"Ronaldo is your uncle", "He made you famous" - Al-Nassr fans take dig at Al-Hilal star Ali Al-Bulayhi during pre-season training session
Fans of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr heckled Al-Hilal centre-back Ali Al-Bulayhi during a recent pre-season training. The Saudi Arabia international had clashed with the Portuguese legend during their match in April.
Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing Al-Bulayhi in the chest during their Saudi Super Cup semifinal, and it looks like his fans have not forgotten about the incident.
In a recent video, Al-Nassr fans heckled Al-Bulayhi at an Al-Hilal open training session, saying:
“Ronaldo is your uncle! He made you famous.”
The Saudi Arabian defender is known for riling up opposition forwards and has previously clashed with Lionel Messi and Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min. He reportedly told Messi "you don't win" after Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina in their 2022 FIFA World Cup opener.
Al-Bulayhi is a legendary figure in Saudi Arabian football, having won five Saudi Pro-League titles and two Asian Champions League crowns alongside 44 caps for his country.
Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal coaches' responses to Ronaldo's clash with Al-Bulayhi
The managers of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, Luis Castro and Jorge Jesus, had a lot to say about Ronaldo's red card after his clash with Ali Al-Bulayhi. The legendary striker lost his temper with the Saudi Arabian defender and struck the 34-year-old in the chest before his dismissal.
Jorge Jesus, the Euro 2016 winner's compatriot, said about the event (via ESPN):
"Ronaldo is one of the most important players in the world and an example for many. But he's not used to losing in his career, so it is natural for him to lose his head when he loses, as well as for him to lose emotional and mental focus in defeats."
"It's not easy to play against [Al Hilal's Kalidou] Koulibaly and Al-Bulayhi, they are the best central defenders in Saudi football. I'm not going to take credit away from Ronaldo, he's still very strong, he always has been and will continue to be the most important player in the world, he's an example and a model."
Luis Castro, the Real Madrid legend's manager, however, had a different opinion, saying (via GOAL):
"The decision was incorrect. The Al Hilal defender pretended that he was hit in the face, and it was a play on his part, and the contact was small, and they took advantage of Ronaldo’s provocation. The VAR referee was supposed to call the main referee, and this is my personal opinion."
Ronaldo has entered the final year of his contract with Al-Nassr and will be key to their plan to dethrone Al-Hilal as the champions of the Saudi Pro-league. The 39-year-old star has scored 58 goals and provided 15 assists in 64 games for Al-Nassr.