Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended by Saudi Arabia’s soccer body on Thursday for a gesture he made during a match, eliciting strong reactions from fans amid an otherwise successful tenure for the Portuguese superstar in the Gulf country.
What happened: Ronaldo’s Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr beat Riyadh rivals Al Shabab on Sunday. During the match, rival fans were heard chanting “Messi” — a reference to Ronaldo’s longtime rival Lionel Messi. Amid the chants, Ronaldo put his hand near his ear and then made a jerking motion near his waist.
Cristiano Ronaldo will be investigated after this gesture he made to fans chanting for Lionel Messi 😅 pic.twitter.com/5h58hnnBeE
— The Premier League Club (@TPLCSports) February 26, 2024
Al Shabab filed a complaint against Ronaldo in response. On Thursday, the Saudi Arabia Football Federation’s Disciplinary and Ethics Committee announced that Ronaldo has been suspended for one game over the gesture. The committee also ordered him to pay 10,000 Saudi riyals ($2,670) to the federation and another 20,000 riyals ($5,330) to Al Shabab. The decision cannot be appealed, the committee said in a statement.
