Cristiano Ronaldo’s Emotional Reaction to Al-Nassr’s Trophyless Season 2024: A Detailed Recap
Cristiano Ronaldo’s tears flowed freely after their defeat against arch-rivals Al-Hilal in the Saudi Cup final in a poignant moment marking the culmination of Al-Nassr’s season.
Despite a stellar individual performance throughout the season, Ronaldo’s agony was palpable as Al-Nassr succumbed to defeat on penalties, denying them a coveted trophy.
After Al Nassr’s loss to rivals Al-Hilal in the Saudi Cup final on penalties, which ended their trophy-less season, Cristiano Ronaldo broke down in tears. Ronaldo was upset by the outcome, as Al Nassr lost on penalties. Yassine Bounou, the goalie, was Al-Hilal’s hero, making two saves.
Aleksandar Mitrovic, the standout player for Al-Hilal, and Ronaldo both converted the second opportunity in the shootout, but Bounou ultimately made a huge impact in helping his team win the game 5-4 on penalties.
The two clubs, who dominated the Saudi league season prior to Jorge Jesus’s team winning the championship for the 19th time, were deadlocked at 1-1 after 90 minutes. Ayman Yahya’s last-gasp equalizer forced extra time, but no goals were scored.
After just 7 minutes of play, Mitrovic gave Al-Hilal the lead. For the majority of the match, Al-Nassr was trailing behind. In front of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at King Abdullah Sports City, Mitrovic headed home Malcom’s cross after seven minutes to give Al-Hilal the lead.
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After the halftime, Ronaldo scored a stunning bicycle kick against the post, but he was offside anyhow. Despite his inability to break the tie during the ninety minutes, Yahya was able to force overtime.
The Portuguese superstar enjoyed an incredible season on his own, but it finished without a trophy, leaving him upset and spotted crying following the match.
The 39-year-old’s brace against Al-Ittihad in the last league stage game recently surpassed the record for most goals in a Saudi Pro League season. Ronaldo beat the record set by former Al Nassr player Abderrazak Hamdallah, who scored 34 goals in the 2019 season, with 35 goals in a single season.
Al-Hilal, a local rival that won the title more than two weeks ago and went undefeated through the 34-round league on Monday, finishing 14 points ahead of Al-Nassr in second place.
Despite a devastating conclusion to the 2023–24 season, Al Nassr CEO Guido Fienga announced following the Saudi Cup loss that Ronaldo will remain with the team for the upcoming campaign.
