He is one of the greatest players of all time, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s temper got the better of him after he was banned for one match for “provoking fans” in the Saudi Pro League.
The Al-Nassr forward reacted angrily to the chants of “Messi” – his eternal rival Lionel Messi – from the Al-Shabab supporters after his team’s 3-2 victory in Riyadh on Sunday.
The Portugal captain, 39, put his hand to his ear and made a rude gesture to the fans, who were trying to mock him for his age and decline. He was also fined 30,000 Saudi Riyals (£6,300) by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), who said he had no right to appeal.
Ronaldo had given Al-Nassr the lead from the penalty spot, but Al-Shabab fought back twice to level the score. It took a late goal from Talisca to seal the win for the visitors, who are chasing the league title.
Ronaldo moved to Al-Nassr on a free transfer from Manchester United in December 2022, signing a deal that made him the highest-paid footballer in history. He has been in prolific form this season, scoring 20 goals in 22 league games for Al-Nassr, who are second in the table behind Al-Hilal.
