Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr teammate set to return to group training after long injury lay-off: Reports

Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr teammate David Ospina is reportedly set to rejoin his club's first-team training later this month. The goalkeeper is said to have recovered from his recent thigh injury.

Ospina, 35, joined Al-Nassr on a free switch after leaving Serie A club Napoli in the summer of 2022. He recorded nine clean sheets in 14 outings across competitions before fracturing his elbow in January 2023.

After recovering from his elbow injury, the former Arsenal star returned to action for Colombia in a 3-2 friendly win over Mexico last December. He played in Al-Nassr's 6-0 friendly victory against Inter Miami earlier this month, but injured his thigh in his return to action.

Now, according to Saudi Arabian news website Arriyadiyah, Ospina is set to return to Al-Nassr group training later this week. He participated in individual training past weekend, prior to his team's recent 3-2 win at Al-Shabab, after a treatment session at the club's clinic.

Ospina, who is yet to play alongside Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, lifted four trophies during his time at Arsenal and Napoli. While he made 70 overall appearances for Arsenal, he featured in 103 matches for the latter.

Rodrygo names Cristiano Ronaldo as idol

Earlier this month, Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo named Al-Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo as his role model. He said (h/t X/MadridXtra):

"Cristiano Ronaldo is my role model. He's like a superhero. I've always followed him since I was little. He was the player I admired the most. I don't know him personally that much but I saw him once and I was able to take a picture with him. It was one of the most special moments as I had the opportunity to meet my role model."

Hailing the former Real Madrid forward's longevity, Rodrygo concluded:

"Even at the age of 39, he continues to play and score many goals, so he is without a doubt a great source of inspiration for me."

Ronaldo, who turned 39 earlier in February, has shown no signs of stopping in the twilight of his professional career. He has scored 34 goals and recorded 11 assists in 35 games for Al-Nassr so far this season.

During his time at Real Madrid, the 205-cap Portugal international won a whopping 16 trophies, including four UEFA Champions League crowns and two La Liga titles. He scored a club-record 450 goals in just 438 overall appearances, registering 131 assists in the process.