Al-Nassr boss Luis Castro has praised Cristiano Ronaldo claiming that the Portuguese is currently the best player in the world.
Castro’s side are set to meet rivals Al-Hilal in the Riyadh derby on Friday in one of the biggest games in the Saudi Pro League this season.
Despite their 20-game unbeaten streak, Al-Nassr currently trail Al-Hilal by four points in the standings and a potential victory would see the gap reduced to just a point.
They were dealt another injury scare, however, when Ronaldo was substituted after a collision with Al-Akhdoud’s goalkeeper last week.
However, he was spotted in training just a day before the derby and multiple reports confirmed that he will start on Friday.
Speaking before the game, Luis Castro discussed Ronaldo’s influence and believes it will be difficult to find players of his calibre in the modern era.
“Cristiano? He’s an example of ambition, rigor and discipline,” Castro said in the press conference before the game.
“People think that reaching the top is a coincidence but this is not true. You must always make the most of opportunities, and that’s what he did through his discipline and hard work, which made him the best player in the world.
“Many players want to be like Cristiano but only a few want to put in the work that does,” he added.