• Cristiano Ronaldo scored an incredible NBA-style header on Wednesday that helped secure a vital three points for Maurizio Sarri’s Juventus in Serie A.
  • The Portuguese star leaped high into the air, towering above two Sampdoria defenders, before cushioning the ball into the far corner.
  • “Ronaldo did something that you see in the NBA – he was up in the air for an hour and a half,” said opposition manager Claudio Ranieri after the match, according to The Guardian.
  • The goal was Ronaldo’s 10th this term in the top flight, and it saw Juventus leapfrog Inter Milan into the top spot in Serie A.
  • Read more of our soccer coverage here.
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Cristiano Ronaldo scored an incredible header on Wednesday that helped secure a vital three points for Maurizio Sarri’s Juventus in Serie A.

Juventus was level with Sampdoria, 1-1, just before halftime at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris when the Portuguese star scored the sublime winning goal.

Latching on to the end of a whipped cross from the Brazilian player Alex Sandro, the 6-foot-1 Ronaldo made contact an estimated 8 feet, 5 inches off the ground, according to The Guardian, towering above Sampdoria’s Omar Colley and Nicola Murru, before cushioning the ball into the far corner with his head.

Watch the goal here:

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Sampdoria coach Claudio Ranieri, who used to manage Chelsea and Leicester City, was in awe of the 34-year-old's goal, describing it as something you might see in the NBA.

"Ronaldo did something that you see in the NBA - he was up in the air for an hour and a half," he said, according to The Guardian. "There's nothing you can say about it. You can only congratulate him and move on."

Ronaldo himself was slightly more modest about the effort, however, saying, per The Guardian: "It was a good goal, and I am glad to help the team with another three points. I had problems with my knee for a month, but that has gone now, and I feel good physically."

Paulo Dybala opened the scoring for Juventus in the 19th minute on the night - the Argentine lashing home an equally impressive volley with his left boot from the edge of the area.

The hosts were level 16 minutes later, however, through Gianluca Caprari, who capitalized on a scrambled clearance from Sandro to score his third of the campaign.

Ronaldo then headed home just before the break, before Caprari saw red late on as Ranieri's men went in search of an equalizer.

Ronaldo's goal was his 10th in 14 top-flight games this season, and it saw Juventus leapfrog Inter Milan into first place in Serie A.

It now leads with 42 points, though Inter trails by just three points and has a game in hand.

Juventus next plays Lazio in the Italian Super Cup final on Sunday before welcoming Cagliari to the Allianz Stadium in Serie A on January 6.