Cristiano Ronaldo: Al-Nassr star reflects on Saudi King's Cup exit after penalty error

3 weeks ago 2

Cristiano Ronaldo has broken his silence after his rare penalty miss led to Al-Nassr's Saudi King's Cup exit
The 39-year-old squandered an opportunity to rescue his side from a painful defeat against Al Taawon
He will now turn his attention to helping Al-Nassr beat Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League when the two sides meet Friday

Cristiano Ronaldo quickly took to social media following Al-Nassr’s painful Saudi King’s Cup exit, responding to his uncharacteristic penalty miss in the final moments against Al Taawon.

The usually clinical veteran, who had converted all 19 of his previous penalty attempts in Saudi competitions, found himself in unfamiliar territory as he missed the chance to equalise deep into stoppage time.

Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty miss led to Al-Nassr's Saudi King's Cup exit.

Ronaldo's costly penalty miss

With Al-Nassr down by one, Ronaldo’s late spot-kick offered a lifeline—yet, to the surprise of fans and opponents alike, his effort sailed over the crossbar, sealing Al Taawon’s victory.

Ronaldo’s miss marked a rare misstep for the 39-year-old, a player whose precision from the spot has been almost automatic since joining Al-Nassr.

According to data from the Messi vs Ronaldo App, he had been flawless with every penalty since his arrival, making his selection for the 96th-minute attempt an obvious choice.

But the five-time Ballon d'Or winner couldn’t convert, leaving the Knights of Najd with an early King’s Cup exit.

Ronaldo reacts after penalty miss

After the match, Cristiano addressed the moment with a reflective post on social media, writing,

"Every challenge is an opportunity to grow," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter)

While he didn’t directly apologise to Al-Nassr’s supporters, his message indicated resilience and a focus on the journey ahead.

What's next for Ronaldo?

Per Sofascore, Ronaldo and Al-Nassr now face a crucial test on November 1, when they will face Al-Hilal, the league leaders and fierce city rivals.

Since his arrival in January 2023, Cristiano has struggled to secure victories over Hilal, and with the stakes high, he’ll aim to put this miss behind him and regain form in a match with significant implications for Al-Nassr's season.

Ronaldo upset with Ballon d'Or Awards

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo is "very upset" with the Ballon d'Or organisers.

The Portuguese star, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, has distanced himself from the awards for some time, even opting out of voting for the Kopa Trophy, which recognises the top young player.