How Ronaldo Reacted After Strange Own Goal Delayed Al Nassr’s Saudi League Celebrations
- Cristiano Ronaldo was visibly heartbroken after a bizarre goal denied Al-Nassr the chance to celebrate the Saudi League title in front of their fans
- The Riyadh giants must now beat Damac in their final fixture to secure a first league crown since 2019
- Meanwhile, fans on social media pointed fingers at goalkeeper Bento, blaming the Brazilian shot-stopper for the freak moment
Cristiano Ronaldo was shattered after Al-Nassr saw Saudi Pro League glory slip from their grasp in the most dramatic fashion imaginable on May 12.
The Knights of Najd looked set to end a seven-year wait for the domestic crown after defender Mohammed Simakan fired them ahead against fierce rivals Al Hilal.
Source: Getty Images
Strange goal delays Al-Nassr's celebrations
Victory would have sealed the championship and handed Ronaldo his first major title since arriving in Saudi Arabia in January 2023.
Instead, disaster struck deep into stoppage time. With Hilal desperately chasing an equaliser, a hopeful long throw into the penalty area triggered chaos inside the box.
Brazilian goalkeeper Bento and former Barcelona defender Iñigo Martínez collided while attempting to deal with the danger, causing the ball to spill awkwardly over the line.
Watch the bizarre own goal, as shared on X:
Al Amri tried desperately to hack it clear at the final moment, but the damage had already been done as the contest ended 1-1.
The dramatic own goal means Nassr’s wait for the league crown goes on. Ronaldo and his teammates must now beat Damac on May 21 to finally secure the title.
For Hilal, the late leveller keeps their fading hopes alive. They still need victories against Neom SC and Al Fayha, while also relying on Nassr to drop points in their final fixture.
Source: Twitter
How Ronaldo reacted to bizarre own goal
While the title race remains open, the painful manner of the equaliser clearly took an emotional toll on Ronaldo.
In a video circulating on social media and seen by YEN.com.gh, the 41-year-old appeared frozen in disbelief after watching the dramatic finale unfold from the bench.
The Portuguese superstar sat motionless, gesturing repeatedly as he tried to process the cruel twist that had just unfolded before him.
Watch the video, as shared on X:
At one point, he remained seated in silence before a teammate approached to console him following the heartbreaking finish.
The footage quickly sparked debate online, with many supporters directing blame at Bento for the costly mix-up.
@PoshianW slammed the goalkeeper:
"This is a careless mistake from Bento, but regardless Al Nassr keep looking on the next match to cement our first title."
@JomoAbiama lamented:
"Ronaldo's teammates continue to let him down."
@iamunicon summed up:
"I am actually speechless. How does that even happen? You can't even blame pressure if no one was near him. Just a total freak accident at the worst possible moment."
Ronaldo drops retirement hint
In an earlier report by YEN.com.gh, Cristiano Ronaldo dropped another hint that retirement may not be too far away.
Source: YEN.com.gh
