Ahmed Zero playfully brands Ronaldo 'second best' in online banter

Al-Shorta's Ahmed Zero didn't hesitate to engage in some light-hearted banter with Cristiano Ronaldo, the current player for Al-Nassr. 

Zero cleverly dubbed Ronaldo the "second-best player in history," accompanying his quip with a photo shared on his social media platform.

Amidst the friendly ribbing, it's important to note that Al-Shorta SC, the Iraqi sports club to which Zero belongs, had recently faced a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. This particular match featured Ronaldo netting a penalty kick, propelling his team to the finals of the Arab Club Champions Cup, an accomplishment that was not lost on Zero when he posted the photo.

Having transferred from Manchester United to Saudi Arabia in December 2022, Ronaldo's fame has skyrocketed in the Middle East, making him a sought-after figure for photographs with players from various clubs. When Zero requested a photo, Ronaldo graciously obliged, leading to a playful exchange.

Zero's Instagram post featuring the photograph was humorously captioned: "With the second-best player in history." While Zero refrained from explicitly stating who he considered the top player, fans of Lionel Messi didn't hold back in showing their allegiance to Ronaldo's long-standing rival in the comments section.

Ronaldo has been displaying remarkable form in the 2023–24 season. He's demonstrated his scoring prowess by finding the net in four consecutive matches within the Arab Cup Champions Cup. Since joining Al-Nassr in January, he has impressively accumulated 18 goals and three assists across 24 games.

Furthermore, Ronaldo's journey with Al-Nassr could culminate in a significant victory. If his team, known as the Knights of Najd, manage to defeat their familiar adversaries Al-Hilal, he will secure his first silverware with the club in the Arab Club Champions Cup final scheduled for Saturday evening.