In a surprising turn of events, Saudi media personality Khalid Al-Shanif revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo was in tears following Al Nassr's match against Al Ettifaq at Prince Mohamed bin Fahd on 25/8. This emotional reaction is reportedly why the 41-year-old forward did not approach the stands to celebrate with fans after the final whistle.

"Ronaldo was the one who asked to be substituted in the match against Al Ettifaq because he wasn't ready and wanted a more prepared player to come on in his place. Ronaldo cried profusely after the match," The Nassr Tribune quoted Al-Shanif as saying.

Cristiano Ronaldo (yellow jersey) looks frustrated during the Saudi Pro League third round match against Al Ettifaq, at Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam, Saudi Arabia on 26/8. Photo: Reuters

The match itself presented an early challenge for Al Nassr when goalkeeper Bento Krepski received a direct red card for a foul outside the box in the 12th minute. Al Ettifaq capitalized on their numerical advantage, leading 2-0 by halftime with goals from Ondrej Duda and Alvaro Medran.

Despite starting for the first time this season for Al Nassr, Ronaldo was substituted at the start of the second half, making way for Abdullah Al-Khaibari. Following this change, Al Nassr staged an impressive comeback, securing a 3-2 victory thanks to a brace from Sadio Mane and one goal from Abdulelah Al-Amri.

However, Al Nassr coach Ange Postecoglou offered a different perspective after the match, stating that Ronaldo's halftime departure was a planned move. "Ronaldo is a special athlete. He hasn't had much preparation time, and the initial plan was always for him to play 45 minutes against Al Ettifaq. In his first match, he played 30 minutes, so we wanted to gradually increase his playing time to 45 minutes. For me, those 45 minutes were very useful, because now we know he is ready to play more than 45 minutes," Postecoglou explained.

Coach Ange Postecoglou applauds fans after the win against Al Ettifaq. Photo: Al Nassr

Ronaldo's late return to the team, following his participation in the World Cup 2026 and his wedding, necessitated careful management of his minutes during the early stages of the season. He missed two initial matches, in which Al Nassr defeated Al Fateh 3-0 in the opening round of the Saudi Pro League and Al Diriyah 4-1 in the King's Cup. He made his return in the match against Al Riyadh, coming on as a substitute and scoring, though he had not yet reached peak physical condition.

Postecoglou continued to praise Ronaldo's physical capabilities but acknowledged that the 41-year-old superstar requires more time to fully return to match intensity. CR7 is expected to start again today when Al Nassr faces Al Taawon in the fourth round of the Saudi Pro League.

Hong Duy (according to Sportskeeda)