Cristiano Ronaldo put in a brilliant performance, scoring two exceptional goals that led his Al Nassr team to a thrilling 4–3 victory over Qatar’s Al Duhail in the AFC Champions League. In this major Asian club competition, Al Nassr achieved their third consecutive group stage victory with former Liverpool strikers Sadio Mane and Anderson Talisca. The scoring in Riyadh opened when Talisca scored from the edge of the penalty area in the 25th minute.
Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo scores 2 exceptional goals
Even at the age of 38, Ronaldo showed off all his tricks with a clever back-heel strike to set up the goal. However, it was his second goal that caused a stir on social media as Ronaldo used his weaker foot to score a crazy curler that gave Al Nassr their fourth goal against Al Duhail. With just nine minutes left, it seemed as if Ronaldo would have the final say.
He ran towards a long ball from Sultan Al Ghanem and brilliantly shot it in at full speed with his left foot. The goal was reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal against Everton when he hit a similar curler with his left foot to score his 15th goal for Manchester United in the 2007/08 season. Ronaldo was due to return to United for a second stint in 2021 but left the club last year after differences with coach Eric ten Hag.
In the East Zone, defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan were beaten 2–0 by South Korea’s Pohang Steelers, who scored on either side of halftime through Jeong Jae-hee and Goh Young-jun in Saitama. Urawa now face a battle to qualify for the knockout stages after picking up just four points from their three Group J games so far, just like China’s Wuhan Three Towns, who beat Hanoi for the first time. They beat FC 2–1.
Interesting facts about Cristiano Ronaldo
- Record Goal Scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the all-time leading goal-scorers in the history of football. He has consistently been among the top goal-scorers in the world throughout his career.
- Versatile Player: He is known for his incredible versatility on the field. Ronaldo has played in various positions during his career, including winger, forward, and even as a central striker.
- Hat-Trick Specialist: Ronaldo is well-known for his ability to score hat-tricks (three goals in a single game). He has scored numerous hat-tricks throughout his career, setting several records in the process.
- Multiple Ballon d’Or Winner: Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or award multiple times, which is given to the best player in the world. His rivalry with Lionel Messi has been a central theme in the football world for many years.
- Successful Club Career: He has had successful stints at top clubs, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and a return to Manchester United, where he’s made significant impacts and won numerous titles.
- International Success: Ronaldo is also a key figure for the Portuguese national team. He has led Portugal to victory in the UEFA European Championship (Euro 2016) and the UEFA Nations League (2019).