Cristiano Ronaldo’s first full season in Saudi Arabia is coming to an finish. It has delivered many movie star appearances, a good few million kilos, however no trophies.
When the ahead joined Al-Nassr in 2022 on the again of a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, attacking his then employers Manchester United, it was anticipated he would clear up within the Center East.
If clear up referred to being the face of as many money-making occasions as potential, then certain. If it referred to success on the sphere, there’s a bit of extra to be desired.
Going into the ultimate recreation of the season on Monday, Ronaldo and Co are on 79 factors from 33 video games, a staggering 14 behind champions Al-Hilal, although stay 17 forward of Al-Ahli in third.
It is second place once more for them. One thing Ronaldo is not used to. And one thing he will not be greatest happy with.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first full season in Saudi Arabia is coming to an finish, and he’s but to win a serious trophy
He has benefitted off-the-field, nonetheless, and has been entrance and centre of plenty of occasions
He’ll win the Golden Boot, although Al-Nassr are 14 factors behind leaders Al-Hilal within the desk
There’s little doubt that Ronaldo nonetheless has ‘it’. Although he is 39 now, he does nonetheless stay top-of-the-line gamers on this planet, and he’ll look to show that at Euro 2024 this summer time with Portugal.
However what’s he really doing in Saudi? He is been blasted for reportedly doing it for cash. He was the primary huge title to make the transfer. The likes of Karim Benzema and Neymar adopted.
Final summer time, Ronaldo revealed he was struggling to adapt to the warmth of the nation. In the previous few video games – a visit to Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk sandwiched in-between – he has missed two main sitters.
He handed up a golden alternative in final Friday’s 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal, shinning the ball properly extensive of the goal with solely the goalkeeper to beat, then inexplicably tried to chip the keeper and ended up spooning his effort a number of yards previous the publish in his aspect’s 2-2 draw with Al-Riyadh on Thursday.
Solely he’ll know if he’s really comfortable, however he appears it.
The reality is, with the cash he’s on, his age and doubtlessly that anti-United interview lingering at the back of minds, Ronaldo’s profession might be over in Europe. There aren’t too many choices.
One wonders if he anticipated the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ruben Neves and Malcom to take such success to Al-Hilal, who’ve been with out Neymar for a lot of the season as a consequence of harm.
Ronaldo in the meantime has been partnered by the likes of Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic and Aymeric Laporte.
Tuesday’s recreation towards final 12 months’s champions Al-Ittihad is a useless a rubber because it will get for Al-Nassr. For his or her opponents, it is all or nothing, with qualification for subsequent season’s AFC Champions League on the road. The likes of N’Golo Kante and Jota might want to win and hope Al-Taawoun, the one non-state owned membership within the prime 5, slip up towards Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq.
Al-Nassr will tackle final 12 months’s champions Al-Ittihad of their remaining recreation of the season
Ronaldo should go once more subsequent 12 months together with his aspect qualifying for the AFC Champions League
Ronaldo’s first crack on the AFC Champions League ended with a penalty shootout defeat to Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates. He can be eager to have one other go subsequent 12 months, however it’ll take some going to win that.
He has lifted one trophy, the Arab Membership Champions Cup. A good feat. However a serious trophy, one he would try for? No.
That stated, he’s all smiles when out and about, snapped with Saudi royalty and being handled like a King himself. It could maybe rely what his priorities are, however, for now, life appears adequate for him.
Subsequent week, too, his aspect will contest the King Cup remaining towards Al-Hilal. They will not be favourites, however it’s a probability for silverware.
Elsewhere within the league, Gerrard’s aspect have made slim progress, going from seventh final 12 months to what is going to probably be sixth this time period. It has been a season of ups and downs, headlined by Jordan Henderson’s brief keep.
Gerrard too is hailed in Saudi. Footage has been shared of his gamers’ pleasure after good wins, he too was ringside for Fury vs Usyk. His profession ambition is unclear, however he has a fairly protected, well-paying job for now.
Steven Gerrard has led Al-Ettifaq to an improved end from final season in Saudi Professional League
Karim Benzema (proper), nonetheless, is without doubt one of the gamers who proceed to battle to adapt to the league
By way of the celebs, Karim Benzema is the one who appears most sad.
Struggling to regulate to life after Actual Madrid, he has managed simply 9 league targets for Al-Ittihad this time period.
He has been at struggle with supervisor Marcelo Gallardo, shipped out extensive, and has been again coaching at Actual Madrid. It seems like a matter of time till that failed experiment, like Jordan Henderson’s, involves an finish.
Mitrovic has rivalled Ronaldo within the Golden Boot race, registering 27 strikes at a aim a recreation, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner out in entrance with 33 targets.
Kante is again within the France squad, in the meantime, and it stays to be seen whether or not the league can appeal to extra big-name gamers this summer time. For Ronaldo, it is Portugal responsibility after Monday, earlier than a return to the brand new normality of Saudi life.
