RIYADH: When a player like Cristiano Ronaldo arrives at a new club, there are always going to be fireworks, both on and off the pitch, and that has been the case in the Roshn Saudi League.
For the first time since Al-Nassr shocked the world by announcing the arrival of the star at the end of December, the five-time Ballon D’Or winner has split opinion in Saudi Arabia.
Almost inevitably, the controversy came in that biggest of games, the Riyadh derby between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. The match ended in a 2-0 loss for the Portuguese star’s team last Tuesday, a result that put a huge dent in their title hopes.
As Ronaldo left the area in obvious frustration, he was taunted by gleeful home fans who chanted the name of Lionel Messi, his long-time rival at the top of world football. Ronaldo then grabbed his crotch in a gesture that many saw as obscene toward the blue-clad supporters.
There were even calls for the former Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid star to be deported. Lawyer Nouf bin Ahmed was one such voice, posting on social media: “It is considered a crime of public dishonor, and it is one of the crimes that entails arrest and deportation if committed by a foreigner.”
On social media, too, opinion was divided, with many of Ronaldo’s supporters, inevitably, playing down the incident, while fans of rival clubs, and of Messi, criticizing what they saw as an obscene gesture.
Al-Nassr’s explanation was that the player had sustained an injury in the groin area following a challenge from Gustavo Cuellar, for which the Al-Hilal player was booked by English referee Michael Oliver.
Ethics experts have said that it is impossible to know the meaning behind the gesture, and in such situations a player usually receives the benefit of the doubt. There has been no punishment forthcoming from the Discipline and Ethics Committee of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, though Al-Nassr were fined as their players took the field late in the second half.
It is one of those incidents where only the player truly knows what happened and why he did what he did.
What can be said for sure, however, is that this is the first time that there have been negative headlines surrounding Ronaldo since he first pulled on the famous yellow shirt that can now be seen on sale in markets around the world. There will be even more eyes on his next appearance — assuming he has recovered from the injury — in the King’s Cup semi against Al-Wehda on Monday.
It is also true that Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure as he left the pitch. He had a goal ruled out for offside by VAR, contentiously so, and the video assistant also overturned a penalty decision, a kick that would have been taken by the international star. It is that passion and desire to be number one that has enabled Ronaldo to become one of the best players in the history of the game and his displeasure when the highest standards are not met are there for all to see.
For Ronaldo, whether he is competing for titles in Spain, England, Italy and the Champions League or the Roshn Saudi League, the desire and will to win remain undimmed.
There have been foreign imports in many leagues around Asia — Carlos Tevez in China is one example that springs to mind, especially as he described his time in Shanghai as a seven-month holiday — who have come, collected hefty pay packets and then gone without making much effort or any impact. Ronaldo’s passion is simply immense, which is why his army of fans love him. It helps in Saudi Arabia that he has scored 11 goals in 11 games.
Off the pitch, too, he has embraced life in his new home. On Feb. 22, he was filmed celebrating the Kingdom’s Founding Day by wearing traditional attire, and has been spotted with his family visiting many of the country’s historic and tourist landmarks. On Friday, Al-Nassr posted the player’s Eid Al-Fitr greeting and he also posted similar sentiments on his personal channels.
He has barely put a foot wrong in any field, but this week, for the first time, there are some who think he has. Expect more fireworks on Monday and in the coming weeks as Ronaldo seeks to drive Al-Nassr to the title.