Cristiano Ronaldo Faces Backlash for Aggressive Behavior During Al Nassr’s Victory

Cristiano Ronaldo has been facing criticism on social media after exhibiting a series of reprehensible reactions during Al Nassr’s 4-2 triumph over Shabab Al Ahli on the early morning of August 23rd. The Portuguese player’s actions included shouting at the referee and pushing fans during the match.

Despite Al Nassr’s victory, with goals from Talisca, Al Ghannam, and Brozovic, Cristiano Ronaldo’s behavior on the field drew significant attention. Al Nassr’s team initially took the lead with Talisca’s 11th-minute goal. However, Shabab Al Ahli managed to level the score 1-1 with Al Ghassani’s goal, and later took a 2-1 lead with another goal from Al Ghassani in the 46th minute.

As the match progressed and Al Nassr faced the risk of elimination, their efforts were rewarded with Al Ghannam’s equalizer in the 88th minute, followed by a goal from Talisca in the 90+5 minute to secure a 3-2 lead. Brozovic sealed the victory with a goal in the 90+7 minute, ensuring Al Nassr’s place in the AFC Champions League group stage.

Throughout the match, Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to maintain his composure, displaying aggressive behavior on multiple occasions. The Portuguese superstar was seen shouting vehemently at the Chinese referee, Fu Ming, on at least three occasions, particularly following penalty decisions against his teammates.

Ronaldo’s frustration was evident when he directed heated words at the referee and urged him to “wake up” at the end of the first half. Additionally, in another incident captured on video, Ronaldo forcefully pushed aside a fan who attempted to take a selfie with him, subsequently heading straight into the stadium tunnel. Criticisms regarding Ronaldo’s behavior during matches are not new. Last season, during Al Nassr’s defeat at the end of the season, he also displayed heated reactions. In the current 2023-2024 season, Ronaldo has scored only six goals in the Arab Champions Cup, contributing to the team’s championship victory. However, in the Saudi Pro League, Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to score, and Al Nassr Club has suffered two losses. In other regional qualifiers, Sharjah of the UAE secured their place in the AFC Champions League group stage with a 3-1 victory over Tractor FC (Iran). Navbahor Namangan of Uzbekistan defeated Al Wakrah (Qatar) 1-0 in extra time, while AGMK Olmaliq (Uzbekistan) emerged victorious over Al Arabi (Qatar) with a score of 1-0. Despite the match against Incheon United (South Korea), Hai Phong will participate in the AFC Cup.