Postecoglou explains why he took off Ronaldo at half-time

Al-Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou has shared why he substituted Cristiano Ronaldo at half-time during a thrilling comeback win over Al-Ettifaq.

Ronaldo, 41, started his first match since the World Cup but left the game at half-time with Al-Nassr losing 2-0 and playing with 10 men.

The Portuguese star looked frustrated as he walked off, throwing his arms up in disbelief towards the bench.

Despite this, Postecoglou's decision worked out well as Al-Nassr made a stunning comeback in the second half.

Sadio Mane and Abdulelah Al Amri scored within three minutes to level the score before Mane got another goal in added time, sealing a 3-2 win.

As reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, Postecoglou explained that he thought the players coming on could have a bigger impact given the situation.
"When I made the substitutions, including taking Ronaldo off, I believed the players coming on could make an impact," Postecoglou said.

The Australian manager noted that all substitutes helped positively in the comeback.
"I came here to help the players, so as I said, I’m proud of them because every substitute made a positive contribution," he added.

Postecoglou also gave credit to Ronaldo’s performance in the first half, even though he decided to take him off.

"I’m here to help the team with what I see, and everyone knows that Ronaldo hasn’t played in a long time," he said.

"He performed exceptionally well in the first half, and we opted for a different approach."

This victory kept Al-Nassr’s perfect start to the season intact, with three wins in three matches, putting them at the top of the Saudi Pro League table.

Postecoglou took over Al-Nassr last month after managing Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest.

For Ronaldo, this match could be during his last season as a professional player.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has hinted that he may retire after this season to spend more time with his family.