Cristiano Ronaldo bullishly insists 'the hunger never fades' after bagging crucial Al-Nassr goal in friendly win over Ligue 1's Toulouse

FBL-KSA-NASSR-TOULOUSE

Cristiano Ronaldo once again demonstrated his relentless drive on the pitch, helping Al-Nassr overturn a one-goal deficit to secure a 2-1 victory over French side Toulouse in a friendly held ahead of the new season. The match, played at Untersberg-Arena, saw the Saudi Pro League side show character and resolve, with Ronaldo leading from the front.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Toulouse made the brighter start to the game, breaking the deadlock in the 25th minute through Yan Gboho. However, Al-Nassr wasted little time in mounting a response. Just eight minutes after falling behind, the Saudi side drew level thanks to their iconic No.7. The Portuguese superstar made no mistake with his finish, firing past the Toulouse goalkeeper to level the score at 1-1 in the 33rd minute. Al-Nassr's persistence finally paid off in the 76th minute when Mohammed Maran found the net to give them a deserved lead.

WHAT RONALDO SAID

After the match, Ronaldo took to social media and wrote: “The hunger never fades. Still work to do and we’re just getting started 💪⚽”.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Ronaldo clinched the Golden Boot in the Gulf State for the 2024–25 campaign, having netted an impressive 35 goals for Al-Nassr across all competitions. He signed a new deal that will keep him at the club through the 2026–27 season, underlining his intent to lead them to domestic and continental glory.

FBL-KSA-NASSR-TOULOUSE

WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

Looking ahead, Al-Nassr’s pre-season preparations will continue in Spain, where they will face La Liga outfit Almeria at the Estadio Mediterraneo on Sunday, August 10. Shortly afterwards, they will return to Saudi Arabia to compete in a high-stakes domestic clash on August 19, against arch-rivals Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Super Cup.