Lionel Messi fans online have taken digs at Cristiano Ronaldo following Al-Nassr’s 2-1 defeat against Al-Ittihad on Tuesday, October 28. This loss resulted in the Saudi Pro League side being eliminated from the King Cup of Champions Round of 16.
Karim Benzema opened the scoring for Al-Ittihad in the 15th minute at Al-Awwal Park. Gabriel equalized for Al-Nassr in the 30th minute, but Houssem Aouar restored the visitors’ lead during first-half stoppage time. Despite Ahmed Al Julaydan being sent off in the 49th minute, Al-Ittihad managed to hold on to their advantage. With this result, Al-Nassr’s run in the King Cup of Champions has come to an end.
This exit also meant that Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to win a major trophy with the Knights of Najd since joining the club in January 2023. To date, Ronaldo has participated in 13 major tournaments with Al-Nassr but has failed to secure a title.
As this statistic surfaced, Lionel Messi fans took the opportunity to criticize the Portuguese forward. One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “Records chase him.” Another commented, “Al Nassr should get a refund because he has added nothing. He doesn’t even sell stadiums out over there, what a waste.”
It is worth noting that Cristiano Ronaldo did win the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023; however, FIFA does not officially recognize this tournament as a major trophy.
### Jorge Jesus on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Impact
After Al-Nassr’s defeat, head coach Jorge Jesus was asked about Ronaldo’s performance and influence on the team. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner played the entire 90 minutes but was unable to help his side find an equalizer against a 10-man Al-Ittihad.
In his post-match press conference, Jesus stated (h/t One Football):
“Cristiano? Our problem today wasn’t Cristiano, but rather fatigue and exhaustion. We can’t forget that we played against a strong and excellent team, champions of the League and the Cup. The defeat had nothing to do with tactics, but rather with a great match between two teams, each looking for victory.”
### Ronaldo’s Response and Upcoming Matches
Cristiano Ronaldo also shared a message on his social media accounts following the game:
“We stand tall, learn, and move forward together.”
This season, the Real Madrid legend has scored seven goals and provided two assists in nine games across all competitions for Al-Nassr. He will be aiming to help his team return to winning ways against Al-Feiha in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, November 1.
Currently, Al-Nassr sit atop the league table, boasting six wins in six games.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/news-should-get-refund-records-chase-him-lionel-messi-fans-slam-cristiano-ronaldo-al-nassr-s-trophy-drought-since-move-comes-light
