Saudi Arabia’s football governing body has suspended Cristiano Ronaldo for one game due to a gesture he made on the pitch last weekend that was considered a “provocation.”
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced that the Al-Nassr captain and former Porto star has also been fined 30,000 riyals ($8,000) for his actions, which violated rules against provoking the public during a match.
The decision is final and cannot be appealed.
Video footage from the match showed Ronaldo making a repeated thrusting gesture towards his groin in response to fans taunting him by chanting the name of his longtime rival, Lionel Messi, after his team’s 3-2 victory against Al-Shabab.
The content quickly became popular and rose to the top of trending topics on Saudi social media.
Ronaldo, as reported by sports newspaper Al-Riyadiya, stated that he respected all football clubs and that the gesture he made was meant to show “strength and victory” rather than offense, and is considered acceptable in Europe.
The 39-year-old, a five-time winner of the UEFA Champions League, was the first major star to sign with Al-Nassr in January 2023.
Saudi Pro League teams have been spending big money to attract well-known players, and the country is preparing to host the 2034 World Cup as part of a larger push into global sports.
Players like France’s Karim Benzema, Brazilian star Neymar, and Senegalese striker Sadio Mane have also chosen to leave Europe for lucrative contracts in Saudi Arabia.
However, Riyadh has been criticized by some for using sports to improve its international image, known as “sportswashing,” especially in light of concerns about its human rights and environmental practices.
