Cristiano Ronaldo Reaches 50th Goal Milestone in 2023 Amidst Anticipation of a Lionel Messi Showdown
Cristiano Ronaldo reaches a milestone, scoring his 50th goal in 2023, propelling Al Nassr to the Saudi King Cup semifinals with a commanding 5-2 win over rival Al Shabab
On Monday, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 50th goal of the calendar year, leading Al Nassr to a 5-2 victory over rival Al Shabab and securing their spot in the Saudi King Cup semifinals. Ronaldo's powerful strike in the 74th minute marked his team's fourth goal and showcased his remarkable scoring ability since joining the Saudi Arabia league in January.
Lionel Messi of Barcelona evades Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid during the La Liga football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday, December 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Manu Fernandez/AP
Cristiano Ronaldo says his long-standing rivalry with Lionel Messi is over
"Delighted to share that I've scored my 50th goal of 2023! Huge thanks to my teammates, fans, and family for their unwavering support. Looking forward to adding a few more before the year is over," Ronaldo announced on Instagram.
In Riyadh, Al Shabab missed an opportunity to take an early lead when Yannick Carrasco slipped while taking a penalty, causing his shot to go over the bar.
Seko Fofana provided the visiting team with an early lead, but Carlos Júnior quickly equalized with a strong header from a corner. Al Nassr then responded strongly, with Sadio Mané, formerly of Liverpool and Bayern Munich, finishing off an excellent counterattack, and Abdulrahman Ghareeb tapping in a cross from Marcelo BrozoviÄ just before halftime.
Ronaldo extended the lead to 4-1 in the second half, but Al Shabab managed to score a goal in the final moments as Hattan Bahebri found the net from a rebound. However, it did not affect the final outcome, as Mohammed Maran sealed the win with a simple finish in stoppage time.
Ronaldo dribbles the ball in the match against Al Shabab during the King Cup quarterfinal.
AFP/Getty Images
According to ESPN, the last time that Ronaldo scored 50 goals in a calendar year was in 2017 while he was playing for Real Madrid.
Lionel Messi and Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Julian Finney/Getty Images
Lionel Messi stated that his priority is playing in the upcoming Copa América, but he hasn't ruled out the possibility of appearing at the 2026 World Cup. Just last week, the 38-year-old forward reached a milestone by playing his 1,200th professional game and scoring his 16th goal of the season in the Saudi Pro League, leading the league in goals.
Ronaldo is expected to face off against his long-time rival Lionel Messi once again when Inter Miami visits Saudi Arabia next year. The match between Inter Miami and Al Nassr will take place in Riyadh on February 1, marking what could be the 36th meeting between Messi and Ronaldo in their careers. Additionally, Inter Miami will also play against Al-Hilal prior to the match against Al Nassr.
Xavier Asensi, Chief Business Officer at Inter Miami, expressed enthusiasm for the chance to build strong connections with dedicated fans. He eagerly anticipates engaging with new supporters in Saudi Arabia and looks forward to a global audience tuning in to witness two highly anticipated matches.
