Cristiano Ronaldo, the star forward of Al-Nassr, has been suspended for one match and fined 30,000 Saudi Riyals (£6,300) by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) for making an alleged offensive gesture to the fans of Al-Shabab. The incident occurred after Al-Nassr’s 3-2 victory over Al-Shabab in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday.
According to reports, Ronaldo was provoked by the chants of “Messi” from the Al-Shabab supporters, who were referring to his long-time rival Lionel Messi, the Argentine legend who plays for Paris Saint-Germain. In response, Ronaldo cupped his hand to his ear and made a gesture to his pelvis, which was interpreted as obscene and disrespectful by the SAFF.
The gesture was not captured by the live broadcast, but it went viral on social media after some fans recorded it on their mobile phones. The SAFF disciplinary and ethics committee announced the punishment on Wednesday, stating that Ronaldo cannot appeal against the decision.
The reaction
Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr on a free transfer from Manchester United in December 2022 for reportedly the biggest football salary in history, expressed his regret over the incident and claimed that he did not intend to insult anyone. He said in a written statement: “I respect all clubs. The joy after the shot expresses strength and victory, and it is not shameful. We are used to it in Europe.”
However, his apology did not convince the SAFF, who said that Ronaldo violated the article 57 of the disciplinary and ethics code, which prohibits “provoking fans” or “inciting fans”. The SAFF also fined Al-Nassr 10,000 Saudi Riyals (£2,100) and Al-Shabab 20,000 Saudi Riyals (£4,200) for failing to control their fans.
The suspension means that Ronaldo will miss Al-Nassr’s next league game against Al-Hazm on Thursday. This is a blow for Al-Nassr, who are second in the table behind Al-Hilal, with six points difference. Ronaldo has been in superb form for Al-Nassr, scoring 20 goals in 22 league games this season.
The context
Ronaldo’s gesture is not the first time that he has been involved in a controversy with the fans of his opponents. In 2019, he was fined 20,000 euros (£17,700) by Uefa for a similar gesture to Atletico Madrid fans after scoring a hat-trick for Juventus in the Champions League. He later said that he was just “having a joke” and that it was “nothing personal”.
Ronaldo’s rivalry with Messi is one of the most famous and intense in the history of football. The two players have dominated the individual awards for more than a decade, with Ronaldo winning five Ballon d’Or trophies and Messi six. They have also faced each other in many memorable matches, most notably in the El Clasico clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr was a shock for the football world, as many expected him to end his career in Europe or in the MLS. However, he said that he was attracted by the challenge and the opportunity to play in a different culture and league. He also said that he wanted to help Al-Nassr win the Saudi Pro League title, which they have not done since 2019.
