Pass to Cristiano! Al Nassr star criticised for refusing to help Ronaldo in race to 1000 goals

Ronaldo, who was provisionally suspended by the Portuguese FA before the game, opened the scoring in the Saudi Pro League clash as he continues his pursuit of 1,000 career goals.

Later in the match, Coman broke clear on a dangerous attack but opted to go for goal himself instead of squaring the ball to the Portuguese captain, who was in a better position.

Speaking on the programme, Dawrina Ghair, Al-Hraifi said he had expected the Frenchman not to pass.

“When Coman broke clear in the attack, I said he wouldn’t pass it, but if I had been in his place I would have passed it to Ronaldo,” he explained.

Al-Hraifi suggested Coman is under pressure to make his mark in the league and may have been more confident in his own finishing ability, or even thought Ronaldo was offside. Still, he insisted the pass was the better option.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo is expected to rejoin Portugal for the November international break after Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) president Pedro Proença declared that the federation, head coach Jorge Jesus, and the squad all want their captain back, despite disciplinary proceedings over his abrupt departure from the national team camp.

Proença’s comments come after the FPF’s independent Disciplinary Council opened proceedings and imposed a preventive suspension on the captain.

Proença called for calm as the federation attempts to resolve the dispute, describing the disagreement between Ronaldo and Jesus as a "misunderstanding."