Cristiano Ronaldo attributed his spectacular Asian Champions League man-of-the-match display to both hard work and the help of his Al Nassr teammates, while rival manager Christophe Galtier labelled the forward “still the best player in the world”.
The Nassr captain, 38, continued his incredible form on Tuesday night, scoring two sumptuous goals and registering an assist in his team’s 4-3 victory against Qatar's Al Duhail in Riyadh.
Ronaldo set up the opening goal at Al Awwal Park with a brilliant back-heel to Brazilian Anderson Talisca, while he grabbed Nassr’s third with superb long-range effort just after the hour.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star got his second on the night nine minutes from time, meeting Sultan Al Ghannam’s cross with a fine left-footed volley to restore Nassr’s two-goal lead.
The eventual 4-3 victory made it three wins from three for Nassr – the Saudi Arabian side were also celebrating their 68th anniversary – moving them three points clear at the top of Group E.
For Ronaldo, the double took his 2023/24 tally for Nassr to 20 goals in 19 matches.
Speaking after the Duhail victory, the Portugal captain said: “It was a wonderful, complicated and difficult match. After we scored the second goal [to go 2-0 up], we thought the match would be easy.”
On his fantastic form, Ronaldo said: “Nothing comes without sacrifices. I am happy to score goals and break records, and this comes with the help of my teammates. I congratulate the fans on the victory.
“I enjoy my time with Al Nassr, and we are working to be the strongest and best team.”
Galtier, recently appointed at Duhail after spending last season in charge of French giants Paris Saint-Germain, was full of praise for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
"When you face Ronaldo, there isn't much you can do," the Frenchman said. "He scored two beautiful goals. I'm at a loss for words to describe him.
“What he did today is extraordinary for a 38-year-old. He's still the best player in the world."
Like Nassr, UAE side Al Ain maintained their 100 per cent record, securing a 4-1 win against Saudi Pro League club Al Fayha in the Garden City on Tuesday.
Paraguay’s Kaku scored twice at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, with Kouame Autonne and Soufiane Rahimi netting the others for the hosts. The UAE’s only Asian champions, Al Ain sit top of Group A at the midway stage, six points clear of the other three teams in the pool.
The 10 group winners advance to the knockout stages, with the three best runners-up from the east and west of the continent making up the remainder of the last 16.
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How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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