Cristiano Ronaldo was visibly emotional after his team, Al Nassr, suffered a crushing defeat in the King’s Cup final against Al Hilal on penalties late Friday night, prolonging his wait for a Saudi Arabian trophy.
The Portuguese star, who joined Al Nassr last year and sparked a wave of top-tier players moving to the Saudi Pro League, collapsed to the ground as Al Hilal celebrated their victory.
The match was intense, featuring three red cards, including one for Al Nassr’s former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina.
Ayman Yahya’s 88th-minute goal for Al Nassr leveled the score after Aleksandar Mitrovic had given Al Hilal an early lead.
However, Al Hilal secured a 5-4 victory in the penalty shootout, completing a Saudi treble with wins in the Super Cup and the Saudi Pro League, where they finished unbeaten in domestic competitions.
Al Nassr, who finished second in the league and also lost to Al Hilal in the Super Cup, was once again denied a trophy despite Ronaldo’s record 35 goals in the Pro League. His only silverware with the Riyadh club remains last year’s Arab Club Champions Cup.
Ronaldo’s contract with Al Nassr, reportedly worth 400 million euros over two-and-a-half years, expires at the end of next season.
