After the commotion caused by Cristiano Ronaldo’s protest at not playing in Al Nassr’s match against Al Riyadh, speculation that the Portuguese star and the team would part ways quickly grew.
Rumors about the next step in his career were quick to surface, but what caught the attention of soccer fans was the gesture made by CR7’s rivals, which combined humor, mischief, and a touch of provocation.
Rivals mock Cristiano
Following Karim Benzema’s transfer from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal, CR7’s fury erupted. Websites claim that the Portuguese player disagrees with the recruitment policy of Saudi Arabia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), as it appears to disadvantage his team and favor others.
As a result, he decided to protest by not showing up for Al Nassr’s game. This did not go unnoticed by fans of Ronaldo’s rival teams, who did not miss the opportunity to mock him.
Outside the stadium, on the streets of Riyadh, fans of Al Hilal (Benzema’s new team) according to MundoDeportivo launched a “Missing” campaign with photographs of Ronaldo wearing the Al Nassr uniform and crying.
These posters appeared in various parts of the city and, alongside the image of CR7, read a text in Arabic that said:
Oh, people of good will! I present to you a missing man in his forties who suffers from excessive crying. His family and friends are looking for him. Whoever finds him, please call 7777-222-43-41.
This mockery echoed on social media, where other fans joined in the comments:
“Haha, Ronaldo ‘missing’ posters in Riyadh streets? Peak troll from the rivals (Short, fun reply vibe matching the Troll Football energy),” said one. “Ronaldo run because of Benzema,” commented another. “When things get difficult Ronaldo is known for running away,” wrote a third follower.
Meanwhile, other fans defended him, responding: “He’s in his house having some workouts,” “Missing? Nah, he’s just protesting PIF favoritism again,” “Cristiano Ronaldo is the real GOAT.”
Meanwhile, it is unclear whether the club will decide to sanction the Portuguese player for his absence from the match against Al Riyadh, as his reasons were not an injury or a technical decision, but a personal protest.
Despite this, CR7 remains the team’s top scorer with 17 goals this season, but it remains to be seen whether he will return for the key match against Al-Ittihad, scheduled for February 6.
