The 38-year-old Portuguese sensation, Cristiano Ronaldo, showcased his goal-scoring prowess once again, netting two goals from the penalty spot in Al Nassr’s impressive 5-2 victory over Al Ittihad, Captained by his Former Real Madrid Partner Benzema in Jeddah.
This stellar performance not only secured the win for his team but also propelled Ronaldo to a total of 53 goals for the calendar year 2023. Surpassing the goal tally of both Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane, who each had 52 goals, Ronaldo’s remarkable achievement positions him as a leading force in the Roshn Saudi League. With one more Saudi Pro League game to play against Al-Taawoun on 30 December, Ronaldo’s goal-scoring saga continues.
Erling Haaland Out of the Race for Top Goal Scorer in 2023
Erling Haaland, with 50 goals in 2023, faces the possibility of missing Manchester City’s remaining two games in the year due to a foot injury. Despite the absence of competition from Bayern Munich and PSG until the new year, both Kane and Mbappe won’t be able to catch up with the Al Nassr striker in the goal-scoring race. Manchester City, led by Guardiola, is set to play Everton on 27 December and Sheffield United on 30 December in the Premier League, but Haaland’s availability for these matches remains uncertain as he continues to recover from the foot injury that sidelined him during the recent FIFA Club World Cup.
Read More: Could Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS Turn Manchester United Around?
Cristiano Ronaldo is Set to End 2023 as the Leading Goal-scorer, but Do his Goals in Saudi Arabia Hold Any Significance?
As we approach the end of 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese forward, has emerged as the leading goalscorer of the year with 53 goals. This achievement puts him ahead of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe on the goalscoring chart. Ronaldo secured this position by netting a hat trick against a 10-man Al-Ittihad, marking his 17th goal of the season in the Saudi Pro League. However, when evaluating the significance of these goals, what implications does it carry?
The goal-scoring achievements of Harry Kane at Bayern Munich and Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain are undoubtedly notable, considering both clubs are prominent contenders in the top five European leagues and are vying for the prestigious Champions League crown. Domestically, these teams exhibit dominance within their respective leagues.
Do Harry Kane’s Goals for Bayern Munich & Kylian Mbappe’s Goals for PSG Has More Value Compared to Ronaldo’s Goals for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia?
Despite Al-Nassr’s goal-scoring efforts, they currently trail league leaders Al-Hilal by seven points, primarily due to their defense conceding 22 goals this season, even though both teams have comparable goal-scoring records. Additionally, Al-Nassr is participating in the AFC Champions League, but it’s acknowledged that this competition doesn’t match the same level of quality as the UEFA continental tournament. There is a tendency to overlook statistics in smaller leagues, potentially neglecting players who can contribute significantly to a team. In the case of Saudi Arabia, the domestic league bears some similarities to Major League Soccer in the United States.
Established in 1976 with eight teams, the Saudi Pro League has expanded to 18 teams, but there remains a considerable gap between the top and bottom sides. The Saudi Public Investment Fund’s control over founding members such as Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, and Al-Nassr has granted them the financial flexibility to attract high-profile players like Sadio Mane and Karim Benzema. Ronaldo’s move to the league from Manchester United almost a year ago played a role in this transformation, solidifying the existence of four dominant super teams that largely dictate the league’s competitive landscape.
Occupying the top six positions in the league, the top three scoring teams are all under PIF ownership, while two teams have conceded nearly 50 goals in just 18 games played. This glaring gap highlights that domestic Saudi Arabian soccer still has a considerable distance to cover. However, if other teams can harness even half the strength of the PIF-operated sides, it has the potential to propel the league into international prominence.
As long as this disparity persists, statistics like Ronaldo’s may carry an asterisk. Four out of the top five goal-scorers in the league belong to PIF-operated clubs, with the top two, Ronaldo and Aleksandar Mitrovic, being marquee signings aimed at elevating the league’s profile. Georges-Kevin N’Koudou has managed to break into the PIF monopoly with 14 goals for Damac, but achieving more parity across the league is crucial for the scoring dynamics to resemble leagues like the Bundesliga or Ligue 1. Given Ronaldo’s impact, such a transformation might not be too far off in the future.
