Sports

Ronaldo in tears after Saudi King’s Cup final defeat

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo broke down tears after Al Nassr lost the King’s Cup final to Al Hilal on penalties on Friday night.

The club’s loss extended Ronaldo’s trophy drought in Saudi Arabia.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, whose arrival last year unleashed a flood of top players to the oil-funded Saudi Pro League, slumped to the ground as Al Hilal celebrated winning the King’s Cup.

Ronaldo, 39, then slowly walked off the pitch and sat in the dug-out with tears streaming down his face.

In a tempestuous match that saw three red cards, including one for Al Nassr’s ex-Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina, Ayman Yahya scored in the 88th minute to cancel out Al Hilal’s early strike through Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Ronaldo breaks Saudi league scoring record

But Al Hilal triumphed 5-4 in the shoot-out to complete the Saudi treble after also winning the Super Cup and the Saudi Pro League, finishing unbeaten in domestic action.

This season Al Hilal, with star signing Neymar injured since October, put together a record 34-match winning streak in all competitions.

Al Nassr, who were second in the league behind Al Hilal, and lost to the same team in the Super Cup, miss out once again despite the prolific Ronaldo, who scored a Pro League-record 35 goals.

His sole silverware so far with the Riyadh club is last year’s Arab Club Champions Cup.

Ronaldo’s contract, said to net him 400 million euros over two-and-a-half years, runs out at the end of next season.

The Star

Segun Ojo

Recent Posts

Poverty: World Bank report exposes Tinubu’s failed reforms — Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the administration of President Bola Tinubu following a…

46 minutes ago

Tomato farmers predict steady price hike from May

The Tomatoes Growers and Processors Association of Nigeria (TOPAN) has predicted a steady increase in…

2 hours ago

21,452 applicants jostle for 1,000 teaching jobs in Nasarawa

No fewer than 21,452 Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN)-certified applicants have applied for 1,000…

2 hours ago

‘4 killed’: Army debunks casualty figures, says troops repelled Benisheikh attack

The Nigerian Army has dismissed reports claiming that 17 soldiers, including a Brigade Commander, were…

2 hours ago

FG dismisses US security advisory, insists Nigeria is safe

The Federal Government has pushed back against a United States travel advisory that ordered the…

3 hours ago

DJAN dissociates self from Burna Boy’s music ban

The Deejays Association of Nigeria (DJAN) has dissociated itself from reports that the association placed…

5 hours ago

This website uses cookies.