Cristiano Ronaldo concludes his season with sobbing.
Tearing up, Cristiano Ronaldo exited the pitch following his team Al-Nassr's defeat in the King's Cup finals of Saudi Arabia. Al-Nassr suffered losses on Friday (local time) to the reigning champions Al-Hilal in a penalty shootout, 4:5. This marked not only the conclusion of the second season for the 39-year-old Portuguese but also a championship without a title.
The score was tied at 1:1 at the end of regular time. In the dying moments of the game, Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly equalized for Al-Nassr. Without a victor in extra time, the game went to a penalty shootout, where Ronaldo netted his penalty. The decisive miss from Meshari Al-Nemer fell in Al-Hilal's favor.
Following the match, with a total of three red cards, teammates consoled the teary-eyed Ronaldo. Al-Nassr ended in second place, trailing Al-Hilal by 14 points. Ronaldo broke the league record, netting 35 season goals in 31 games. However, he also caused multiple unruly situations.
Trouble multiplied for the superstar
In the semi-final of the Saudi Super Cup, he received a red card following a scuffle with his opponent. His reaction to the decision sparked outrage. In March of this year, Ronaldo gained controversy by gesturing towards opposing fans after Al-Nassr's 3:2 win against Al Shabab. The ex-European champion faced a game suspension for these actions.
In the 86th minute, he made a provocative gesture - believed to be aimed at the "Messi" chants heard from the stands. Argentine World Champion Lionel Messi is Ronaldo's long-standing rival, especially regarding individual achievements. Ronaldo was suspended for a match for his antics.
Ronaldo previously ruffled feathers by pulling a fan scarf of Al-Hilal into his pants en route to the dressing room and then discarding it. In April, he grabbed himself in the groin after a loss against the same team.
Ronaldo will soon be on his way to the Portuguese national team, set to start the European Championship on June 18 against the Czech Republic.
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Despite his impressive goal-scoring record, Cristiano Ronaldo's season with Al-Nassr ended in disappointment as they lost the King's Cup finals to Al-Hilal in a penalty shootout. This defeat marked Ronaldo's second season without a title in soccer.
Despite his skill on the field, Cristiano Ronaldo has also faced controversy in Saudi Arabia, including receiving a red card for a scuffle and making provocative gestures towards opposing fans, resulting in suspensions.
