Cristiano Ronaldo makes Al Nassr debut after waiting for his big moment

Cristiano Ronaldo was handed a debut for Al Nassr against Al Ittifaq on Sunday as the veteran striker made his first Saudi Pro League appearance.

Real Madrid’s record goalscorer is set to play out the final years of his club career in Saudi Arabia, having signed a lucrative contract through to 2025 in December.

His debut for Al Nassr was delayed as 37-year-old Ronaldo served a two-match ban imposed by the English Football Association for an incident that saw him slap a phone from the hand of a young Everton supporter in a game at Goodison Park last season.

However, he was cleared to make his Al Nassr bow at last, with a new chapter beginning for the player who began his career at Sporting CP and also starred for Manchester United and Juventus.

Ronaldo was handed the captain’s armband, having already featured for a Riyadh All-Stars team – scoring twice – against Lionel Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain this week.

|| Starting lineup,@AlNassrFC vs @Ettifaq pic.twitter.com/zmXDCrmwhZ

— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) January 22, 2023