Bhubaneswar : Cristiano Ronaldo made a triumphant return to scoring during Al Nassr’s recent pre-season match against the French team Toulouse. After Toulouse midfielder Yann Gboho scored the opening goal in the 25th minute, Ronaldo quickly equalized, demonstrating that his scoring instincts are still very much intact. Ronaldo converted Talisca’s low cross with a straightforward tap-in, marking the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s first goal of the season.
At the age of 40, Ronaldo continues to show that age doesn’t matter when it comes to performance. His drive was apparent even during a pre-season friendly, and he was substituted at half-time after scoring the equalizer in the 33rd minute, yet his influence off the field continued to uplift the team. Young forward Mohammed Maran netted the winning goal in the 76th minute, with an assist from Nawaf Boushal, clinching a morale-boosting victory for the Saudi Pro League champions.
The match was held at the Untersberg Arena in Austria as part of Al Nassr’s pre-season European tour. Their next game is against Spanish second-division team Almeria on Sunday, August 10. The team’s first official match of the new season will be against Al Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup, pitting them against stars like Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté, and Moussa Diaby on the opposing team.
To enhance their roster before this matchup, Al Nassr has finalized the acquisition of Portuguese forward Joao Felix from Chelsea for a reported fee of €30 million. Felix, who has previously played alongside Ronaldo for Portugal and faced him in the Premier League, is anticipated to bring creativity and firepower to the attacking midfield position, a crucial element that has been lacking for Al Nassr. This signing is especially timely, as 21-year-old striker Jhon Duran has recently been loaned to Turkish team Fenerbahce, which is currently under the management of Jose Mourinho. With Felix joining the squad, Al Nassr not only secures a backup for Ronaldo but also gains a potential catalyst for revitalizing their attacking strategy.
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