Cristiano Ronaldo threw away his captain’s armband and kicked a water bottle in a rage after Al-Nassr was defeated 1-0 by title rivals Al-Ittihad.
As a result, the former Manchester United player’s team has dropped to second place in the table, as the race to be crowned Saudi Arabian champion heats up.
After overcoming a slow start in the league, Ronaldo has enjoyed his first few months in the Middle East. The 38-year-old has now scored eight goals in his first eight games, including two hat-tricks.
He was powerless to intervene, however, as Al-Nassr were defeated 1-0 by their closest rivals, Al-Ittihad.
Romarinho scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute, propelling his team to the top of the league at the halfway point of the season, leapfrogging Ronaldo’s team.
After the game, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner showed his displeasure by kicking away a water bottle and throwing away his armband as his teammates tried to calm him down before sulking down the tunnel.
Al-Nassr have not won the Saudi Pro League in four years, and Thursday’s defeat dealt a significant blow to that goal, with Jeddah suffering their second defeat of the season.
Ronaldo appeared to have calmed down somewhat after leaving the stadium, as he thanked supporters on Twitter..
We are disappointed with the outcome, but we remain focused on our season and the games ahead “He put pen to paper. “Thank you for your support, Al Nassr fans; we know we can rely on you.”
Ronaldo’s first defeat since joining as he tries to help Al-Nassr become a better team. Club nutritionist Jose Blesa has stated that he works hard behind the scenes to improve the diets of his teammates in order to improve performance.
Cristiano is a huge help to me because we can no longer teach him anything, but he has built a school around him “He told the Spanish magazine Ideal. “The other players do what he does because everything he does helps him improve his performance..
Since he arrived, all of the players have increased their training and adhered to a stricter diet. I’ve never seen a club where the players improve their body composition by nearly 90% every time I see them: they have less fat, more muscle, and can do all the exercises at their fingertips. Working there is a luxury.”
Ronaldo will not have to wait long to put things right, as Al-Nassr play Abha on Tuesday.
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