Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo Left Fuming By Lionel Messi Chants; Indecent Gesture Goes Viral
Cristiano Ronaldo had a night to forget during Al-Nassr slumped to a 0-2 defeat against Al-Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup final.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a night to forget during Al-Nassr slumped to a 0-2 defeat against Al-Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup final. Ronaldo was not able to produce solid chances during the match with just one shot on target which was saved by Al-Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. The Portuguese star was also caught offside on three occasions and was shown a yellow card for kicking the ball away after a free-kick was awarded against him. Things got worse for Ronaldo as he was targeted with Lionel Messi chants from the supporters and his post-match indecent gesture has gone viral on social media.
Cristiano Ronaldo to Al Hilal Fans: "I am here... not Messi."
— ACE (@FCB_ACEE) February 8, 2024
Tears man he's so Insecurepic.twitter.com/13DrhhObCZ
The match was decided by two first-half goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Salem Aldawsari but the controversy surrounding Ronaldo that kept dominating the headlines after the end of the game.
In a video posted by fans on social media, Ronaldo can be seen reacting to Messi chants with a furious gesture as he shouted - "I am here now. Not Messi".
Another video from a fan inside the stadium showed Ronaldo made an indecent gesture towards the Al-Hilal fans after the match ended. As the footballer made his way out of the pitch, some fans threw a couple of Al-Hilal scarfs at him. The video showed Ronaldo taking the scarfs and pointing towards his crotch area before throwing him away resulting in boos from the supporters.
— نواف الآسيوي(@football_ll55) February 8, 2024
تصرف غير اخلاقي من كريستيانو رونالدو؛ حيث وضع شال الهلال في مكان غير لائق ثم قام برميه!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/OUBzFWKjP7
Earlier, Al Nassr crushed Inter Miami 6-0 as injury ruled Cristiano Ronaldo out of a much-hyped showdown with Lionel Messi, who was limited to a late substitute appearance in the friendly in Riyadh.
Ronaldo's calf injury prompted Al Nassr to cancel their two-game China tour last week and it denied him what could have potentially been a last match against longtime rival Messi.
The pair have won a combined 13 Ballon d'Or awards, with Messi taking home the prize for a record eighth time last year. Their most recent meeting came in January 2023 when Ronaldo played in a Saudi select team beaten 5-4 by Messi's PSG.
Instead, Brazilian Talisca upstaged the illustrious duo with a hat-trick as the Saudi Pro League side demolished their Major League Soccer opponents, scoring three times in the first 12 minutes.
(With AFP inputs)
Cristiano Ronaldo
Lionel Messi