Ronaldo causes a stir with his 'talking to himself then missing the shot' moment at the King’s Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo turned heads on social media again, this time not due to a goal, but because of a moment where he spoke to himself before a free kick… only to strike the defensive wall.

During Al Nassr’s 1-2 defeat to Al Ittihad in the King’s Cup round of 16 early on October 29, a video showing Ronaldo standing over a free kick in the 96th minute spread rapidly. The camera captured the 40-year-old star confidently encouraging himself, seemingly saying “I will score” before taking the shot, which unfortunately hit the opposing wall.

This moment was quickly mocked online, with many comparing Ronaldo’s attempt to replicate Messi’s last-minute free kick masterpiece for Inter Miami, but ending up with a “completely opposite” result.

The match was intense as Karim Benzema, Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate, scored early for Al Ittihad. Angelo Gabriel equalized for Al Nassr in the 30th minute, but Houssem Aouar put the visitors back ahead 2-1 just before halftime.

In the second half, Al Ittihad played with 10 men after Ahmed Al Julaydan was sent off in the 49th minute. However, Al Nassr failed to capitalize on the advantage, despite clear chances for Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and Kingsley Coman.

Notably, Ronaldo had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper but misplaced his chip shot, a moment many fans criticized as “too careless.” Ultimately, CR7’s 96th-minute free kick, after his “self-motivation,” only left fans more disappointed.

Since joining Al Nassr in December 2022, Ronaldo has only won the 2023 Arab Champions Cup, a friendly tournament. Therefore, this loss means the Portuguese superstar continues to go trophyless in official competitions. After the match, many fans lamented Ronaldo’s missed opportunity, while the internet turned his “self-encouragement” moment into a widely shared meme.

A week earlier, Ronaldo attracted attention by teaching famous YouTuber IShowSpeed the “Viking clap” with Al Nassr fans after their 5-1 win over Al-Fateh. Speed, a passionate CR7 fan, was even coached directly by Ronaldo on the pitch.

However, from being the “Viking clap instructor” to “the one who motivated himself then hit the wall,” Ronaldo experienced two extremes in less than a week, and the internet didn’t miss the chance to… “troll” the legend.

Related articles

Ronaldo’s unexpected reaction after Al Nassr’s elimination Cristiano Ronaldo showed clear frustration after Al Nassr’s 1-2 defeat to Al Ittihad, officially knocking them out of the Saudi King’s Cup. See more