"He was a** this game", "Dropped a stinker" - Fans unhappy with Cristiano Ronaldo's showing despite Al-Nassr's 2-0 win in SPL clash

Al-Nassr fans on X (formerly Twitter) have slammed Cristiano Ronaldo after his performance against Al-Kholood. The Saudi Pro League side's captain failed to get on the scoresheet and missed an easy chance in the game they dominated from the start.

Jorge Jesus's side had a stunning 29 shots in the game, but managed to score just two goals in the same. Sadio Mane opened the scoring in the 52nd minute, with Inigo Martinez sealing the three points in the 81st minute with a header for Al-Nassr.

Myziane Maolida had the chance to make it a close finish to the game, but his penalty was saved by Al-Nassr's Raghed Al-Najjar in the 89th minute, to keep his clean sheet intact. Despite the win, Faris Najd's fans were highly critical of Ronaldo, who had a subpar game.

The Portuguese superstar, who played in both FIFA World Cup qualifiers during the international break, had a game to forget as he managed to get just one of his five shots on target. He was also isolated from his teammates, with the Al-Kholood defenders doing well to ensure he did not get space to shoot when the Al-Nassr stars found their captain, who managed just 31 touches in the game.

Here are some of the posts during the game:

Al-Nassr are currently on top of the Saudi Pro League table, with six points from two matches, but have a better goal difference than Al-Khaleej and Al-Ittihad, who also have six points. They are in AFC Cup group stage action next, hosting Tajikistan side FC Istiklol at the Al-Awwal Park on Wednesday, September 17.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a problem for Al-Nassr, claimed former Al-Shabab president

Former Al-Shabab president Talal Al-Sheikh hit out at Cristiano Ronaldo during an interview last week, claiming that the Al-Nassr captain makes the side weak. He believes that the Portuguese superstar creates an imbalance in the team when he is on the pitch, as he does not contribute defensively, and said (via Kooora):

"Al-Nassr has signed distinguished names such as Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman, so some expect Al-Nassr's offensive strength to double. But the problem remains in employing Cristiano Ronaldo correctly, so that he does not become a burden on the team." "The flaw will always be in defense. The team will attack exceptionally well, but it will be much weaker defensively, and therefore there will be no balance. One of the most important reasons is that the team will not be able to fully apply pressure in the opponent's field, because Ronaldo's age, condition, and physical fitness do not allow him to apply pressure."

Cristiano Ronaldo extended his contract at Al-Nassr this summer, keeping him at the club until 2027. He joined in 2022, following the mutual termination of his contract at Manchester United.

Edited by Sripad