Despite Stopping Cristiano Ronaldo For 18 Years, Portugal’s Next Rivals Lavish Praise on Al Nassr Star as He Returns From Ban

Cristiano Ronaldo is gearing up to participate in the forthcoming matches of the 2024 Euro Qualifiers. The Portuguese captain was absent in the last game against Luxembourg after scoring five goals in six games. Meanwhile, a Slovakian star highly praised CR7 prior to their group-stage match in the qualifiers.

Roberto Martinez included Ronaldo in Portugal’s 26-man squad to face Slovakia this Friday and Bosnia and Herzegovina three days later. Ronnie made a stellar performance with 11 goals and six assists for Al Nassr, leading to his well-deserved spot on the national team. Furthermore, CR7’s game against Slovakia holds great significance in his career after scoring blanks against the nation for 18 years.

What did the Napoli star remark about Cristiano Ronaldo?

Portugal will play Slovakia in the seventh match after a six-game winning streak in the group stage. They are nearing the main rounds in Germany next year with groundbreaking performances from the squad. Portugal’s captain is the most-capped player, with 201 appearances and 123 goals in the process. However, the Los Blancos maestro has failed to make the scoresheet against their upcoming rival, Slovakia, since scoring in 2005.

Nevertheless, Stanislav Lobotka, the Slovakian star, acknowledged Ronaldo’s legacy and his goal-scoring ability with the national squad. Napoli’s midfielder hailed him as the greatest player of this decade and admired him for his tactical masterclass. Lobotka said, “Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best players in the world and even half a chance is enough for him to score a goal”.

Meanwhile, Al Nassr’s captain missed the previous qualifier match against Luxembourg. It was a rare occurrence in Ronaldo’s career to face suspension in a national fixture.

CR7 is back with Portugal after missing the qualifier game

Portugal dominated Luxembourg with a thrashing 9-0 win in the home fixture. Roberto Martinez’s men did not let their game impact Ronnie’s absence with an emphatic performance in the attacking third. Additionally, Cristiano Ronaldo missed the game due to a yellow card during their 1-0 victory against Slovakia.

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The Red Devil icon received a booking due to a high-booted challenge on Slovakian goalkeeper Martin Dubravka during the match. Ronaldo started the lineup with a yellow card, and this robust tackle forced him to sit out of the next group-stage game. The 5x Ballon d’Or winner will face the same rival following positive performances in the domestic fixture. Furthermore, Ronaldo is on the verge of making history by potentially becoming the first player to qualify for his sixth European Championship, following Portugal’s illustrious qualifier campaign.

Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo will score in the next game against Slovakia? Comment and share your thoughts.

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