11 January 2023 , 20:10
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Cristiano Ronaldo gobsmacked one of his new team-mates as he proved he is still as physically dominant as ever during an Al-Nassr training session.
The global superstar, who turns 38 in just under one month's time, joined the Saudi Arabian club at the end of December. Al-Nassr are top of the Saudi Pro League and Ronaldo could make his debut for his new side against Al-Ettifaq next Sunday.
His maiden appearance for the Middle Eastern giants has been delayed by a ban he picked up in the Premier League after an incident during his second stint with Manchester United. In the meantime, he has been enjoying a life of luxury with his family and training under Rudi Garcia to get up to speed with his new manager's demands.
Any concerns about Ronaldo's physical condition have quickly been put to bed, as he was pictured jumping an enormous distance off the ground to try and get on the end of a cross in training. His great leap left a team-mate directly behind him with an expression of disbelief - and was even reminiscent of his stunning header for Juventus against Sampdoria in 2019.
To prepare him for his move to Al-Nassr, Ronaldo stayed in shape after his contract at United was terminated in late November. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner worked individually at the Real Madrid training ground in December, after Portugal were eliminated from the World Cup by Morocco at the quarter-final stage.
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Garcia is delighted to have added Ronaldo to his side's ranks and hailed his impact and attitude, even if he has been made to wait for his debut. "It's great. Great for us, for Al-Nassr. Great for Saudi Arabia," The Frenchman said of Ronaldo's arrival.
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Cristiano Ronaldo's extraordinary jump left a teammate behind him gobsmacked (Twitter/@AlNassr_EN)" Cristiano Ronaldo is more than a player. He is one of the best players in the world. It's amazing how much it's put a spotlight on our club. Now, everyone knows where our club is around the world. We must have gone from 800,000 (followers) to 10million in a few hours, a few days, because of Cristiano's arrival.
Garcia added: "The greatest champions are the easiest to manage. He (Ronaldo) blended in with the squad. We saw him joking and laughing with pleasure with his new team-mates. He was with us for the last game, even if he couldn't play. He was in the locker room, riding his bike."
Ronaldo is famously meticulous about his training and diet regime, which explains why he has broken so many records across his iconic career. Although many see his move to Al-Nassr as the beginning of the end for the former Sporting Lisbon prospect, he will be as driven as ever to prove he can still make a profound impact in front of goal.