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Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to point out at Erling Haaland just before the Best Men’s Player Award was announced. Haaland and Ronaldo were among the top footballers present at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on January 19, Friday. The Al-Nassr captain took home several trophies including the Maradona Award for Best Goalscorer, Best Footballer in the Middle East, and the Fans' Favourite Player.
During the award night, Ronaldo made a heartwarming gesture towards England’s Haaland that earned him praise from fans for his sportsmanship. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner netted 54 goals in 2023. Haaland was presented with the Best Men's Player of the Year Award, and just before the announcement, Ronaldo appeared to point towards the 23-year-old. In a video doing rounds on social media, the 38-year-old could be seen pointing at Haaland while saying, “Haaland deserves it. Give it to him.”
Check out the video here:
Haaland scored 14 goals in 15 Premier League games in the 2022-23 season and netted 52 in 53 games across all competitions in his debut campaign with Manchester City. The Norwegian has been out of action due to his foot injury since City’s 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa in December 2023. While receiving the award, he said (as quoted by Eurosport), “I hope [to be back] really soon, because I’m getting a bit sick of not playing.”
He added, “The people [have helped me settle in and perform at Manchester City]. The manager [Pep Guardiola] is not so bad as well. It’s a fantastic club and the support we get from the administration and the leaders is massive. It’s a nice club and I enjoy being here.” Speaking about his ringtone, he chuckled and said, “I do [still have the Champions League song as my ringtone]. I love the competition and it was a big dream when we won it. A fantastic feeling."
