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Cristiano Ronaldo's mother Dolores Aveiro recently shared a picture with the former Manchester United forward ahead of Portugal's Euro qualifier against Iceland.
The Portuguese football team will lock horns against Iceland in their last Euro qualifier on Sunday, November 19. Before the match, Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo's mother Dolores Aveiro uploaded a snap with the Portuguese attacker on her Instagram account.
She captioned the post:
"FORCA PORTUGAL"
Portugal last faced Liechtenstein at the Rheinpark Stadium on November 17 (Friday). Cristiano Ronaldo (46') and Joao Cancelo (57') scored for Seleção das Quinas and helped them record a 2-0 win away.
The 39-year-old is the highest goalscorer for Portugal in the Euro qualifiers. Moreover, he's also the joint top-scorer with 10 goals alongside Belgium's Romelu Lukaku.
Seleção das Quinas have already secured a spot in the 2024 EURO as they have recorded nine wins in nine fixtures. Slovakia have also passed the qualification criteria by being the runner-up of Group J, behind Portugal.
Liverpool legend attributes Cristiano Ronaldo for Saudi Pro League's increased popularity
Former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has said that Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Manchester United to join Al-Nassr helped the Saudi Pro League become popular. The Portuguese legend joined the Saudi Arabian side earlier this year in January after his contract with United was mutually terminated.
Earlier this summer, during the transfer window, several huge names in the world of football joined the Saudi Pro League. The likes of Karim Benzema, Neymar Jr, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Riyad Mahrez, have joined the Middle Eastern football league.
Steven Gerrard was also appointed Al-Ettifaq manager in the summer. Addressing Ronaldo's move, the Englishman affirmed that it piqued his interest in the league, saying (via Liverpool Echo):
“The arrival of ‘The GOAT’ as we call him, Cristiano (Ronaldo), him arriving in January obviously (was) a huge signing. He still had a lot of football to offer. So, from afar, for six months, I was looking in at Cristiano Ronaldo’s results, at the league, watching some games and watching some highlights."
He added:
"I think from that moment, the league around the world had become a very popular talking point for everyone. After Cristiano’s arrival, even more, big-name signings, talents and skill sets were joining the league."
After a brief managerial stint with Premier League side Aston Villa, Gerrard was sacked in 2022. After hesitating to join the Saudi Pro League for a while, he later decided to manage Al-Ettifaq, where he was reunited with Jordan Henderson, earlier this summer. Al-Ettifaq are currently on the seventh spot in the league with 22 points in 13 appearances.
