Cristiano Ronaldo‘s much-anticipated return from his injury was a flop show for Al Nassr fans. The Portuguese superstar was forced to take a beating alongside his teammates against Al Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup. While Luis Castro and Co. are trying to move on from the 2-0 defeat, unexpected criticism has made its way. A former Al Nassr star asserts that CR7 and Co. manage to win all their ‘three or four‘ matches until they face Al Hilal.

Confidence brimmed within the Knights of the Najd after they thrashed Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami 6-0 in the absence of their skipper. However, they were humbled in the Riyadh Derby. In fact, Fahad Al-Harifi Al-Bishi claims it has been the same old story of Al Nassr. Despite maintaining their best form, they always seem to lose their charm against Al Hilal. The former midfielder candidly said, “Al-Nassr wins the three or four [matches] until it faces Al-Hilal, all its flaws are revealed, and it loses the match.” A bold claim, but can the numbers prove it as well? 

Talking about the head-to-head stats, since 2005, both sides have contested 58 matches, out of which Al Nassr has claimed 14 wins and Al Hilal has registered 31 wins. The remaining 13 matches have ended in a draw. Notably, before the beginning of the season, Al Nassr had defeated their arch-rivals to claim the Arab Cup of Champions. In fact, after losing the opening two games of the 2023–24 SPL campaign, Castro and Co. were on a 20-game unbeaten streak, which was ended by Jorge Jesus’ side with a 3-0 win on December 1. 

It happened again in the recent Riyadh Derby, with Al Za’eem ending another unbeaten streak. Speaking of which, Ronaldo didn’t take the loss quite well. 

Cristiano Ronaldo took the Al Hilal beating to heart, as post-match gestures captured quite a few eyeballs!

Cristiano Ronaldo’s frustrations after losing to Al Hilal were quite visible. After the match ended, as he was walking down the tunnel, a fan threw a jersey at him. In return, the 39YO made a disrespectful gesture with it. Additionally, another instance saw him accept the runner-up award in anger as he quickly changed into a training kit. That’s not all!

READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo Injury Update: Al Nassr Ace ‘Ready’ for AFC Champions League: Reports

Trending

Jurgen Klopp’s Ex Wife: Meet Sabine Klopp, Liverpool Boss’ Spouse Before Divorce in 2001

Jurgen Klopp’s Son: Meet Ex-Borussia Dortmund Star Marc Klopp, Now a Businessman

Putting Rivalry Aside, Serena Williams Lauds ‘Cousin’ Lynn Williams Breaking NWSL’s All-Time Scoring Record

Pep Guardiola’s Net Worth in 2024: How Much Does the Manchester City Boss Earn From Salary, Endorsements & More

Ditching Manchester City, Rio Ferdinand Ready to ‘Dry’ Arsenal’s Tears Despite Wanting Mikel Arteta to End Pep Guardiola’s PL Hopes

Having received his silver medal, the Portuguese icon gave away his medal to a young Al Hilal fan in the stands. Despite playing the entire 90+10 minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo only managed to keep one of his seven shots on goal during the game and couldn’t convert two big chances. Certainly, he’ll be looking to bring his side back on track. 

WATCH THIS STORY: Cristiano Jr’s Insane Training Schedule