Samu Costa marked his first appearance for Al Nassr with a goal before recreating Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous celebration in front of the club’s supporters at Al-Awwal Park.
The Portuguese midfielder came off the bench in the second half as Al Nassr began their Roshn Saudi League campaign with a 3-0 victory over Al Fateh on Saturday. Costa then completed the scoring to register his first goal for the club.
After the final whistle, Costa moved towards the Al Nassr fans and stood in front of them, exchanging enthusiastic greetings with the crowd. His actions echoed the role usually performed by his fellow Portuguese player and team captain, Ronaldo, during previous matches.
Ronaldo was not involved in the game after being left out by Australian manager Ange Postecoglou because he was not considered ready to play. However, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was present at Al-Awwal Park to support his team.
Costa’s introduction provided a positive moment in a convincing opening-day display from Al Nassr, who scored three times without reply. The result gave them three points and put them top of the Roshn Saudi League after the first round of fixtures.
Al Hilal also finished the opening round with three points but dropped to second place because of the goal difference. Al Nassr therefore took the early lead in the standings following their win over Al Fateh.
For Costa, the match combined a personal milestone with an eye-catching contribution to the team’s start to the season. Having entered the contest as a substitute, he made an immediate impact by finding the net and then took on a familiar role in the celebrations.
The midfielder’s salute in front of the supporters ensured that Ronaldo’s absence was particularly noticeable, while also giving the Al Nassr fans a new player to celebrate. Although Ronaldo watched from the stands rather than the pitch, Costa’s goal and post-match gesture helped maintain the connection between the team and its captain on the opening day.
Al Nassr will now look to build on their 3-0 success as the Roshn Saudi League season continues, with their opening victory placing them ahead of Al Hilal at the top of the table.