BINH DUONG
Al-Nassr topped the Saudi Arabian Premier League (SPL) table when Cristiano Ronaldo joined the club in January, but have now been overtaken by rivals Al-Ittihad.
Ronaldo has scored 14 goals in 16 matches since arriving in Saudi Arabia. Photo: AFP
Ronaldo recently posted a personal photo on Instagram and received 4 million likes in just the first 2 hours. Previously, the deal to join Al-Nassr helped him surpass Lionel Messi to top the list of highest-earning athletes of Forbes magazine.
However, the results on the field are not as favorable. In this season's SPL, Ronaldo's Al-Nassr will certainly finish second, behind Al-Ittihad. Al-Ittihad won their first SPL title in 14 years after Ronaldo's team was held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Ettifaq on May 27. Thus, Al-Nassr this season has no title after being eliminated early in cup competitions such as the King's Cup and the Saudi Arabian Super Cup before.
Ronaldo admitted he went through a “bad period in his career” when he returned to Manchester United. In an interview with Sport TV+ in March, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said that his return to Man United helped him mature and become a better man.
However, Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia did not become calmer. He was even more aggressive and easily angered than previous "versions" of Ronaldo. In just a few months, fans continuously witnessed the Portuguese star getting angry with the referee and then picking up the ball and kicking it hard (in the match against Abha in the quarter-finals of the King's Cup), kicking a water bottle on the way off the field after losing to Al-Ittihad in round 20 of the SPL, refusing to take pictures, exchanging shirts with a member of the opposing coaching staff and even grabbing an opponent's neck in the match against Al Hilal. The most controversial was Ronaldo's rude behavior when he was mocked by Al Hilal fans. Although there were calls to expel Ronaldo from Saudi Arabia, the 38-year-old star later escaped punishment.
Ronaldo was unimpressed with the facilities in Saudi Arabia, believing they were not modern enough to meet his needs in training and matches. Al Nassr had hoped that Ronaldo could make a difference, but CR7 could not keep up with the pace here. Ronaldo's decision-making ability in front of goal was also no longer effective, while he was considered the reason for coach Rudi Garcia's dismissal.
Since arriving in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has also been frustrated with the media’s constant exploration of his private life. There have even been reports that Ronaldo and girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez’s relationship has broken down after an argument on a plane in April. Rodriguez responded on Instagram that “jealous people are making up rumours and spreading them.”
Such rumors are not new to the Ronaldo family. But the difference this time is that Ronaldo and Rodriguez are facing scrutiny over their marital status, as it is illegal for couples to live together without being married in Saudi Arabia. An exception was made for Ronaldo and Rodriguez in this case, but the family has not escaped scrutiny over other issues, including the social media posts of his model girlfriend. All of which has led to Rodriguez wanting to leave the Middle Eastern country and return to Europe.
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