"Ronaldo missed, Messi didn't", "Worst signing of all time" - Fans blast Cristiano Ronaldo after Al-Nassr lose to Al-Hilal in Riyadh Season Cup final
Al-Nassr fans on X have slammed Cristiano Ronaldo after he failed to have an impact during their 2-0 loss against Al-Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup final on February 8.
Ronaldo made his return to the starting XI after recovering from a calf injury, which saw him miss Al-Nassr's 6-0 win against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami. However, Al-Hilal got off to a dominant start, with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (17') and Salem Aldawsari (30') scoring one goal each.
Al-Hilal were able to hold onto their lead, defending well to keep an impressive clean sheet against the Knights of Najd. Cristiano Ronaldo failed to inspire his side to a second-half comeback and was given a poor match rating of just 6.4 (as per FotMob).
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner struggled, landing just one shot on target from a total of seven shots. He also missed two big chances, was dispossessed twice, and lost three duels.
Fans were furious with Cristiano Ronaldo's performance. One fan noted how Lionel Messi was able to score one goal and provide one assist against Al-Hilal, unlike the former:
"Ronaldo missed, Messi Didn't"
Another fan wrote:
"Worst signing of all time."
Another fan believes Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal are superior to Al-Nassr:
"This is to double confirm that this game is a proof that Al hilal is wayyyyy better than us. They played so well and Al Nassr should learn how to defend like them. They deserve to be at the top of the league unbeaten even without Neymar."
"First match Ronaldo played in the tournament and he lost. He had the lowest rating as well"
How did Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr fare against Al-Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup final?
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr suffered a 2-0 defeat against Al-Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup final, losing their chance to win the friendly competition. Let's take a look at the stats to see how both teams performed.
Luis Castro and Co. dominated possession with 56 percent of the ball. They also attempted a total of 437 passes, with an accuracy of 83 percent. In contrast, Al-Hilal had 44 percent possession and attempted 360 passes, with an accuracy of 78 percent.
Despite this, Al-Hilal looked more dangerous in attack. They had 10 shots in total, with six being on target. On the other hand, the Knights of Najd had 14 shots in total, mustering two on target.