Cristiano Ronaldo played a pivotal role in securing Al Nassr’s 2-1 victory over Al Rayyan in the AFC Champions League group stage on Monday. The Portuguese legend, 39, scored the decisive goal in the final minutes, breaking the deadlock and earning his club its first win of the tournament.
While the goal was vital for Al Nassr, Ronaldo shared during a post-match press conference that it held deeper meaning for him personally. He dedicated the goal to his late father, José Dinis Aveiro, who passed away in 2005 due to liver failure, two years after Ronaldo joined Manchester United.
“Today’s goal has a special meaning because it’s my father’s birthday. I wish he could be here to see it,” Ronaldo said, explaining the emotional celebration where he raised his hands to the sky after scoring.
Al Nassr now stands third in Group B with four points and will need to maintain a top-eight position to advance to the next round of the competition.
