The Moroccan international goalkeeper Yassine Bounou recently ventured into the Middle East with the Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal. The 32-year-old signed for Al-Hilal in August 2023, after leaving his previous La Liga club Sevilla FC. His current contract at the Saudi-based side runs till June 2026.
Yassine Bounou (also called Yassine Bono) has played 11 matches for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League this season so far. The Moroccan goalkeeper has managed to keep an impressive tally of seven clean sheets in these matches. He has conceded six goals as the club’s goalkeeper till now.
As per the reports, the Al-Hilal goalkeeper had something to say about a couple of incidents related to Portuguese veteran Cristiano Ronaldo. The 32-year-old reportedly stated that CR7 is one of his best friends. He further asserted that – “I remember that he (Ronaldo) scored 4 goals against me at Bernabeu”.
The goalkeeper recalled that after that particular match in 2018, Ronaldo was accompanied by his son. According to Bono, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. said to him – “My father scored four goals against you”. Just like Bono, CR7 now also plays in the Saudi Pro League. The veteran represents the club Al-Nassr.
Yassine Bounou: “Cristiano Ronaldo is currently one of my best friends, I remember that he scored 4 goals against me at the Bernabeu. After the match, he was with his son and his son said to me: “My father scored four goals against you.”
His son, after he grew up, also told me… pic.twitter.com/AC2zF1y9yD
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) November 20, 2023
The report terms, that Yassine Bounou further went on and expressed that after Cristiano Ronaldo’s son grew up, he told him in Saudi Arabia – “Bono, we will see when my father scores some goals against you”, the Al-Hilal goalkeeper reportedly stated.
It can be inferred from the Moroccan’s statement that he still remembers the words of CR7 Junior to this date. It would be interesting for the fans to see the friendly rivalry between Bono and Ronaldo when they come up against each other again in the Saudi Pro League.
Yassine Bounou on the challenge of facing players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
As per an earlier report (by GOAL), the Moroccan international goalkeeper termed CR7 and Lionel Messi as his toughest opponents. The 32-year-old during his time with the Spanish club Sevilla insisted that he was lucky enough to have faced some of the greatest players.
Bono reportedly stated – “I have had to face Messi, Ronaldo, and lots of great players, really good forwards and strikers”. The player further expressed that when one faces players like Leo and CR7 “in front” of them as an opponent one should “be ready to see what can happen”, Bono assertively inflicted.
It can be drawn from his statements, that despite labeling it as one of his major challenges, the Moroccan international rejoiced facing such sort of big-name players during his time in Spain with the La Liga club Sevilla FC.