Cristiano Ronaldo is facing backlash after making an obscene gesture towards a fan after Al Nasr’s victory in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday night.
The Portuguese footballer was celebrating with his team on the pitch after defeating Al-Shabaab 3-2 when opposing fans started chanting the name of Ronaldo’s rival Lionel Messi.
As chants of “Messi” continued, Ronaldo put his hands over his ears and began moving his right hand forward near his groin.
Television cameras did not capture the gesture, but According to Reutersthe fans inside the stadium certainly did, and the moment quickly spread across the internet.
According to Reuters, Ronaldo was slammed by Saudi experts who called for the league’s biggest star to be suspended.
Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reported that the country’s football federation had opened an investigation into the incident, but Al Nasr had not made any official comment on the matter.
In a rough game, Ronaldo scored in the 21st minute to give Al Nasr a 1-0 lead, but Talisca’s late goal in the 86th minute sealed the victory.
Saudi football fans are likely learning that Sunday’s incident is not the first time that hearing Messi’s name is sure to irritate Ronaldo enough.
In April 2023, Ronaldo made another lewd gesture by grabbing his crotch as he left the field after Al Hilal fans chanted Messi’s name to save Ronaldo’s skin.
Later that year, he blew a kiss to the crowd when they again blew him a kiss to infuriate the international soccer star.
Provocation got the best of Ronaldo again earlier this month when he picked up an Al Hilal scarf thrown at him from the stands, tucked it into his shorts and threw it away.
The incident occurred after Al Nasr lost 2-0 in the Riyadh Season Cup final.
