Cristiano Ronaldo has proved that he can play basketball in NBA after retiring as he jump as high as he can to score a winning goal for Juventus in 2-1 victory over Sampdoria last night.
They were both tied 1-1 after Paulo Dybala scored in 19 minutes before Gianluca Caprari equalised in 35 minutes.
But then the Portuguese decided to jump high in the late first half, as he was calculated to have jumped 71 centimetres off the ground to meet Sandro’s cross at a height of 2.56 metres, before scoring his fifth goals in the last six appearances.
#Video | Una increíble jugada regaló el delantero portugués Cristiano Ronaldo, en el triunfo de la Juventus 2-1 sobre Sampdoria, en la Liga Italiana. Ronaldo sorprendió a todos con un gran salto de 2,56 metros para superar a su marcador, cabecear y terminar celebrando.
📹 Serie A pic.twitter.com/nwMFI7nQ7k— Santa Marta Al Día (@SantamartaAD) December 19, 2019
Even Claudio Ranieri, the Sampdoria manager admitted that Ronaldo could play in NBA.
“Ronaldo did something that you see in the NBA; he was up in the air for an hour and a half. There’s nothing you can say about it, you can only congratulate him and move on.”
Ronaldo was denied a second goal by the offside flag late second half before Sampdoria forward Gianluca Caprari was sent off in stoppage time after a second yellow card.
The 34-year old is delighted that he is still able to jump as high as he can to score a goal.
“The whole team showed the right attitude,” Ronaldo told Sky Italia.
CR7 AIR JORDAN!!✈️😅#forzajuve #finoallafine pic.twitter.com/rXvhu08qIs
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) December 18, 2019
“It was a good goal and I am glad to help the team with another three points. I had problems with my knee for a month but that has gone now and I feel good physically.”
It was also a special night for Gianluigi Buffon as the veteran goalkeeper equalled Paolo Maldini’s record of 647 Serie A appearances and set a Juve Serie A appearance record of 479 games, one more than Alessandro Del Piero.
Juventus top the table with 42 points, although second-placed Inter Milan have a game in hand.
Juventus will head to Saudi Arabia to play Lazio in the Supercoppa Italiana in Riyadh on Sunday before the winter break.