"He is so finished", "This is your GOAT?" - Lionel Messi fans call out Cristiano Ronaldo as he misses 'open net' goal in Al-Nassr's SPL clash

Lionel Messi's fans on X have criticized Al-Nassr ace Cristiano Ronaldo after he struggled to be clinical in front of goal despite scoring during their 2-0 win over Al-Ittihad. The two sides locked horns in the Saudi Pro League on Friday, September 26.

The Knights of Najd got off to a strong start, breaking the deadlock in the ninth minute via Sadio Mane's excellent strike into the bottom-left corner. Ronaldo went close several times soon after and doubled his side's advantage with a well-taken header in the 35th minute.

Cristiano Ronaldo had a golden opportunity to secure the win for his side in the 58th minute after he received the ball in the centre of the box. Despite the keeper not being in front of the goal, the Portugal international blazed his effort over the crossbar.

While Al-Nassr held on to their lead to secure an impressive 2-0 win, fans were unimpressed by Ronaldo's finishing. The 40-year-old landed just two shots on target from an attempted nine (22 percent accuracy), missing two big chances in the process.

One Lionel Messi fan posted:

"THIS IS YOUR GOAT?? Messi Masterclass and a Ronaldo disasterclass today? That's beautiful"

Another fan tweeted:

"He is so finished"

Other fans reacted below:

How did Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr perform during their 2-0 win over Al-Ittihad?

Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al-Nassr secured a statement win as they defeated Al-Ittihad 2-0 in a top-of-the-table clash. They remain at the top of the Saudi Pro League standings with 12 points from four games, three points above second-placed Al-Ittihad.

The hosts dominated possession with 55 percent of the ball, completing 370 passes with an accuracy of 86 percent. Meanwhile, the Knights of Najd had 45 percent possession and completed 296 passes with an accuracy of 84 percent.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. were much more impressive going forward, landing 21 shots in total, with three being on target (xG of 2.57). On the other hand, Al-Ittihad mustered eight shots in total, with two being on target (xG of 1.23).

Al-Nassr will aim to continue their momentum in their next fixture against Al-Zawraa in the AFC Champions League Two group stage on Wednesday, October 1.

Disclaimer: The above stats were taken from FotMob on September 27 at 2 AM IST. They are subject to change.

About the author

Silas has been a European and international football writer at Sportskeeda for 2 years. A Computer Applications graduate, he is a versatile writer who conducts in-depth research and verifies information from multiple sources to ensure complete accuracy in his articles. Silas was introduced to the beautiful game back in 2008, watching the Premier League on television.

Silas is a Liverpool supporter through and through and admires everything about the club – it’s history, culture, style of play, and all of its iconic players and managers. His favorite player is Steven Gerrard, who was also one of the primary reasons to get interested in football and support Liverpool.

Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Jurgen Klopp, who transformed the Reds from a mid-table club to Premier League champions. Liverpool’s fourth goal in their 4-0 win over Barcelona, scored by Divock Origi after the iconic ‘corner taken quickly’ moment from Trent Alexander-Arnold, holds a special place in Silas’ heart.

Apart from Europe’s top five leagues, he also follows Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League. When not writing, he indulges in reading, traveling, fitness and gaming.

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Edited by Silas Sud