19 April 2023 , 09:11
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Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to make an obscene gesture towards rival fans during an ill-tempered Saudi Pro League game.
Ronaldo's Al-Nassr suffered a 2-0 defeat at Al-Hilal on Thursday night to leave them three points behind leaders Al-Ittihad in the title race having played a game more. It marks another tough evening for Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, as his gradual decline continues.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, 38, was bombarded with chants of Lionel Messi's name from Al-Hilal supporters throughout the match. Messi, 35, is being tipped to join Al-Hilal this summer when his contract with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain expires.
As Ronaldo made his way off the pitch at the King Fahd International Stadium, he was met by huge jeers and chants of "Messi" from the home fans. The Portugal international then grabbed his genitals, appearing to make a lewd gesture towards the supporters.
It's unclear at this stage whether Ronaldo's act was intentional.
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Ronaldo, who left Manchester United by mutual consent in November, had a game to forget on Thursday night. Al-Nassr needed to beat Al-Hilal to keep up with Al-Ittihad, but found themselves 1-0 behind when former Watford star Odion Ighalo scored a penalty.
Cristiano Ronaldo appeared to make a lewd gesture on Thursday night
The Portugal international is battling to save Al-Nassr's season (Getty Images)What do you make of Cristiano Ronaldo's apparent gesture? Let us know in the comments below!
Ronaldo was then fortunate to escape with a yellow card when he tackled Gustavo Cuellar around the neck, as referee Michael Oliver gave the superstar the benefit of the doubt. The game was put to bed by Ighalo converting a second-half penalty.
Ronaldo's frustration was compounded when he was flagged offside after hitting the net. Al-Nassr are now facing the prospect of missing out on the Saudi Pro League title, despite sitting two points clear of Al-Ittihad when Ronaldo made his debut.
The veteran's record in Saudi Arabia is impressive - scoring 11 goals and providing two assists in just 11 league games - but he will face criticism if Al-Nassr miss out on the title. Ronaldo was accused of making Man Utd worse during his second spell at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo hit 24 goals for Man Utd last season, but the team finished sixth in the Premier League and failed to win a trophy for the fifth consecutive campaign. That marked a big decline, as Man Utd finished second in the league the season before Ronaldo's return.
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher tweeted last July: "Ronaldo did exactly what I thought he would do, score goals but make the team worse."
There is no questioning Ronaldo's status as a legend of the game. He is Real Madrid's record scorer and has won the Champions League five times. He also led Portugal to Euro 2016 glory, the country's first senior honour in men's international football. Yet Ronaldo is no longer at the peak of his powers and it's unclear how much he's got left to give.