After Al-Nassr’s defeat to Al-Hilal, it seemed a spectator tossed water at Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo finds himself embroiled in controversy following an unusual incident after Al-Nassr’s 2-0 loss to Al-Hilal – though new footage may shed light on his furious reaction on Thursday.
Following his team’s defeat in the Riyadh Season Cup final, videos surfaced of Ronaldo stuffing a fan’s scarf down his pants before tossing it back into the crowd, sparking widespread attention on social media.
Throughout the match, Ronaldo appeared frustrated, as Al-Hilal secured a comfortable victory with first-half goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Salem Aldawsari, leaving the superstar visibly angry after the game’s conclusion.
Persistent chants of ‘Messi, Messi, Messi!’ from the 30,000-seat stadium did little to improve Ronaldo’s mood as he left the field empty-handed, evidently unhappy with the officiating at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena. As he made his way toward the tunnel, Ronaldo was hit on the head by a thrown scarf from the crowd. Instead of proceeding to the dressing room, Ronaldo rubbed the scarf on his crotch before throwing it back towards the direction it came from, drawing criticism for his behavior.
However, another video emerged showing a young supporter throwing water in Ronaldo’s direction, possibly providing context for his subsequent reaction.
Al-Nassr faces Al-Fayha in the AFC Champions League next Wednesday, with Ronaldo expected to play at Riyadh’s Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium. It’s unlikely the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will face repercussions for his actions during Thursday’s final.
Last month, Ronaldo was honored with the Maradona Award as the world’s leading scorer, having scored 54 goals in 59 games for Al-Nassr.
Reportedly earning £3.4 million per week, Ronaldo has defended his move to the Saudi Pro League, claiming it offers a higher standard of football than his experience in Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain.
“In my opinion, I think the Saudi Pro League is not inferior to the French league,” he stated at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai. “In the French league, you have two, three teams with a good level. In Saudi, it’s more competitive.”
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