Cristiano Ronaldo was seen attempting a bicycle kick in Al-Nassr‘s recent match against PSG. The attempt rolled back the years and, at the same time, worked as a sad reminder to the fans of the waning abilities of the superstar as he failed to score his attempt.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr faced the French giants following their disappointing pre-season camp in Portugal. The Saudi Arabian Club suffered a shameful 5-0 and 4-1 defeat against Celta Vigo and Benfica respectively. Therefore, they were hoping to make a positive impact on their Japan tour.
Al-Nassr, however, failed to do so as they drew 0-0 in an underwhelming match. Cristiano Ronaldo failed to get his name on the scoresheet despite his repeated attempts. However, the fans got a glimpse of Ronaldo’s attempt at a bicycle kick reminiscent of his beautiful goal for Real Madrid against Juventus.
Bicycle attempt from Ronaldo.
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) July 25, 2023
The player was offside as well in his attempt to score the goal. Fans have expressed their disappointment in the player. One fan was seen writing, “Embarrassing miles of offside.”
While another fan expressed how the former Manchester United failed a one-on-one offside trap. They wrote, “Blood missed an offside one on one.”
Another fan was seen asking for a penalty so that Ronaldo could score from the spot. They wrote, “Somebody give that man a penalty so he can score a goal.”
Although some fans praised the player for trying to score an extraordinary goal even at the age of 38, it is clear that his best years are behind him.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s downfall over the years
Despite being at the peak of the pyramid for the better part of two decades, the Portuguese has shown signs of deterioration over the years. Ronaldo became one of the most talked about players in the world in his first stint at Manchester United. However, his career reached its peak when he made a switch to the Spanish club Real Madrid.
At Real Madrid, Ronaldo won two La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues, two Copas del Rey, two Supercopas, three UEFA Supercups, and three FIFA Club World Cups. Furthermore, he won the prestigious Ballon d’Or four times during his time at the Spanish club.
The player’s decline in performance started after his surprising move to the Italian side Juventus in 2018. Ronaldo was still scoring goals and assists, however, he struggled with inconsistency. His impact on games became infrequent with time.
Cristiano ronaldo winning 5 trophies & scoring 101 goals (with 22 assists) in 134 matches for Juventus, is definitely the most underrated achievement of his career. 🤯🐐 pic.twitter.com/6tGBfqX2Pr
— TCR. (@TeamCRonaldo) July 22, 2023
The Portuguese’s stat of 101 goals in 134 matches was impressive. However, fans had expected more from the player as this was poor according to his standards.
Fans judged the player for the said reason. Furthermore, it looked like the Italian club struggled to handle the pressure of having a high-profile player like Ronaldo in their team.
The Portuguese player then made a return to his former club Manchester United where things turned worse for him. The then 36-year-old player could not run to great distances anymore and also struggled to score goals. He was dropped for younger players in the squad.
Ronaldo scored 27 goals in 54 matches. This was not a poor record, however, it was nowhere near Ronaldo’s usual standards. The Manchester United fans blamed the player for the club’s performances. Furthermore, Ronaldo lost his position in the starting XI of the team.
This did not sit right with the Portuguese player as he went on to criticize the manager publically in an interview with Piers Morgan. This marked the end of Ronaldo’s time at his former club Manchester United.
Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr after his time at Old Trafford. He registered 14 goals and two assists in 19 appearances last season. He is currently preparing for his first full season with the Saudi club. Therefore, only time would tell if he will be able to retain his previous goalscoring standards.
