Cristiano Ronaldo and free-kicks used to be a game of heaven.
Used to be the catchphrase of that phrase…nowadays it’s often a source of ridicule, especially on social media.
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Ronaldo is looking for his 700th career club goal
And an effort in Thursday’s Europa League clash against Omonia Nicosia did nothing to rectify that reputation.
Most football fans remember the absolutely sensational free kick he scored for Manchester United against Portsmouth in 2008.
Replays from behind him showed just how much he moved and dove to leave David James for dead in goal.
Ronaldo continued his stellar dead ball record at Real Madrid, having netted 32 times during his illustrious spell in Spain.
It was after his transfer to Juventus that he started to struggle, it took him 43 attempts before scoring one at the club. It turned out to be a lonely effort for the Italian team.
His luck hasn’t changed much at United, although he did manage one in the back of the net in his first season at Old Trafford.
The 37-year-old found himself out of the United squad for much of the 2022/23 season, having to settle for a place on Erik ten Hag’s bench.
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Ronaldo’s free kick went well over the crossbar
He was started for the Europa League clash with Omonia Nicosia and a good chance to score his 700th club goal.
So when United won a free kick 30 yards from goal, no one was getting that ball from Ronaldo.
As fans predicted on social media, he traveled miles above the ball.
He was once famous for the ‘knuckleball’ free kick, but talkSPORT 2 co-commentator Dean Ashton joked that the free kick was gone.
He said: “We used to see Cristiano Ronaldo’s for Man United regularly in the first stint.
“I think he’s lost the knuckle…which is gone.”
Since the start of the 2017/18 season, he has now attempted 76 free-kicks and converted just two.
