Cristiano Ronaldo looked ‘beyond broken’ after losing yet another cup final with Al-Nassr.
Neymar’s Al-Hilal beat the Portuguese star’s team 5-4 in a penalty shootout at the end of a 1-1 match in the final of the King Cup of Champions, which also saw three players dismissed in the regulation 90 minutes.
Ronaldo looked devastated at the final whistle, as his side fell short at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Jeddah.
One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote: ‘Damn, Cristiano Ronaldo looks beyond broken. In fact I have never seen him like this before, it’s genuinely sad.
‘His team actually bottled a penalty shoot-out for the 2nd time.’
Look what Al Hilal has done to Ronaldopic.twitter.com/yOJU6YDMG5
— MEBUD 🇳🇬 (@EgwudikeCAF) June 1, 2024
Viva Cristiano Ronaldo forever. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Qp9MCzDv3O
— TC (@totalcristiano) May 31, 2024
The 39-year-old was visibly upset at the conclusion of the match, and had to be consoled by members of the club’s backroom staff.
Ronaldo who signed for Al-Nassr in December 2022, fell to the ground in despiar, before leaving the field in tears.
He continued sobbing on the bench, as he ended his first full season in Saudi Arabia without any major silverware.
However, Neymar’s Al-Hilal were jubilant after the penalty shootout victory to decide a final that finished 1-1 after extra time at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Al-Nassr’s loss came just four days after the end of a Saudi Pro League season in which they finished second, 14 points behind Al-Hilal. There was some consolation then as Ronaldo scored twice to set a new league record of 35 goals in a season.
There was no such comfort this time at the end of a tempestuous encounter that saw two goals and three red cards.
Aleksandar Mitrovic headed Al-Hilal ahead after seven minutes. It got worse for Al-Nassr early in the second half when goalkeeper David Ospina, formerly of Arsenal and Napoli, was sent off for handling the ball outside the area.
Al-Hilal was also reduced to 10 men after 86 minutes when Ali Al-Bulaihi was red-carded for an apparent headbutt on Sami Al-Najei.
Seconds later, Ayman Yahya headed Al-Nassr level.
Al-Hilal had another defender sent off in the 91st minute after Kalidou Koulibaly, signed from Chelsea last summer, received a second yellow card.
There were no goals in extra time and the final went to a shootout. Ruben Neves missed Hilal’s first attempt as did former Manchester United defender Alex Telles for Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo, who earlier hit the post with a spectacular overhead kick, converted his penalty but could only watch as Bounou, a hero of Morocco’s march to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup, saved twice, the first from Ali Al-Hassan and then from Al-Nemer.
The saves gave Hilal an 11th King’s Cup triumph while Ronaldo and his team will have to wait until next season.
