"Ronaldo's Frustration Overshadows Al-Nassr's Defeat in Saudi Super Cup Final"

(Delhi)Cristiano Ronaldo's display of frustration during the Saudi Super Cup final has sparked widespread controversy and backlash on social media. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was visibly agitated as his team, Al-Nassr, succumbed to a 1-4 defeat against arch-rivals Al-Hilal at the King Saud University Stadium on Saturday.

Ronaldo, who scored the opening goal of the match, saw his team crumble in the second half after a promising start. Despite putting Al-Nassr ahead in the 45th minute, the team faltered dramatically as Al-Hilal netted four goals in just 17 minutes. Sergej Milinković-Savić leveled the score in the 55th minute, followed by a brace from Aleksandar Mitrović and a final strike from Malcom, securing a decisive victory for the reigning champions.

The Portuguese superstar's frustration was palpable after Malcom’s goal in the 71st minute. Ronaldo was seen gesturing angrily towards his teammates and making a sleeping motion, an action that has drawn significant criticism. His apparent outburst included an obscene gesture that further fueled the controversy and led to a wave of backlash on social media platforms.

Last season, Ronaldo’s prolific performance in the Saudi Pro League, where he scored a record 35 goals, was not enough to secure silverware for Al-Nassr. Despite his individual success, the team finished second in the league, 14 points adrift of Al-Hilal. The defeat in the Super Cup final marks another setback in Ronaldo’s quest for success in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Hilal's victory marks their second consecutive Super Cup triumph and underscores their dominance in Saudi football, even in the absence of star signing Neymar, who has been sidelined with a knee ligament injury since October.

Mitrović, who played a key role in the second-half turnaround, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance: “We showed how good we are in the second half. We had some problems in the first half but changed things in the second. Staying calm under pressure and getting a trophy at the start of the season feels great.”

Al-Hilal will begin their league title defense against Al-Okhdood next Saturday, continuing their impressive form as they aim to maintain their status as Saudi Arabia’s top football club.

As the new season unfolds, all eyes will be on Ronaldo and Al-Nassr to see how they respond to this latest setback and whether the iconic forward can lead his team to success amidst mounting pressure and scrutiny.