Al-Nassr manager Ange Postecoglou has explained his decision to substitute Cristiano Ronaldo at half-time during his side’s dramatic comeback victory over Al-Ettifaq.

Ronaldo, 41, made his first start since the World Cup but was taken off at the break with Al-Nassr trailing 2-0 and down to 10 men.

The Portuguese forward appeared frustrated as he left the pitch, spreading his arms in a questioning gesture towards the bench.

However, Postecoglou’s decision ultimately paid off as Al-Nassr staged a remarkable second-half comeback.

Sadio Mane and Abdulelah Al Amri scored within three minutes to bring the defending Saudi Pro League champions level before Mane struck again in added time to complete the 3-2 victory.

As reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, explaining his decision, Postecoglou said he believed the players introduced at half-time could make a greater impact under the circumstances.

“When I made the substitutions, including taking Ronaldo off, I believed the players coming on could make an impact,” Postecoglou said.

The Australian manager said every substitute contributed positively to the comeback.

“I came here to help the players, so as I said, I’m proud of them because every substitute made a positive contribution,” he added.

Postecoglou also praised Ronaldo’s first-half performance despite deciding to replace him.

“I’m here to help the team with what I see, and everyone knows that Ronaldo hasn’t played in a long time,” he said.

“He performed exceptionally well in the first half, and we opted for a different approach.”

The victory maintained Al-Nassr’s perfect start to the season, with three wins from three matches moving them to the top of the Saudi Pro League table.

Postecoglou took charge of Al-Nassr last month after previously managing Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest.

For Ronaldo, the match came during what could be the final season of his illustrious playing career.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has indicated that he is likely to retire after the campaign as he looks to spend more time with his family.