The Portuguese striker's petulance is overshadowing his form at Al-Nassr, and setting a poor example for the next generation
“There are people out there who hate me and who say I’m arrogant, vain and whatever. That’s all part of my success. I am made to be the best,” Cristiano Ronaldo said in 2016 interview with Spanish outlet . “We cannot live being obsessed with what other people think about us. It’s impossible to live like that. Not even God managed to please the entire world.”
Portugal's favourite son has never been one for humility. No one really read that much into his attitude back then, though, as he was still at the peak of his powers in a Real Madrid team sweeping aside all-comers in the Champions League.
But eight years on, there is no question that Ronaldo's character flaws are outweighing his impact on the pitch. He said his "work in Europe is done" when signing a record-breaking contract at Al-Nassr in January last year, but really had nowhere else to turn after an acrimonious end to his second spell at Manchester United.
Since then Ronaldo has gone to great lengths to try and prove he remains relevant, completely contradicting his past comments in the process. It seems that, now, nothing is more important to the 39-year-old than how he is perceived by the public, and that narcissistic mindset is threatening to ruin the final chapter of his illustrious career.
Getty ImagesMissing the bigger picture
Ronaldo has been scoring for fun at Al-Nassr, and no one bettered his haul of 54 goals for club and country in 2023. The Portuguese took delight in outdoing "young animals" like Manchester City's Erling Haaland, and insisted he could still play on for another 10 years, but he's missing the bigger picture.
The Saudi Pro League is still a long way from being one of the top divisions in world football, despite the influx of European talent to the Middle East over the past year. Ronaldo's prolific output in the final third counts for little among the purists, who just see a once-great player stat-padding while pocketing obscene wages.
There would be nothing wrong with that, if he was still being a role model to the millions of youngsters that look up to him and could admit that Al-Nassr is just a place for him to wind down towards retirement. But Ronaldo seems to still genuinely believe he is the number one player in the game, and construes any suggestion otherwise as a personal attack.
AdvertisementGetty Images – Goal ARCourting controversy
Ronaldo netted his 22nd goal of the 2023-24 Pro League season from the penalty spot last Sunday, setting Al-Nassr on their way to a crucial 3-2 victory over Al-Shabab that keeps them within sight of Al-Hilal at the top of the table. However, after the final whistle, Ronaldo was too distracted by the home crowd to focus on celebrating the three points with his team-mates.
Al-Shabab supporters attempted to rile Ronaldo up with chants for his long-time rival Lionel Messi, and got what they wanted, with footage on social media showing the striker cupping his hand to his ear before making a lewd fist-pumping gesture in front of his genital area.
There appeared to be little doubt Ronaldo was motioning in the direction of the fans, and the Saudi FA subsequently launched an investigation, amid a fierce public backlash. Ronaldo was eventually punished with a one-game ban and 30,000 Saudi Riyals (£6,300) fine by an ethics and disciplinary committee.
The final verdict came after remarks from popular Saudi journalist Waleed Al-Farraj, who had urged the FA to make an example of Ronaldo – as reports. “Everything has limits, no matter how (much of a) star you are,” Al-Farraj said.
Getty'Used to it in Europe'
According to , Ronaldo explained his actions in an official statement. He is reported to have said: "I respect all clubs and the action in the shot expresses strength and victory and is not disgraceful, and we are used to it in Europe."
The sheer ignorance of that statement cannot be overlooked. Ronaldo is not in Europe anymore, and it is his duty to be aware of Saudi Arabia's conservative customs as a foreign national.
has reported that Ronaldo's gesture was seen as "immoral" by a country known for its strong religious beliefs, and he should consider himself lucky that he's not facing a much longer suspension. And to make matters even worse, it's not the first time that the former Real Madrid and Manchester United superstar has exhibited such childish behaviour in his first year in the Middle East.
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Previous escapes
Ronaldo was faced with more Messi taunts during Al-Nassr's 2-0 defeat to Al-Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup final on February 8, and allowed his frustration to get the better of him again when making his way down the tunnel.
Al-Hilal supporters threw a team scarf at Ronaldo, which he then appeared to rub near his crotch before hurling it back in the direction it came from. There were no sanctions imposed after that incident, with the Portugal international getting the benefit of the doubt despite similar controversy in April last year.
After another loss to Al-Hilal, this time in the final weeks of the 2022-23 Pro League season, Ronaldo grabbed his crotch when trudging off the pitch, much to the outrage of Saudi lawyer Nouf Bint Ahmad. She described the gesture as a "crime that requires detention and deportation" in a post on social media, and Ronaldo was subjected to another investigation, before ultimately being cleared of any wrongdoing.
Al-Nassr even came out to defend their prized asset, saying in a quite frankly absurd official statement: "Ronaldo suffers from an injury. His challenge with Gustavo Cuellar, the Al-Hilal player, started with a blow in a very sensitive area. This is confirmed information. As for the fans’ explanations, they are free to think whatever they want.”