SUMMARY
- Cristiano Ronaldo was fined and suspended for allegedly making an inappropriate gesture towards fans chanting Lionel Messi's name.
- Ronaldo's gesture was apparently provoked by derogatory remarks directed at his family by Al-Shabab supporters
The Saudi FA is said to have fined Al-Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo for making an inappropriate gesture toward supporters who were screaming Lionel Messi’s name. On February 25, Ronaldo was subjected to additional typical shouts of his Argentine opponent from opposition supporters.
During the Saudi Pro League match, in which Ronaldo scored in a 3-2 victory, Al-Shabab supporters sang for Messi. The Portugal star, however, was not pleased by a goal and three points, as he responded to such cries by pointing to his crotch in front of the home supporters.
🚨The SPL really thinking on suspending the Greatest player of all time when the fans were misbehaving and chanting “Messi” the entire time.
It’s always Ronaldo against the system 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/OhsKElUAjy
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) February 27, 2024
Ronaldo has been fined an undisclosed amount and suspended for two matches because of the X-rated gesture, according to Saudi media, as reported by the Daily Mail. Ronaldo earns £175 million ($222 million) a year, so the financial penalty won’t concern him. Nevertheless, the suspension will hurt him and his team.
The Portuguese will now miss Al-Hazm’s league match on Thursday. He may also miss Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League quarterfinal match against Al-Ain on March 4th. It remains to be seen how and whether Ronaldo appeals his side to the Saudi FA or serves his 2-match suspension.
A Saudi fan reveals the reason behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebration against Al-Shabab
The spectator at the stadium reports that Al-Shabab supporters made disparaging remarks about the Portuguese superstar’s family. He said that the obscene gesture was caused by chants directed towards Cristiano Ronaldo’s family rather than the “Messi chants” that have been published in the media.
🚨A fan present at the Al-Nassr and Al-Shabab match confirms that some fans spoke bad against Cristiano’s family before he made that celebration.
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) February 26, 2024
The fan posted the footage on social media, where it was picked up by some of Ronaldo’s more prominent fan pages. These fan pages translated the video, which has caused some soccer fans to express concerns.
While some fans maintain that the translation is inaccurate, others contend that this anonymous fan is not a reliable source for the information provided. Different fan bases have given the video opposing viewpoints, which has compounded the conversation around it.
This was not the first time Cristiano Ronaldo mocked his rival fans
Cristiano’s theatrics on the pitch have escalated to an unprecedented level since his arrival in Saudi Arabia. The former Real Madrid star has already offended supporters with vulgar hand motions in the past. In April 2023, Cristiano engaged in his first contentious exchange with the supporters of his opposing team, Al-Hilal, during an SPL match. The 39-year-old had held his crotch in response to Al-Hilal supporters screaming Lionel Messi’s name.
🗣️ Cristiano Ronaldo to Al Hilal Fans: “I am here… not Messi.”
Tears man he’s so Insecure 😭😭😭pic.twitter.com/13DrhhObCZ
— ACE (fan) (@FCB_ACEE) February 8, 2024
After their rivals defeated them in January, Cristiano Ronaldo placed an Al-Hilal flag over his genitalia. The community has been talking about CR7’s recent actions. Many admirers think that the Portuguese’s indulgence in silly hobbies is damaging his reputation. To steer clear of any future controversy, the Portuguese soccer star has to take his time and think things through before acting.