Cristiano Ronaldo faced a flurry of criticism after appearing to make an obscene gesture following the end of Al Nassr’s 3-2 win over Al Shabab in an exciting Saudi Pro League game on Sunday.
The Portugal forward opened the scoring with a 21st-minute penalty but Al Nassr needed a late goal from Brazilian Talisca, who struck twice, to settle the game with four minutes left. After the final whistle, social media videos captured Ronaldo cupping his ear before repeatedly pumping his hand forward in front of his pelvic area. The action appeared to be directed at the rival Al Shabab supporters, Reuters reports.
In the background, chants of “Messi” could be heard, referencing Ronaldo’s long-term football rival from Argentina.
The incident was not caught on television cameras, but some Saudi pundits said Ronaldo should be sanctioned.
There has been no official response but Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat said the national football federation, SAFF, had opened an investigation into the incident.
Cristiana Ronaldo
“The disciplinary committee is facing the biggest test. We will wait and see,” Waleed Al Farraj, a prominent Saudi writer and television host, said on social media platform X.
“Everyone, regardless of their fame, has limits. This is how it goes in major leagues,” said Ronaldo, though Al Nassr did not respond immediately to the comments.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo has faced similar criticisms before. Last April, he seemed to make a controversial gesture while heading to the dugout after a league game against Al Hilal, which Al Nassr lost 2-0.
Initially, this month, Ronaldo grabbed an Al Hilal scarf thrown at him from the stands, tucked it into his shorts, and then discarded it as he walked off the field after Al Nassr’s 2-0 defeat in the Riyadh Season Cup final.
Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr as a free agent in late 2022, leads the Saudi league in scoring with 22 goals in 20 appearances this season. Al Nassr currently sit second in the table with 52 points, trailing Al Hilal by four points, although Al Hilal have a game in hand.
