Cristiano Ronaldo in tears as Al-Nassr loses King's Cup final
Cristiano Ronaldo experienced a poignant moment on Friday night as his team, Al-Nassr, was defeated by rivals Al-Hilal in the King's Cup final held in Jeddah.
The intense match, which concluded with a nail-biting penalty shootout ending 5-4 in favor of Al-Hilal, left Ronaldo visibly distraught.
The game, which saw three players sent off, ended 1-1 after extra time, pushing both teams to a penalty shootout.
Despite Ronaldo scoring in the shootout, Al-Nassr could not clinch the victory.
The decisive moment came when goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved Al-Nassr's final penalty, securing a domestic double for Al-Hilal.
Ronaldo, who has been a formidable force in the Saudi Pro League, setting a new scoring record this season with 35 goals, was reduced to tears at the outcome.
The Portugal captain has amassed 58 goals in 64 games since joining Al-Nassr in January 2023 but ends this season without a single trophy.
His only accolade in Saudi Arabia remains last year's Arab Club Champions Cup.
The match saw its fair share of drama, beginning with Al-Hilal's Aleksandar Mitrovic scoring early in the seventh minute.
The game's intensity escalated with Al-Hilal's goalkeeper David Ospina and players Ali Al-Bulayhi and Kalidou Koulibaly receiving red cards.
Amidst the tumult, Al-Nassr's Ayman Yahya scored a late equalizer, pushing the match into extra time and eventually the fateful shootout.
Ronaldo, known for his resilience and competitive spirit, was consoled by teammates as he wept on the bench.