Cristiano Ronaldo started and played a key role in the 1-0 win over Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League at Alawwal Park, but he was not at full strength.
The 41-year-old forward played despite severe stomach discomfort and had to be substituted near the end of the match after showing clear signs of distress, but it was later revealed that he ended up vomiting after heading to the locker room.
CR7 played while sick against Al-Ettifaq
The Portuguese star remained on the field through the full 90 minutes, but when six minutes of stoppage time were added, he asked to be substituted, and Abdullah Al-Hamdan came on in his place. However, the story didn’t end there.
After the match, Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus admitted (via GOAL) that Ronaldo wasn’t 100% physically even before the game, but that he played anyway and ended up vomiting:
I thought about not starting him; he wasn't well. He had a stomachache and was very tired, and when I took him out, he went to the locker room and vomited.
Despite feeling under the weather, "El Bicho" led the attack and was involved in the first and only goal of the match. After a powerful shot from outside the box that was saved by goalkeeper Marek Rodak, his teammate Kingsley Coman capitalized on the rebound and gave Al Nassr the winning goal. He tried to score on two other occasions but failed to find the net.
"+3. Great energy from the stands!,” Cristiano wrote on Instagram, without mentioning his health condition.
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Meanwhile, the recent victory was the team's 15th of the season, bringing their total to 76 points and keeping Al Nassr in the fight for their first league title since 2018-19 and what would be the 41-year-old Portuguese star’s first with the Saudi club.
CR7 is the all-time leading scorer with 968 goals, but he will now have to wait until the match against Al-Wasl this Sunday, April 19, in the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League 2 to add to his tally.
Meanwhile, the team will play its next Saudi Professional League match at home on Wednesday, April 29, against Al-Ahli, in a direct clash at the top of the table. Al-Ahli currently sits in 3rd place, while Al-Nassr seeks to consolidate its lead.
