• Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates on his debut for Al Nassr with teammate Anderson Talisca, who scored the winner in the 1-0 Saudi Pro League victory over Al Ettifaq at Mrsool Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 22, 2023. Reuters
    Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates on his debut for Al Nassr with teammate Anderson Talisca, who scored the winner in the 1-0 Saudi Pro League victory over Al Ettifaq at Mrsool Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on January 22, 2023. Reuters
  • Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with Anderson Talisca, who scored Al Nassr's winner against Al Ettifaq. Reuters
    Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with Anderson Talisca, who scored Al Nassr's winner against Al Ettifaq. Reuters
  • Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with Anderson Talisca. Reuters
    Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with Anderson Talisca. Reuters
  • Cristiano Ronaldo makes a run on his Al Nassr debut. Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo makes a run on his Al Nassr debut. Getty
  • Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Al Nassr against Al Ettifaq. Reuters
    Cristiano Ronaldo in action for Al Nassr against Al Ettifaq. Reuters
  • Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates Anderson Talisca's winning goal. Reuters
    Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates Anderson Talisca's winning goal. Reuters
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr runs with the ball. Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr runs with the ball. Getty
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr during the game at Mrsool Park Stadium. Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr during the game at Mrsool Park Stadium. Getty
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr during the game against Al Ittifaq. Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr during the game against Al Ittifaq. Getty
  • Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Saudi Pro League match between Al Nassr and Al Ittifaq. Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Saudi Pro League match between Al Nassr and Al Ittifaq. Getty
  • Al Nassr's Anderson Talisca celebrates scoring their winner with Cristiano Ronaldo. Reuters
    Al Nassr's Anderson Talisca celebrates scoring their winner with Cristiano Ronaldo. Reuters
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo fights for the ball. AP
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo fights for the ball. AP
  • All Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo checks on teammate Pity Martinez during the game. AFP
    All Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo checks on teammate Pity Martinez during the game. AFP
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr before kick-off. Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr before kick-off. Getty
  • RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 22: Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr leads the team out prior to the Saudi Pro League match between Al Nassr and Al-Ittifaq Club at Mrsool Park Stadium on January 22, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh / Getty Images)
    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 22: Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr leads the team out prior to the Saudi Pro League match between Al Nassr and Al-Ittifaq Club at Mrsool Park Stadium on January 22, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh / Getty Images)
  • Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo takes a shot. AFP
    Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo takes a shot. AFP
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr during the game. Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr during the game. Getty
  • Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates Al Nassr's winner with teammates. AFP
    Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates Al Nassr's winner with teammates. AFP
  • Cristiano Ronaldo takes a free-kick during. AFP
    Cristiano Ronaldo takes a free-kick during. AFP
  • Cristiano Ronaldo dribbles with the ball. AFP
    Cristiano Ronaldo dribbles with the ball. AFP
  • Al Nassr's Anderson Talisca celebrates scoring their winner with Ali Al Lajami and Cristiano Ronaldo. Reuters
    Al Nassr's Anderson Talisca celebrates scoring their winner with Ali Al Lajami and Cristiano Ronaldo. Reuters
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the match. EPA
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the match. EPA
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo wins a header. EPA
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo wins a header. EPA
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo greets supporters ahead of the match against Al Ettifaq. AFP
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo greets supporters ahead of the match against Al Ettifaq. AFP
  • Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo battles at a corner-kick. AFP
    Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo battles at a corner-kick. AFP
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr before the game. Getty
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr before the game. Getty
  • A supporter of Al Nassr with a Cristiano Ronaldo shirt. AFP
    A supporter of Al Nassr with a Cristiano Ronaldo shirt. AFP
  • Al Nassr fans sit under a giant poster of Cristiano Ronaldo. AP
    Al Nassr fans sit under a giant poster of Cristiano Ronaldo. AP
  • A fan of Al Nassr's holds up a Cristiano Ronaldo poster before the match. Reuters
    A fan of Al Nassr's holds up a Cristiano Ronaldo poster before the match. Reuters
  • A fan Al Nassr with a Cristiano Ronaldo banner. Getty
    A fan Al Nassr with a Cristiano Ronaldo banner. Getty

Cristiano Ronaldo thanks fans for 'incredible support' after Al Nassr debut


Steve Luckings
  • English
  • Arabic

Cristiano Ronaldo thanked fans for their "incredible support" as the Portuguese superstar marked his first game for new club Al Nassr with a win on Sunday.

Following last week's high-profile exhibition match, in which Ronaldo captained a Riyadh Allstar XI against his old rival Lionel Messi and his Paris Saint-Germain teammates, Ronaldo was handed the captain's armband by Nassr coach Rudi Garcia for his Saudi Pro League debut.

The 37-year-old helped his new club to a 1-0 victory against Al Ettifaq at Mrsool Park to take his side back to the top of the table ahead of Riyadh rivals Al Hilal, who have a game in hand, by one point.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus striker Ronaldo failed to get on the scoresheet, with Brazilian teammate Anderson Taslica claiming the game's only goal on 30 minutes.

"First game, first win - well done guys. Thanks to all the fans for incredible support," Ronaldo tweeted after the match.

Portugal captain Ronaldo joined Nassr in November after terminating his Manchester United contract by mutual consent. He signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Nassr understood to be worth more than $200 million per year.

Nassr's next game is against third-placed Al Ittihad on Thursday, albeit in the Saudi Super Cup.

Updated: January 24, 2023, 6:03 AM