"What a way to celebrate the holidays" - Al-Nassr fans rejoice as Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane help thrash Al-Ittihad

Fans are ecstatic as Al-Nassr attackers Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane struck braces in an emphatic 5-2 Saudi Pro League win at Al-Ittihad on Tuesday (December 26).

Abderrazak Hamdallah put the hosts ahead after 14 minutes, but Al-Alami captain Ronaldo put his team on level terms with a spot-kick five minutes later. Talisca struck seven minutes before the break before Hamdallah restored parity for Al-Ittihad.

Thereafter, it was the Al-Alami show, as Ronaldo (68') converted his second spot-kick of the game to restore the visitors' lead. Mane fired a seven-minute brace in the final quarter to put the result beyond doubt.

The win took Al-Nassr back to within seven points of runaway leaders Al-Hilal (50) after 18 games ahead of their final game of the year at Al-Taawoun on Saturday.

Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo producing a sizzling end to the year

Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo continues to turn back the block despite turning 39 in less than two months.

Widely regarded as one of the best players to grace the beautiful game, Ronaldo has scored over 850 goals for club and country, the first player to do so. Fifty-three of them have come in 2023, including 43 for Al-Alami, following his brace in the league win at Al-Ittihad. He now has six goals and two assists in his last four games across competitions.

The brace on Tuesday boosted his league-leading goal tally to 19 in 17 games to go along with nine assists, also the best in the top flight this season. Ronaldo now has 23 goals and 11 assists in 24 games in competitive games this campaign.

The Portugal captain has also had a superb year with Portugal, starring with 10 goals in nine games in their successful UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. He will appear in a record-extending sixth European Championship next summer in Germany, with no other player appearing in more than four.

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Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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