Cristiano Ronaldo stood up to a late free-kick and gave himself a pep talk as Al Nasr looked to equalize late on, but he gaffeped the line as they were chased out by Al Ittihad in the Copa del Rey.
Cristiano Ronaldo could be seen giving himself a pep talk as he tried to seize a moment to put Al Nasr back in the spotlight, but he was unable to deliver as his trophyless spell in Saudi Arabia was extended.
In the 96th minute of Al Nasr’s King’s Cup defeat to Al Ittihad on Tuesday, footage circulated online of the 40-year-old talking to himself before getting up to take a free-kick. The Portuguese star hit his shot straight into the wall and his effort was a huge disappointment.
It’s unclear what Ronaldo was saying to him, but he maintained a positive attitude as the words lasted for about 10 seconds, and the moment seemed to pass.
Ronaldo’s team was ultimately pushed out of the competition by 10 opponents. Karim Benzema, Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate, scored the opening goal and Angelo Gabriel equalized. Houssem Aouar gave his team a 2-1 lead at the end of half-time, and it turned out to be the winner of the match, and they would maintain their lead.
The former Manchester United star had a glorious chance to equalize moments later, but his meek shot was easily stopped by the goalkeeper as he chipped in.
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Coach Jorge Jesus said, “We had 2 wins and 1 loss against Al Ittihad. It was our first loss this season and we are not used to it. We did our best not to lose, but we couldn’t get the result.”
It was ultimately a night to forget for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, as his stint in Saudi Arabia continues to be marred by the fact that he has yet to win a single trophy. He moved to the Middle East in 2023 after his controversial exit from Old Trafford, signing a hugely lucrative contract in the process.
His only honor against Al Nasr was when they won the 2023 Arab Champions Cup, but that is considered a friendly. Ronaldo did not wear any silverware against Manchester, meaning he has not won a major trophy at club level for five years.
Al Nasr have made a strong start in this year’s Saudi Pro League, leading the league with six wins in all their games, giving them a three-point buffer at the top.
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