The transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia has been a rollercoaster journey. The striker was in good limelight after signing for the Middle Eastern club and even made two decent debuts.
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The 37-year-old scored a brace in the friendly against Lionel Messi’s PSG, thus giving fans a night full of treats. However, his performance isn’t up to par after signing a lucrative $200 million-a-year deal.
The skipper’s performance is being questioned, and rather than goals and glory, Ronaldo is facing a significant backlash from Saudi Arabian fans.
Gaffer makes huge Cristiano Ronaldo claim
It seems things have taken a U-turn as the former Madrid man is getting criticized by Al-Nassr fans. The Portuguese icon made a shocking move that was touted as a major hit. Fans had high expectations from their star player. However, everything has turned against him.
His side recently endured a heavy defeat in the Saudi Cup game against Al-Ittihad. Rudi Garcia’s side was thrashed 3-1, and he has given half the blame to his star signing. The former Lille manager pointed fingers at his No. 7 after he missed a couple of clear goal-scoring chances in the first half.
The Frenchman had urged his teammates not to play every ball to Ronaldo and to play accordingly as a team. “It is very important that the players play normally and don’t always try to give Cristiano the ball.”
Rudi Garcia [Al Nassr coach]:
"Ronaldo asks for the ball a lot and we have to give him the ball because he is a player who makes the difference. We need to work on that." pic.twitter.com/ceLfj8fA1I
— The CR7 Timeline. (@TimelineCR7) January 25, 2023
“I told them they had to make the right decisions on the field. Obviously, when Cristiano or Talisca are alone and ask for the ball, we have to give them the ball.“
The boss also had some critical analysis of his game. “These two players are capable of making a difference. I think sometimes we had good crossing positions, but there were not enough people in the box, sometimes not Ronaldo or Talisca.”
“We have to work on it, have one of them in the area and maybe the other will play outside the area.” he added.
Future beyond the Middle East
This wasn’t the end of constructive criticism that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner got. In fact, Garcia made a huge claim about Ronaldo’s future. “Cristiano Ronaldo is a positive addition, as he helps to disperse defenders. He is one of the best players in the world. He will not finish his career at Al Nassr and he will return to Europe.”
However, back when he arrived at the club, he had a different statement: “My work in Europe is done. I won everything. I played for the most important clubs in Europe. For me now is a new challenge!”
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🚨🎙️ Rudi Garcia: "Cristiano is one of the greatest players in history. It is an honour for us to welcome him here."
(🗣️ Press Conference) pic.twitter.com/CUWQfn2022
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) January 3, 2023
Ronaldo has reportedly signed a 2.5-year contract with the Middle Eastern club. It is obvious that by the time his contract ends, he will be 40 years old. Moreover, it’s too early to decide about his future.
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After all, winning and losing are part of the game, and it’s just a minor setback that Ronaldo is facing. Moreover, his previous records prove how much he has conquered in different leagues.