SUMMARY
- On March 4, 2024, Al-Ain defeated Al-Nassr by 1-0.
- During the match, Cristiano Ronaldo attempted a failed dribble.
Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably one of the greatest goal-scorers of all time. The Portuguese have a huge number of goals to bag this claim. What is more fascinating about his goalscoring record is that the 39-year-old has done it in a multitude of leagues. CR7 has won the Golden Boot in the leagues of England, Spain, and Italy, which is a truly remarkable feat.
The 🐐 Cristiano Ronaldo at 36:
•EURO 2020 Golden Boot
•Serie A Golden Boot
•Most Goals against EPL’s Big 6
•Most Game winning goals in EPL pic.twitter.com/jZrq9jneJH— TCR. (@TeamCRonaldo) January 20, 2024
However, one aspect of the Portuguese’s game that has seen a downfall is his dribbling. And a recent clip from Al-Nassr’s game might prove the same.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s hilarious dribbling failure against Al Ain
The Portuguese traveled with his club to Abu Dhabi, UAE, to face Al-Ain in the first leg of the AFC Champions League 23/24 Quarter Finals. The 39-year-old’s club, Al-Nassr FC, trailed 1-0 at halftime thanks to a goal from Al-Ain forward Soufiane Rahimi. However, the talking point of the first time wasn’t the Moroccan’s finish, but rather a mishap by CR7. Cristiano Ronaldo comedically failed to control the ball while attempting to dribble past his opponent.
🚨🎥 | Cristiano Ronaldo the pure footballer 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/2ScJTXSk7X
— PSG Chief (@psg_chief) March 4, 2024
The former Real Madrid attempted to combine the sideways drag and stepovers to deceive the opposition. But in doing so, Cristiano lost the ball in a clueless fashion. Al-Ain’s defensive midfielder, Yahia Nader, saved CR7 from humiliation due to his rash tackle from behind.
However, this is not the first time Cristiano Ronaldo has failed to perform tricks on the soccer pitch. This has been a problem for the Portuguese for a long time, especially after 2014.
Why can’t Cristiano Ronaldo dribble anymore?
One of the best answers to the question is the knee condition that Cristiano sustained in the 2013–14 season. The Portuguese are apparently playing with a ‘heavy knee’ due to tendinitis, which was discovered in 2014. This diagnosis came right before the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which ruined Portuguese plans. Despite giving his best, Cristiano Ronaldo could only score one goal in the tournament, as Portugal had to exit in the group stages.
Tendinitis causes the tendons in the legs to irritate, which causes swelling. This significantly hampers the agility of sportsmen, as the knee becomes incapable of heavy running.
This is why Cristiano Ronaldo, too, had to change his approach to his game. The flashy winger of Manchester United and early Real Madrid days has now become a serious goal-poacher. He started playing as an inverted winger or striker to avoid dribbling out wide. In short, Cristiano had to stop dribbling heavily due to his long-standing knee problem.
However, the setback also shows Ronaldo’s smart mentality. The Portuguese faced adversity bravely and used it to his advantage. CR7 has now become an elite goal scorer, banging goals for fun.