"Ghosting against Saudi farmers" "So finished" - Twitter erupts as Cristiano Ronaldo disappoints in official Al-Nassr debut

Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to score on his debut for new club Al-Nassr as they faced Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday, January 22. The highest-paid player in the world, however, was on hand to bring 24,000 fans to Mrsool Park with his presence.

The energy was electric as the packed stadium displayed banners, shirts, and posters with the Portuguese ace's name. Cheers and applause echoed throughout the arena every time he touched the ball, creating a palpable sense of excitement and anticipation.

Despite Ronaldo's attempts, though, it was Brazilian Talisca who scored the only goal for Al-Nassr. He headed the ball into the net as the legendary forward was unable to reach it first. Talisca put in a stellar performance in the first half, scoring and showcasing excellent ball distribution all around.

At the end of the first half, fans were left to ponder the Portugal international's performance in his first competitive game since the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He was actively involved in his debut for Al-Nassr, but the forward seemed perhaps too eager to make an immediate impact.

This helped the opposing defense stifle him, leaving him little room to find space and secure the expected goal. The crowd was hoping to see a goal from the forward, but their dreams were dashed as the opposing goalkeeper kept his shots out.

When the second half commenced, Ronaldo was more at ease and generated some good opportunities. However, he was unable to reach expectations and score on his debut.

Al-Nassr went on to secure the victory and the three points that have enabled them to reclaim the top spot in the Saudi Pro League standings. Here is how Twitter reacted to Ronaldo's inability to find the net on his debut for Al-Nassr:

Cristiano Ronaldo sells 400 shirts per day

Al-Nassr's new star signing has been aiding shirt sales in their stores, according to Marca.

The store staff informed the publication that sales have been extremely brisk since the announcement of Ronaldo's signing. An average of 400 shirts are sold per day.

It's worth noting that the shirts are not inexpensive, with a total cost of around $100 each. As of the weekend, only children's sizes and XXXL adult sizes were available in the store. Smaller sizes have been sold out due to high demand.

Overall, it's clear that the forward's signing has had a major impact on the club's merchandise sales. Al-Nassr will hope to get a similar impact from him on the pitch as the season progresses.

About the author

Nnanna is a European and international football journalist who has been covering news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda for around 5 years. A keen interest in reading and football since an early age, watching games at local stadiums with family paved the way for him to take up the sport professionally.

Nnanna’s favorite club is English team Bolton Wanderers because he witnessed Nigeria legend Jay-Jay Okocha's play for them between 2002 and 2006. His favorite footballer is Ronaldinho due to the Brazilian's love for the sport and admires Pep Guardiola for redefining football tactics. As a former literature student, Nnanna reckons that the best way of connecting with the readers is to add a bit of empathy in his writing, and relies on trusted websites like Transfermarkt and WhoScored for his articles.

Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup trophy in 2022 is Nnanna’s favorite FIFA World Cup moment, and also follows Major League Soccer due to the diminutive Argentine. He strongly believes that Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland could be the next two superstars in the same light as legendary pair Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

When not writing, he likes to play Football Manager and other simulation games.

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