Al-Nassr coach Rudi García does not expect Cristiano Ronaldo to end his career in Saudi Arabia. The Frenchman made that prediction after the loss in the semi-finals of the Super Cup tournament.
Al-Nassr lost 3-1 in the Super Cup semi-final . Ronaldo missed a great opportunity to equalize with a 1-0 deficit. From a cross, however, he headed into the hands of keeper Marcelo Grohe. Trainer Rudi García thought it was an important moment. He said, “That chance was ultimately one of the moments that determined the course of the match.”
The loss caused Ronaldo to see his first prize in Saudi Arabia go up in smoke. Afterwards, García looked back on the performance of the 37-year-old Portuguese in conversation with Marca . He added, “Cristiano missed an opportunity in the first half that could have turned the game around, but I congratulate Al-Ittihad. They were much better than us for rest. After that we did react, but we couldn’t turn it around anymore. We are now missing out on the Super Cup, but we are still at the top of the league.”
Messi chants
Al-Ittihad qualified for the final against Al-Fayha by winning. Ronaldo drifted off and despite the presence of a large group of Al-Nassr fans, there were also supporters of the opponent who added some salt to the wound. They sang the name of Lionel Messi somewhat childishly to defy Ronaldo. For many years, Messi was Ronaldo’s great rival in Spain and the only competitor for the title of ‘best footballer of the moment’.
The 58-year-old coach then discussed the impact of Ronaldo in his team. “He’s a positive addition, he helps us break down defenses. It is very important that our players continue to play normally and do not pass every ball to Cristiano. But when he is free and asks for the ball, they must of course do so. Cristiano is one of the best players in the world,” said García, followed by a remarkable prediction.
Ronaldo signed a contract in Saudi Arabia until mid-2025, by which time he will be over forty. Still, García doesn’t think the Portuguese is on his last adventure as a player. “Cristiano will not finish his career with Al-Nassr, he will return to Europe,” the coach predicted.
