Featured Image Credit: TikTok
Topics: Ruben Dias, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester City, Al Nassr, Portugal, Fan Reactions
Ryan Smart
Topics: Ruben Dias, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester City, Al Nassr, Portugal, Fan Reactions
Manchester City star Ruben Dias effectively acted as Cristiano Ronaldo's personal bodyguard after an incident during Portugal's Euro 2024 qualifier against Iceland.
Portugal won 1-0 in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik on Tuesday evening, with Ronaldo scoring a priceless 89th-minute winner.
It was international goal number 123 for the 38-year-old in what was his 200th appearance for Portugal.
The nation maintained their 100 per cent record in Euro 2024 qualifying, with Roberto Martinez's side still yet to concede a goal in their four matches.
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They are two points ahead of second-placed Slovakia, with the two teams in action on September 8.
Ronaldo's goal against Iceland initially saw little celebration, with the forward's close-range finish checked by VAR.
But once the goal was given, the footballing legend sprinted over to the corner, encouraging his team-mates to join him.
One supporter, however, got slightly too excited at seeing Ronaldo score a goal, and ran onto the pitch towards the striker before he was intercepted by Dias.
Dias stops pitch invader reaching Ronaldo
The Manchester City centre-back showed lightning fast reactions when the pitch invader neared Ronaldo.
Dias grabbed the fan's shirt, pulling him away from Ronaldo, before security intervened and carried the supporter off the pitch.
You can see the incident below.
Fans took to social media to respond to the incident, comparing it to a moment involving Argentinian duo Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi.
During a match against Honduras last year, a brawl broke out between the two teams, with De Paul quickly stepping in to protect his compatriot.
One fan wrote: "Ronaldo finally got his own De Paul."
Another added: "Messi bodyguard = De Paul. Ronaldo's bodyguard = Dias."
A third fan said: "Nah that's personal."
While another fan took a different view: "Dias started bro's villain arc."
And one fan noticed: "You can see Ronaldo said thank you with a handshake."
With the current set of international fixtures now completed, Ronaldo will turn to his attentions to the beginning of the Saudi Professional League season with Al Nassr.
He will be joined in the division by a number of top stars, with Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante among the high-profile names to move to Saudi Arabia so far this summer. Dias' Manchester City team-mate Bernardo Silva has also been linked with a move to the league.