Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Saudi Arabian membership Al Nassr on a 2-1/2 yr deal, a month after the 37-year-old ahead turned a free agent when his contract with Premier League membership Manchester United was terminated.
Here is what it’s good to know in regards to the membership:
WHAT IS AL NASSR’S HISTORY?
* Formed in 1955, Al Nassr is predicated within the Saudi capital of Riyadh and the membership performs within the nation’s high division – the Saudi Professional League (SPL), which has 16 groups.
* It completed third final season, six factors behind champions Al Hilal.
* Al Nassr are the second-most profitable crew within the league with 9 titles. Their final win was within the 2018-19 season. Only Al Hilal, additionally based mostly in Riyadh, have received extra titles (18).
* They have additionally received the nation’s knockout cup, the King’s Cup, six instances, most lately in 1990.
* The league’s all-time high scorer Majed Abdullah performed for Al Nassr. The former Saudi striker scored 189 objectives and averaged almost a objective a recreation.
* Al Nassr’s house floor is Mrsool Park, which has a capability of 25,000.
* Al Nassr’s finest efficiency in Asia’s premier membership competitors, the AFC Champions League, got here in 1995 after they completed runners-up.
* Saudi groups have received the AFC Champions League six instances, with Al Hilal claiming a report 4 titles whereas Al Ittihad received the continental competitors twice.
WHO IS AL NASSR’S COACH AND WHO IS IN THEIR SQUAD?
* Al Nassr are coached by Rudi Garcia, who beforehand managed Lille, AS Roma, Olympique Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais. The Frenchman has been in cost since June.
* SPL golf equipment can register eight international gamers however solely seven could be named in a matchday squad.
* Other notable international gamers within the squad embrace Cameroon’s World Cup hero Vincent Aboubakar – who modified the sport in opposition to Serbia and scored the winner to stun Brazil of their final group recreation in Qatar.
* Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, who beforehand performed for Arsenal and Napoli, in addition to former Brazil worldwide and midfielder Luiz Gustavo are additionally within the squad.
HOW ARE AL NASSR DOING IN THE CURRENT SEASON?
* Al Nassr go into 2023 sitting high of the league with 26 factors after 11 matches, having received eight video games and shedding simply as soon as. Al Shabab are some extent behind in second place with a recreation in hand.
* Brazilian midfielder Talisca is their high scorer this season with six objectives – a joint league-high.
* With the AFC altering the format for the Champions League, Ronaldo’s new crew should now win the league this season to qualify for the group stage of the 2023–24 version, which is about to start in September.
* Teams can even be allowed to discipline as much as six international gamers of their beginning line-ups within the AFC Champions League subsequent season. At least a type of gamers should be from one other Asian nation.
WHAT CAN RONALDO BRING TO AL NASSR?
* Ronaldo has scored over 700 objectives in membership soccer and over 100 in worldwide soccer to sit down high of the all-time scoring charts with 819 strikes.
* Despite United’s struggles final season, an ageing Ronaldo confirmed he nonetheless had some gasoline left within the tank when he completed high scorer with 24 objectives, together with 18 within the Premier League.
* But he struggled this season at United, scoring solely 3 times in all competitions earlier than his exit.
* In Qatar, he turned the primary participant to attain in 5 World Cups however he quickly misplaced his place within the beginning lineup after Portugal reached the knockout levels.
* Scoring objectives has not been an issue for Al Nassr this season, nonetheless, with the crew netting a league-high 25 objectives after 11 video games.
