Cristiano Ronaldo is a born leader. The Portuguese showed it again to Sadio Mané after the match against Al-Ettifaq. A sequence that made the rounds on the web.
Friday afternoon marked the return of the Saudi Pro League, with three matches on the programme for matchday 18. Two of the matches involved teams on the podium: Al-Nassr (2nd) and Al-Ahli (3rd), who played Al-Ettifaq and Al-Hazem respectively, while Al-Hilal, who beat Abha 7-0 on Thursday evening, dominated the standings.
Cristiano Ronaldo and his rivals on target
Cristiano Ronaldo and his team-mates had no trouble in claiming victory at home to Steven Gerrard’s side, winning 3-1. An Alex Telles missile into the top left-hand corner in the 43rd minute, followed by goals from Marcelo Brozovic in the 59th minute and Cristiano Ronaldo from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute, reinforced the penalty for Moussa Dembélé’s side.
The performance maintained Al-Hilal’s three-point lead over second-placed Al-Ahli, who won 4-0 away to Al-Hazem. The scorers in that match were Riyad Mahrez on 45+1 minutes, Gabri Veiga on 58 minutes, Firas Al-Buraikan on 81 minutes and Merih Demiral on 90+1 minutes. These results give the promoted side an early lead over Al-Taawon, who take on Al-Fateh this Saturday.
And after the thrilling encounter with Al-Ettifaq on Friday, Cristiano Ronaldo drew widespread admiration. He made a gesture of respect towards Sadio Mané. This show of affection underlined not only Ronaldo’s sportsmanship, but also his exemplary leadership both on and off the pitch.
Cristiano Ronaldo honours Sadio Mané
Sadio Mane put in a remarkable performance during the match, which captured the attention of the Al-Nassr fans. As a mark of their appreciation, they unfurled an impressive tifo featuring Sadio Mané seated on a royal throne, symbolising his undisputed status within the team.
Sadio Mané seemed slightly shy in the face of such praise, reacting humbly to this show of respect from his supporters. However, Cristiano Ronaldo, always attentive to the dynamics of the game and the emotions of his players, decided to take matters into his own hands to pay tribute to his team-mate.
CR7 read the situation and decided to put Sadio Mané centre stage. With a friendly gesture, Ronaldo pushed Mané towards the Al-Nassr fans, who reacted with a unanimous ovation. Passionate chants of “Sadio, Sadio, Sadio” echoed around the stadium, testifying to the affection and appreciation the fans have for the Senegalese striker.
The title ‘King Sadio Mané’ seems appropriate, especially in light of the evocative image. As the Senegalese striker played his last home match before joining the Senegalese national team in preparation for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals, Al-Nassr fans unfurled a spectacular tifo at the AL-AWWAL PARK stadium to salute their Senegalese international as they hosted Al-Ettifaq on Friday.
Although Sadio Mané failed to score in the 3-1 win over Steven Gerrard’s side, he was generous on the left flank, even scoring the penalty for Al-Nassr’s third goal. In front of a 25,000-strong crowd, the former Liverpool player expressed his gratitude for the gesture, with almost all his team-mates, CR7 in the front row, at his side as he made his way towards the tifo.
It was a poignant scene that once again revealed Cristiano Ronaldo’s indisputable leadership and the positive dynamic that reigns within the Al-Nassr team. The relationship between Ronaldo and Mané transcends rivalries on the pitch, highlighting a genuine camaraderie between two of the best strikers in the world.
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