Cristiano Ronaldo has made an impressive start to life in the Saudi Pro League, but is still behind Al-Nassr teammate Anderson Talisca in the goal-scoring charts.
Since making the switch from Manchester United in January, Ronaldo has scored 11 goals in just 11 games. Talisca, an attacking midfielder, has racked up 16 goals in 16 games to be the league’s joint-top goalscorer. Talisca is level on goals another former Manchester United forward, Odion Ighalo.
Here’s what you need to know about Anderson Talisca, Al-Nassr’s ‘other’ goal-scoring supremo…
Anderson Talisca’s career
After breaking through at Brazilian side Bahia, the 6ft3 forward was snapped up by Portuguese giants Benfica in 2014 and brought to Europe. He was called up to the Brazil squad for the first time later that year as a replacement for Lucas Moura, but did not make an appearance.
In his second season in Portugal he fell out of favour and was sent on loan to Besiktas in the Turkish Super Lig. Talisca enjoyed a prolific spell in Turkey with 37 goals in 80 matches in all competitions.
After impressing in Turkey his parent club, Benfica, sent him out on loan again, this time to Guangzhou Evergrande of the Chinese Super League. In 2018 the deal was made permanent and he enjoyed fairly successful spell in China, winning the Chinese Super League in his second year at the club.