Thursday saw two Saudi Pro League powerhouses, Al Nassr and Al Hilal, go toe-to-toe in the final game of the Riyadh Season Cup. Al Hilal won 2-0 with goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Salem Aldawsari.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who came back from injury for the game, struggled to do much on the losing side. His frustration was clear throughout the night.
First, he responded to opposing fans chanting the name of Lionel Messi in the stadium: “I’m Cristiano, not Messi“.
Then, once the final whistle blew, Al Hilal’s players and coaches gave a guard of honor to the Al Nassr players. Ronaldo led the way, but got upset with a worker who was in his way.
Finally, on his way back to the locker room, an Al Hilal fan threw a jersey at Ronaldo. He grabbed it off the floor and threw it back.
We haven’t seen this type of behavior from Ronaldo, possibly ever, so he might be under personal stress given the recent injury. Whatever it is, Al Nassr needs him fully focused for the stretch run of the season.
