Ashton jokes Ronaldo 'has lost the knuckle' as Man United star skies free-kick

Used to being the key phrase in that sentence… these days it is often a source of ridicule, particularly on social media.

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And an effort in Thursday's Europa League clash against Omonia Nicosia did not do anything to rectify that reputation.

Most football fans remember the absolutely sensational free-kick he scored for Manchester United against Portsmouth back in 2008.

The replays from behind him showed just how much it moved and dipped to leave David James for dead in goal.

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Ronaldo continued his brilliant dead ball record at Real Madrid, having scored 32 times during his illustrious time in Spain.

It was after his move to Juventus when he started to struggle, it took him 43 attempts before he scored one at the club. It proved to be a solitary effort for the Italian side.

His luck has not much changed at United, although he did get one in the back of the net in his first season back at Old Trafford.

The 37-year-old has found himself out of the United team for much of the 2022/23 season, having to be content with a place on Erik ten Hag's bench.

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He was thrown in for the Europa League clash with Omonia Nicosia and a good chance to net his 700th club goal.

So when United won a free-kick 30-yards from goal, no one was getting that ball from Ronaldo.

As fans on social media were predicting, it sailed miles over the ball.

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He used to be famous for the 'knuckleball' free-kick, but talkSPORT 2's co-commentator Dean Ashton joked the knuckle has disappeared.

He said: "We used to see those regularly from Cristiano Ronaldo for Man United in the first stint.

"I think he's lost the knuckle… that's disappeared."

Since the start of the 2017/18 season, he has now attempted 76 free-kicks and converted just two.