Ronaldo's feverish reaction when Al Nassr suffered a painful defeat to Al Hilal

A moment on the bench after Al Nassr conceded late to Al Hilal made Cristiano Ronaldo the center of attention, even though he scored the only goal for his side.

The Riyadh derby between Al Nassr and Al Hilal in the 15th round of the Saudi Pro League ended with a 3-1 loss for Al Nassr, in a match full of twists and emotions. Cristiano Ronaldo still left his personal mark, but the overall outcome plunged the yellow-clad team deeper into crisis.

Al Nassr took the lead in the 42nd minute when Ronaldo finished neatly after an assist from Kingsley Coman. This goal allowed Al Nassr to control the game for the rest of the first half. However, the turning point came immediately after the break when Salem Aldawsari equalized for Al Hilal from a penalty, awarded after Malcom was fouled inside the box.

Just minutes later, Al Nassr found themselves at a serious disadvantage. Goalkeeper Nawaf Alaqidi initially received a yellow card for a collision with Ruben Neves, but after VAR review, it was upgraded to a red card. Playing with one less player, Al Nassr lost control in the final phase. Mohamed Kanno scored to make it 2-1 for Al Hilal, before Neves sealed the 3-1 victory with a penalty in stoppage time.

The most notable moment came not from the pitch, but from the bench. Ronaldo was substituted off in the 83rd minute, and when Al Hilal scored their third goal, the camera immediately focused on him.

Instead of showing anger or disappointment as usual, Ronaldo smiled and rotated his fingers in front of the camera in a gesture full of ambiguity. This image quickly spread on social media, sparking a variety of interpretations.

Many believe this was an expression of frustration and bitterness as Ronaldo witnessed Al Nassr collapsing at a crucial moment. Others think the gesture was sarcastic or simply a psychological reflex of a player accustomed to high pressure. Regardless of interpretation, the moment clearly reflects the tough reality Ronaldo and Al Nassr are facing.

The loss to Al Hilal left Al Nassr 7 points behind in the standings after 14 matches, amid a streak of no wins since the start of 2026 and three consecutive defeats. Although Ronaldo maintains an impressive scoring rate with 16 goals across all competitions, his individual efforts are not enough to compensate for the team's inconsistency.

Having extended his contract with Al Nassr until 2027, Ronaldo remains the club’s biggest icon. However, with his only trophy here being the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, the risk of ending the Saudi Pro League season empty-handed is now clearer than ever.