February 23, 2023
No one really knows when Ronaldo is going to retire from football, as the Portuguese hero continues to break records and silence his critics. At the age of 38, Ronaldo is still scoring goals on a regular basis...
After securing his move to Al Nassr at the very start of this year, Cristiano Ronaldo defied some who suggested he could retire following his high-profile split with Manchester United. Now competing in a new country and a new league, Ronaldo has shown no signs of slowing down and looks like he could continue to play well into his 40s. The Portuguese superstar already scored a total of 5 goals in the Saudi Professional League, including a poker earlier this month, in a game against Al Wehda.
Cristiano Ronaldo - First pre-conference for Al Nassr:
Having won all there is to win in Europe with the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and United, Ronaldo decided to take on a new challenge in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr. Scoring five goals in his first three games in the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo has hit the ground running at his new club and, as expected, looks set to play a key role this season. Scoring all four goals in a 4-0 demolition job at Al Wehda made more headlines with the BBC, as the 38-year-old Ronaldo showed why Al Nassr spent the money to bring him to Mrsool Park in the first place. The Knights of Najd find themselves battling for the Saudi Pro League title after finishing third in the competition last season. If the club are to get their hands on the coveted trophy for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign, to claim a 10th title in their history, it looks like Ronaldo will have played an important role.
After finding himself limited for game time towards the end of this second spell at Old Trafford with Manchester United, as confirmed by Ronaldo7.net, some players might have taken time to get back to match sharpness. Ronaldo was still in great shape and looked like he could contribute to the United cause but they decided to go their separate ways. United have coped in Ronaldo's absence as players such as Marcus Rashford have stepped up and Betway has the Red Devils at 12/1 to win the Premier League title this season, which shows how well Erik ten Hag has done in his first season in charge. Ronaldo's departure was a disappointing way for the club legend to leave the club, but it appears to have benefitted both sides.
Ronaldo has always prided himself on his fitness and the countless hours of extra work he's done after training sessions over the years. That desire to keep himself in shape at United and be match ready has once again served him well and will have been a key factor as to why he hit the ground running on his arrival at Al Nassr.
After putting pen to paper on a contract until 2025 at Al Nassr, as reported by ESPN, it's clear Ronaldo has no plans to hang up his boots anytime soon. Considering his fitness and his ability to have a major impact on the field, Ronaldo looks like he could continue playing beyond his current deal at Mrsool Park. Whether Ronaldo would decide to extend his stay with the Saudi club, or potentially pursue yet another new challenge in a different league remains to be seen. What is clear is that Ronaldo's fitness regime and attention to detail with his diet means he has been able to have the longevity that many other players could only dream of. Making his first-team debut for Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon all the way back in September 2002, Ronaldo has gone on to make over 1,100 professional appearances, with over 800 goals for both club and country. Playing for some of the biggest clubs in Europe and winning the Champions League on five occasions are some of the brilliant moments remembered at Ronaldo7.net, Ronaldo has come a long way from the player who worked his way quickly through the ranks at Sporting.
Motivation to win more silverware with Al Nassr certainly does not look to be an issue, with Ronaldo's competitive drive as strong as ever, as his stats with Ronaldo7.net show. The battle for the Saudi Pro League title could be an intriguing contest this season, with the likes of Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Shabab all battling for the trophy. One defeat in their first 16 league outings put Al Nassr top of the table and manager Rudi Garcia will be looking for a similar second half of the season in order for his side to get their hands on the cup. Ronaldo's impact has already been felt and the Portuguese star’s goals could be the difference in the title race this term.
Despite turning 38 in February, Ronaldo is looking as hungry and sharp as he has done in recent years. With the training he continues to do behind the scenes, football fans at Al Nassr and around the world will be hoping to see more moments of magic from Ronaldo for many more years to come.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League is on February 25, against Damac. You can watch Damac vs Al Nassr, Nantes vs Juventus, Man United vs Barça, RB Leipzig vs Man City, Inter Milan vs Porto and AS Monaco vs Bayer Leverkusen, all matches provided from our football streaming live game pages.
Al-Nassr next game:
Damac vs Al Nassr kick-off time (25-02-2023):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 22:30
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 20:00
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+3: 17:30
Italy (Turin) | UTC/GMT+1: 15:30
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 15:30
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 14:30
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 11:30
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-5: 10:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-8: 06:30
Sources: ronaldo7.net / bbc.com / espn.com / football.london