ronaldo is back, folks! The Al-Nassr star kicks off the new season with a goal and an assist against Al-Taawoun in the Saudi Arabian Super Cup semi-final, while more trophies are in sight.
After a disappointing end to Euro 2024 with Portugal, Ronaldo returned to competitive action on Wednesday night and lived up to expectations with a thrilling display. He was the centre of attention from the first whistle and set up Ayman Yahya to score in the eighth minute with the slightest of touches after Sadio Mane had broken through on the left wing.
Although Al-Taawoun had glimpses of Al-Nassr’s goal, Brazilian goalkeeper Bento made some fantastic saves in the first half to maintain their advantage. The visitors could have doubled their lead before the break after Ronaldo found Mane unmarked, but the former Liverpool striker was denied by another Brazilian, Mailson Santos, in the Al-Taawoun goal.
However, the Knights of Najd did not have to wait long for a safety goal as Ronaldo returned to regular duty with his first goal of the 2024-25 season. Yahya did the hard work on the right wing to find right-back Sultan Al-Ghannam, and the Portuguese completed the move with a neat finish in the 57th minute. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner could have completed his second goal on his return to club football, but the post denied him.
Who else? After failing to score a single goal at Euro 2024, Ronaldo put on an impressive display to silence his critics. He has been preparing for the new campaign for some time and was even spotted training during his holiday. Now, at 39, he is reaping the rewards by showing a sharp performance in the attacking third after several disastrous performances at the European Championship.
Marcelo Brozovic was sent off in injury time after a misjudged challenge. The Croatian went for the ball but failed to get a hold of it and instead hit his opponent’s knee. The referee initially did not show him a red card, but VAR intervened, forcing the referee to reverse his decision and send him off. It is a huge blow for coach Luis Castro, as the midfield general will be sorely missed in the Super Cup final against rivals Al-Hilal.
Ronaldo will be looking to win his second trophy with Al-Nassr, having won the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, when they face Al-Hilal in the Saudi Arabian Super Cup final on August 17. Speaking after the match, Ronaldo shared his excitement: “I feel refreshed and ready to keep on achieving. It was great to start the season with a win, but we still have a lot of work to do. I can’t wait to face Al-Hilal in the final.”
