Cristiano Ronaldo faced an avalanche of criticism after appearing to make an obscene gesture following the end of Al Nassr's 3-2 victory over Al Shabab in a thrilling Saudi Pro League match on Sunday.
The Portuguese striker opened the scoring with a penalty in the 21st minute, but Al Nassr needed a late goal from Brazilian Talisca, who scored twice, to put the game away with four minutes remaining.
After the final whistle, social media videos captured Ronaldo touching his ear before repeatedly moving his hand forward in front of his pelvic area. The action appeared to be aimed at followers of rival Al Shabab.
Chants of “Messi” could be heard in the background, a reference to Ronaldo's long-time Argentine soccer rival.
The incident was not caught on television cameras, but some Saudi experts said Ronaldo should be sanctioned.
There has been no official response, but Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat said the national football federation had opened an investigation into the incident.
“The disciplinary committee faces the biggest test. We will wait and see,” Waleed Al Farraj, a prominent Saudi writer and television presenter, said on social media platform X. “Everything has its limits, no matter how famous you are. “This is what the major leagues are like.”
Al Nassr was not immediately available for comment.
Ronaldo, 39, has faced similar criticism in the past. In April 2023, he appeared to grab his genitals as he walked to the bench after the end of a league match against Al Hilal, which Al Nassr lost 2-0.
Earlier this month, he picked up an Al Hilal scarf thrown at him from the stands, put it in his shorts and then threw it away as he walked towards the tunnel after Al Nassr lost 2-0 in the Cup final. of the Riyadh Season.
Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr as a free agent at the end of 2022, leads the Saudi league's scoring charts with 22 goals in 20 appearances so far this season. Al Nassr is second in the standings with 52 points, four behind Al Hilal, which has one game less.
Al-Nassr is also competing for the Asian Champions League, a tournament it has never won, and will play Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates in the quarterfinals next month.
