If there had been a doubt on Laporte making the list of best-shooting defenders in the world, it must have been knocked off last night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold is a sensation in the category but Laporte’s Kingdom Arena magic against Inter Miami was a page-turner.
Al-Nassr had gone two goals up against a stuttering Inter Miami side despite parading recording-extending Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi in the squad.
The first two goals was scored in 10 minutes, before the third in the 12th minute, and the third came in style from the magical footwork of former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte.
The goal was more of a surprise as much as a sensation. Al-Nassr had won a freekick in their own half far off Inter Miami’s goalpost.
To assume Aymeric Laporte will score from such a gaping distance was more a wishful thinking than a possibility. However, with the composure and precision of the Spaniard, the net was not too far to wriggle with a goal.
Laporte quickly took the freekick having sighted Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender from afar skipping off his line.
He stroked the ball with his left foot and precisely got his measures right as the ball flew like a projectile over Callender into the back of the net.
Nevertheless, there was an advantage for Laporte. He wouldn’t have scored had Callender stayed in-between the sticks but the Spaniard earned his plaudits for his precision, firing the ball from such distance to score for the SPL giants.
Francis Ngannou is sitting there with Cristiano Ronaldo wtf pic.twitter.com/WG6quQGITW
— Jam (@Iswhatis1) February 1, 2024
Social media has been buzzing with reactions following the viral footage of the goal with football fans hailing the player for another magic goal that may likely contest for Puskas.
Al-Nassr breezed pass Inter Miami with a 6-0 victory. Laporte’s goal extended the lead to 3-0 after Octavio and Talisca’s early goals.
Maran added to Talisca’s second-half brace as the latter bagged his hat-trick to power Al-Nassr to an emphatic 6-0 win
