Former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted at half-time before 10-man Al-Nassr produced a remarkable comeback to beat Al-Ettifaq, as detailed by the Daily Mirror.
The 41-year-old was making his first start under new manager Ange Postecoglou on Tuesday. Al-Nassr had won their previous two matches without their captain in the starting line-up.
Postecoglou makes decisive half-time call
The visitors endured a dreadful start when goalkeeper Bento was sent off in the 12th minute following a challenge on former Fulham striker Moussa Dembele.
Al-Ettifaq took advantage through goals from Ondrej Duda and Alvaro Medran, with 18-year-old replacement goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Otaibi making errors in the build-up to both.
Ronaldo appeared frustrated as he made his way towards the dressing room at the interval. The Mirror reports that he shrugged his shoulders towards someone in the tunnel before removing his captain’s armband.
Postecoglou then left the Portugal international on the bench for the second half, changing Al-Nassr’s approach as they attempted to recover from a two-goal deficit with 10 men.
Sadio Mane began the fightback in the 74th minute before Abdulelah Al-Amri equalised. Mane struck again with only seconds of normal time remaining to complete a dramatic 3-2 victory.
Postecoglou explains Ronaldo decision
Although Ronaldo’s reaction attracted attention, Postecoglou insisted that the performance of his depleted side deserved to dominate the discussion.
“I think there’s a bigger story today, and that is that 10 men of Al-Nassr were unbelievable,” Postecoglou told journalists. “That’s all you should write about today, everything else doesn’t matter.”
The former Tottenham Hotspur manager added: “It doesn’t matter what team because if you see 10 men in those conditions for so long, 2-0 down to come back, that’s the only story today.”
Postecoglou also presented the substitution as a tactical and fitness-related call, pointing out that Ronaldo had not played for a considerable period before returning to the team.
“When I made the substitutions, including taking Ronaldo off, I believed the players coming on could make an impact,” he explained. “I came here to help the players, so as I said, I’m proud of them because every substitute made a positive contribution.”
He maintained that Ronaldo had performed “exceptionally well” during the first half, but said Al-Nassr opted to pursue a different approach after the break.
Familiar echoes for United supporters
The episode is particularly notable from a United perspective because Ronaldo remains one of the most celebrated players in the club’s history. During his first Old Trafford spell, between 2003 and 2009, he developed from a gifted winger into a Ballon d’Or winner before joining Real Madrid.
His return in 2021 initially brought goals and huge excitement, but his second spell ended in far more difficult circumstances. Frustration over his role under Erik ten Hag increasingly became a public issue.
Ronaldo refused to enter as a substitute against Tottenham in October 2022 and left Old Trafford before the match had finished. He was subsequently left out of the squad for the following game.
The relationship broke down completely after his interview with Piers Morgan, during which he criticised United and said he did not respect Ten Hag. His contract was terminated by mutual agreement in November 2022.
That history means any visible disagreement involving Ronaldo and a manager will inevitably remind United supporters of the closing weeks of his second spell. Postecoglou, however, avoided escalating the situation and kept his public comments focused on fitness, tactics and the collective performance.
It remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will start Friday’s home match against Al-Taawoun. Al-Nassr then face Al-Ittihad, who sit second behind them in the table, making Postecoglou’s next selection call particularly significant.
Final Thoughts
- Ronaldo was substituted at half-time with Al-Nassr trailing 2-0.
- Ten-man Al-Nassr recovered to win 3-2 through two Mane goals.
- Postecoglou described the change as a tactical, fitness-related decision.
- Ronaldo’s next starting opportunity could come against Al-Taawoun.
Featured image by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images
