Cristiano Ronaldo will hardly remember with satisfaction the 22-23 season, characterised by difficult times, first in the ranks of Manchester United and then while playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
The sporting year ended for the Portuguese star with the certainty that his club would not be able to bring home any titles: they were ousted from both the 'supercup' and the 'national cup', and finished the championship in second place, beaten by Al Ittihad, a team in which former Fiorentina and Perugia player Hegazy and former Palermo players Coronado and Bruno Henrique play.
In the 16 matches played, Ronaldo scored 'only' 14 goals. These figures do not match his usual performances, especially in a league like Saudi Arabia, which is not exactly among the most competitive in the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo will hardly remember with satisfaction the 22-23 season, characterised by difficult moments, first in the ranks of Manchester United and then while playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
The year ended for the Portuguese star with the certainty that his club would not be able to bring home any titles: they were ousted from both the 'supercup' and the 'national cup', and finished the championship in second place, beaten by Al Ittihad, a team in which former Fiorentina and Perugia player Hegazy and former Palermo players Coronado and Bruno Henrique play.
In the 16 matches played, Ronaldo scored 'only' 14 goals. These figures do not match his usual performances, especially in a league like Saudi Arabia, which is not exactly among the most competitive in the world.
Ronaldo's season started amidst tensions with United's new manager, Ten Hag, who marginalised the living football legend until the problem broke out. Ronaldo lobbied to leave Manchester and the club, after fining him and terminating his contract, was more than willing to comply with his request.
Meanwhile, the World Cup took place in Qatar: Portugal was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Morocco, with Ronaldo gradually losing his starting position during the tournament, with the then coach, Fernando Santos, opting for Gonçalo Guedes.
In summary, at 38 years of age, Ronaldo's career is approaching its epilogue in a rather tangled manner: all this while his long-time opponent, Leo Messi, won the World Cup and Ligue 1, becoming the most awarded footballer of all time and laying a solid foundation for what could be his eighth 'Ballon d'Or'.