Cristiano Ronaldo found himself at the center of some playful teasing from opposing fans during Al-Nassr’s match against Al Hilal on Friday.
The 39-year-old has been in impressive form in the Saudi Pro League, scoring nine goals across competitions for Al-Nassr this season.
Despite his strong performance, Ronaldo has frequently been met with chants of “Lionel Messi” from rival fans.
Earlier in the year, after Al-Nassr’s victory over Al-Shabab, Ronaldo responded to similar taunts with a controversial gesture, which led to a one-match suspension and a fine of 10,000 riyals ($2,081).
This time, however, Ronaldo took the chants in stride, giving fans a cheeky thumbs-up during the 1-1 draw.
While the crowd’s taunts didn’t faze him, Ronaldo did express frustration with the officiating at Al-Awwal Park.
After Talisca gave Al-Nassr an early lead, the game turned physical, with Ronaldo, Marcelo Brozovic, and Sadio Mane all receiving yellow cards in the first half.
Frustrated by the perceived disparity in calls, Ronaldo approached referee Felix Zwayer at halftime, voicing his concern: “We receive three yellow cards. Al Hilal have zero. Be fair for both teams!”
Al-Nassr’s lead slipped in the final moments as Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored an equalizer for Al Hilal, salvaging a point for the visitors.
Following the match, Ronaldo took to social media, stating, “The battle is far from over. Thank you all for the support today!” The draw extended Al-Nassr’s unbeaten start to the season, though they still sit six points behind league leaders Al Hilal after four draws in their first nine games.
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