In a bid to retain the Golden Boot award he won last season, Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo is facing new competition from Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr. However, the Al Hilal forward has stated that he is not disturbed by the challenge posed by the former Manchester United striker in the race for the top scorer in the Saudi Arabian Professional League. Ighalo, who arrived in Saudi Arabia in 2021, emerged as the league’s top scorer last season with 24 goals. He made a switch from Al Shabab to Al Hilal in January 2022 and has quickly established himself as one of the deadliest strikers in the country.
Despite missing several matches this season, the 33-year-old Ighalo has already scored eight goals, placing him third on the scorers’ chart. Currently, Al Nassr’s Anderson leads with twelve goals, while Abderrazak Hamdallah follows with nine. Although Ronaldo has yet to score in the league, his goal-scoring ability is widely recognized. Ighalo expressed his readiness to face the challenge from the Portuguese superstar, who recently joined the league. The 37-year-old Ronaldo showcased his talent by scoring a brace during a friendly match between the Saudi Arabia All-Stars and PSG, but Ighalo remains focused on his own team’s performance.
“I respect Ronaldo immensely; he is a legend and the best. For me, he is the GOAT,” Ighalo told OmaSportsTV. He emphasized his admiration for Ronaldo and acknowledged that the Portuguese player will contribute to his team and score goals. Ighalo stated, “I will do my own job with Al Hilal, and we will see how it goes at the end of the season. I just want to wish him all the best.”
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