Cristiano Ronaldo refused to collect his runner-up medal after Al-Nassr lost to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final on Saturday night. The Portuguese superstar walked away from his teammates and headed down the tunnel immediately after the final whistle, missing the medal ceremony entirely.
Match Summary
Al-Nassr faced Gamba Osaka at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh in the final of Asian club football's second-tier competition. A solitary goal from Deniz Hommet secured a 1-0 victory for the Japanese side, leaving the Saudi club and its star player empty-handed.
As the final whistle blew, Ronaldo did not join his Al-Nassr teammates on the pitch. Instead, he made his way directly to the tunnel and did not reappear when head coach Jorge Jesus led the squad to the podium to collect their silver medals. Television footage showed Ronaldo sitting on the bench in disbelief after the defeat.
Ronaldo's Season Still Alive
Despite the disappointment in the Asian final, Ronaldo could still end the season with a trophy. Al-Nassr currently sit two points clear of Al-Hilal at the top of the Saudi Pro League. If they beat Damac, who are fighting to avoid relegation, they will clinch the league title. That would be Ronaldo's first domestic league championship since joining the Saudi club in 2023.
On Tuesday, Al-Nassr missed the chance to secure the title early after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal. Al-Nassr led 1-0 in injury time before goalkeeper Bento let a throw-in slip through his hands, gifting Al-Hilal an equaliser. Ronaldo later posted on Instagram: 'The dream is close. Heads up, we have one more step to take! Thank you all for the amazing support tonight.'
Coach Jorge Jesus Remains Optimistic
Jorge Jesus, who guided Al-Hilal to multiple titles in 2024 before taking over at Al-Nassr last summer, expressed his determination. 'It's tough to have lost the possibility to celebrate winning the title today on the last play of the game but there is still one more game [against Damac], at our stadium and we can be champions,' he said. 'We have a second chance. We still have a game to be happy. If the fans are strong as today, for sure in the last game we will be happy and we will celebrate the title.'
Al-Nassr's final league match will determine whether Ronaldo adds another trophy to his illustrious career or faces a season without silverware.
