sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Cristiano Ronaldo struggled with one aspect of Al Nassr training

Home> Football

Published 12:04 16 Jun 2023 GMT+1

Cristiano Ronaldo struggled with one aspect of Al Nassr training

Ronaldo may be a superhuman but even he struggled with things when he traded Manchester for Saudi Arabia.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed that he struggled with one part of training when he first moved to Saudi Arabia to join Al Nassr.

No one would have expected Ronaldo would have moved to the Saudi Pro League after leaving Manchester United at the end of last year.

Now however he's being joined by a huge influx of Europe's biggest names, with former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema having already moved.

Neymar is amongst the names being linked with the move to the Middle East this summer, after Newcastle United's owners PIF bought the biggest four Saudi clubs.

Advert

The new arrivals will make it even tougher for Ronaldo to make the Saudi Pro League Team of the Season, which he didn't manage to make in his first campaign in the league.

That was despite scoring 14 goals in 16 league games and finishing as the division's fifth top scorer, even though he only joined half way through the season.

Perhaps the 38-year-old's tough start to life in his new country halted his progress of winning the end of season awards, after failing to score in his opening three games.

That might have been to do with the heat, something that the five time Ballon d'Or revealed he grappled with when he first arrived.

"The biggest difference I have found in Saudi is obviously the heat and adapting schedules to train later in the day when it is cooler," he told LiveScore.

"But I have really gotten used to that now. The fans here have been incredible to me, welcoming me, and those that follow me to continue on this amazing journey.

"Every league and country is different and I am very proud to have experienced three different leagues in Europe [and won titles in them all]."

Ronaldo struggled with the heat and having to train later in the day. Image: Alamy
Ronaldo struggled with the heat and having to train later in the day. Image: Alamy

The average high temperatures in Manchester in November are around 9 degrees, which is when he left United ahead of the World Cup.

When he arrived in Riyadh in January the temperature was already twice as hot at around 20 degrees and that's now warmed up to a cool 41!

Right now he's too busy concentrating on helping Portugal qualify for next summer's Euros, as they face Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland in the next week.

Featured Image Credit: LiveScore/Alamy

Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League, Football

Ryan Sidle
Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a journalist for SPORTbible with over eight years of experience. Passionate about all sports, he mainly covers football and F1 - Daniel Ricciardo once spent an entire interview referring to him as 'Ryan Gosling,' still his proudest moment.

X

@Sidler28

Recommended reads

David Munyua and Peter Wachiuri interview: 'We wish for major PDC players to come and visit Kenya'Getty / Instagram/@wachiuridartsMark Selby lifts lid on backstage talks over Crucible as landmark agreement reachedGettyBarry Hearn sends message to Ronnie O'Sullivan over snooker future as Crucible prediction madeGettyTyson Fury explains why his 14-year-old son Prince has “no choice” but to become a boxerGetty

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • Getty
    7 hours ago

    Liverpool fans turn on one player after controversial full-time actions

    Arne Slot's side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City on Saturday.

    Football
  • Getty Images
    8 hours ago

    Liverpool set two unwanted records with Man City defeat as pressure ramps up on Arne Slot

    Arne Slot and Liverpool set two unwanted records with Manchester City after defeat in the FA Cup.

    Football
  • Viaplay
    8 hours ago

    Rayan Cherki apologises after wearing Hugo Ekitike's shirt on subs bench

    Cherki was swiftly told to remove the shirt.

    Football
  • Getty Images
    9 hours ago

    Italy players approached Italian FA before Bosnia game with outrageous World Cup request

    Italy players made outrageous request to Italian FA ahead of World Cup qualifier against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Football
  • Video proves Lionel Messi has 'lived Cristiano Ronaldo's dream' and ends the GOAT debate once and for all
  • Manchester United fans think they know why Alejandro Garnacho is wearing 28 for Argentina
  • Cristiano Ronaldo has explained the origin of his iconic 'Siiuuu' celebration
  • Saudi Arabian clubs have been found 'guilty of not paying players' wages', including Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr