Cristiano Ronaldo Snubs AFC Champions League Two Ceremony After Al Nassr Defeat
- Cristiano Ronaldo walked straight down the tunnel after Al-Nassr lost 1-0 to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final
- Ronaldo reportedly did not return for the runners-up medal ceremony, leaving teammates to collect silver medals without him
- Al-Nassr can still win the Saudi Pro League, with Ronaldo chasing his first league title since 2020
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Cristiano Ronaldo’s reaction after Al-Nassr’s defeat on Saturday evening quickly caught the attention of fans.
Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr side suffered a 1-0 defeat to Deniz Hümmet’s first-half strike in the AFC Champions League Two final.
Source: Getty Images
Facing Japanese side Gamba Osaka, Al-Nassr were unable to respond despite dominating large spells and producing wave after wave of attacking pressure throughout the 90 minutes.
The final, held at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, ended in frustration for Ronaldo, who immediately headed down the tunnel after the full-time whistle.
The 41-year-old, who scored just one goal in four appearances during the AFC Champions League Two campaign, appeared visibly upset following another missed opportunity to lift silverware.
Ronaldo skips AFC Champions League Two ceremony
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star reportedly did not return for the runners-up medal ceremony after the match, leaving his Al-Nassr teammates to collect their medals without him.
Ronaldo is still waiting for major success since joining Al-Nassr in 2022 and now finds himself heading toward another season without a trophy.
However, the Portuguese icon still has a chance to end that run, with Al-Nassr currently sitting two points clear of closest rivals Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League title race.
Victory against Damac FC this weekend could hand Ronaldo his first league title since winning Serie A with Juventus in 2020.
Al-Nassr had a golden opportunity to wrap up the title on Tuesday against Al Hilal.
Leading 1-0 deep into stoppage time, disaster struck when goalkeeper Bento scored a dramatic own goal in the 98th minute after spilling a throw-in into his own net.
Ronaldo could only watch in disbelief from the bench as another opportunity slipped away.
After the draw, Ronaldo posted on Instagram:
"The dream is close. Heads up, we have one more step to take. Thank you for all of the amazing support tonight."
Meanwhile, Al-Nassr manager Jorge Jesus led the players to collect their silver medals after the final defeat, with Ronaldo’s absence becoming a major talking point.
Jesus, who guided Al Hilal to a domestic treble in 2024 before moving to Al-Nassr, remained optimistic after the title setback earlier this week.
“It’s tough to lose the chance to celebrate winning the title on the final play of the game, but there is still one more match at our stadium and we can still become champions,” he said.
“We have a second chance against Damac. We still have a game to be happy and celebrate. If the fans support us like they did today, then we can celebrate together.”
Ronaldo will return to Saudi Pro League action on Thursday as he attempts to secure his first league title since 2020.
Source: YEN.com.gh
