Cristiano Ronaldo has faced criticism following the circulation of videos showing the star Al-Nassr forward apparently pushing a fan’s scarf into his pants before tossing it back towards the crowd in frustration.
The peculiar incident unfolded after Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr team suffered a 2-0 defeat to Al-Hilal in the final of the Riyadh Season Cup, a mid-season exhibition tournament held in Saudi Arabia.
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The spectacle took an unusual turn even before kickoff when WWE Hall of Famer, The Undertaker, unexpectedly appeared to present the trophy at Riyadh’s 30,000-seat Kingdom Arena while both teams lined up on the pitch.
As one of the most competitive figures in sports, Ronaldo undoubtedly aimed to add yet another accolade to his extensive collection of trophies.
However, first-half goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Salem Aldawsari secured a comfortable victory for Al-Hilal, fueling Ronaldo’s growing frustration throughout the evening.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s irritation escalated as the match progressed, particularly displeased with the officiating and enduring taunts from rival supporters chanting ‘Messi, Messi, Messi!’ in the stands.
Following the final whistle, Ronaldo expressed his frustration by gesturing angrily towards an official who obstructed his path during the customary post-match exchange.
Cristiano Ronaldo is fuming and puts an Al Hilal scarf downstairs???????????? pic.twitter.com/cNQzaaohFj
— The 44 ⚽️ (@The_Forty_Four) February 8, 2024
Subsequently, he directed his ire towards the crowd as a few scarves were thrown from the stands while he made his way towards the tunnel.
The viral clip circulating on social media captured the moment when Ronaldo was struck on the head by one of the scarves.
In response, the 39-year-old reacted by placing it down his pants and throwing it back into the crowd. An unexpected move, to say the least.
The repercussions of Ronaldo’s actions during and after the match are yet to unfold, leaving uncertainty over whether he will face any consequences for his petulant behavior.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s balls are bigger than Al Hilal’s entire history. The goat does what he wants when he wants pic.twitter.com/2ty8YCTOrd
— LLF (@laligafrauds) February 8, 2024
Looking ahead, Al-Nassr is set to play against Al-Fayha in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday. As the 2016 European Championship winner, Ronaldo hopes to be cleared to participate in the match at Riyadh’s Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium.
Just last month, Ronaldo defended the Saudi Pro League, asserting its superiority over Ligue 1, where he previously played with Paris Saint-Germain.
‘To be honest, I think the Saudi League is not worse than the French league, in my opinion,’ he said at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai.
‘In the French league I think you have two, three teams with a good level. In Saudi now I think it’s more competitive.
‘They can say whatever they want, it’s just my opinion and I played there one year so I know what I’m talking about. But I think right now we are better than the French league, we still improve.’
Reports indicate that Ronaldo’s contract with Al-Nassr is staggering, valued at £177 million annually, translating to approximately £3.4 million per week. This makes it the highest football salary ever recorded.
The iconic forward, who recently celebrated his 39th birthday, is committed to Al-Nassr until 2025 as per the terms of his agreement.
