Ronaldo receives one-match suspension due to offensive gesture during Saudi league match.

Ronaldo responded to Al-Shabab fans chanting ‘Messi’ after their Saudi Pro League game on Sunday by allegedly making a gesture. Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended for one match due to this incident during a game while playing for Al Nassr. After Al Nassr’s victory over Al-Shabab with a score of 3-2 on Sunday, video footage showed Ronaldo cupping his ear and repeatedly making a hand gesture near his pelvis, seemingly directed at Al-Shabab fans. Background chants of “Messi” could be heard, referring to Ronaldo’s football rival Lionel Messi. On Thursday morning, the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the Saudi Arabia Football Federation made an announcement regarding the suspension. Al Nassr’s upcoming league match, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday evening, will be against Al-Hazem at their home ground. We understand that the suspension comes as a disappointment for the esteemed former players of Real Madrid and Manchester United. In addition to this, they are also required to pay a fine of 20,000 Saudi Riyals ($5,333) to Al-Shabab. the complaint filed by the club, as well as half of that amount to the federation. The committee stated that the decision is final and cannot be appealed. Former players and commentators in Saudi Arabia widely criticized the incident, even though it was not televised. This is not the initial instance where Ronaldo has faced controversy since joining Al Nassr. In April of last year, following a match against Al Hilal, he seemingly grabbed his genitals while fans were chanting Messi’s name. Al Nassr claimed he had suffered a groin injury during the match. Ronaldo, who joined the club in Riyadh in December 2022, is the league’s top scorer with 22 goals. He scored the opening goal against Al-Shabab with a first-half penalty. Al Nassr has also reached the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League, a competition they have yet to claim victory in.