Saudi federation open investigation against Cristiano Ronaldo for his alleged obscene gesture aimed at rival fans following Messi taunts - Reports
Saudi Arabian Football Federation have opened an investigation against Cristiano Ronaldo for his alleged obscene gesture aimed at Al Shabab fans following Lionel Messi taunts, according to Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.
Cristiano Ronaldo led the attack for Al Nassr as they lined up against Al Shabab away in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday, February 25. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 21st minute, with Talisca bagging a brace later on to secure a hard-fought 3-2 victory for their side.
The controversial moment came at full time when the opposition fans taunted the Portuguese by loudly chanting the name of his bitter rival Lionel Messi. Ronaldo wasn't having any of it and he retaliated in a seemingly obscene manner.
His reaction didn't sit well with many who questioned his professionalism, stating that he could do better considering his age and experience in the sport. As per the aforementioned report, some pundits from the region are said to be calling for a punishment for the Portuguese icon despite his high-profile status.
Meanwhile, this isn't the first time Cristiano Ronaldo has come under fire over controversial gestures aimed at opposition supporters. He pulled off a similar stunt following a 2-0 loss to Al Hilal back in April and was in the news again for another contentious act after his side lost the Riyadh Season Cup recently.
Where Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr stand in the Saudi Pro League at the moment
Controversies aside, Cristiano Ronaldo is still a huge force to be reckoned with in front of goal. It wouldn't be far-fetched to say that the five-time remains the heartbeat of his team despite having already turned 39.
As it stands, the Portugal international leads the goalscoring chart in the Saudi Pro League with an impressive 22 goals and nine assists in 20 appearances.
Despite that though, Al Nassr still have a mountain to climb. They currently trail leaders Al Hilal by seven points after 21 games and it doesn't look like the Blue Waves will be slowing down anytime soon as they remain unbeaten in the Saudi top flight.