Yardbarker
x

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most iconic free-kick takers in soccer history.

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star has scored 61 goals from direct free-kicks during his illustrious career.

Therefore, many fans were caught by surprise on Saturday when Ronaldo allowed teammate Alex Telles to shoot after Al Nassr had been awarded a free-kick 27 yards from goal against Al-Wehda.

Ronaldo played the role of decoy.

He stood in his trademark stance as if he was going to shoot and even started his run-up. But before Ronaldo had reached the ball, Telles whipped a fine strike past a baffled goalkeeper.

That goal put Al Nassr 1-0 up in the 11th minute.

Ronaldo was back on free-kick-taking duties 17 minutes later after his team had been awarded a foul more than 30 yards from the Al-Wehda goal.

The 38-year-old took an extended run-up before attempting a very ambitious shot from long range.

Ronaldo landed his effort on target, forcing the Al-Wehda keeper into a smart save.

This article first appeared on FanNation Futbol and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.