Al Ittihad did not waste the chance to twist the knife after handing Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr their first Saudi Pro League defeat of the season.
The defending champions arrived at Saturday’s clash with a perfect four-game record, but that unbeaten start came crashing down as Al Ittihad secured a dramatic 2-1 victory.
And while the result was already painful enough for Al Nassr, their opponents added a cheeky extra layer to the defeat by poking fun at Ronaldo over an amusing moment during the match.
The 41-year-old Al Nassr captain was caught on camera standing behind fellow Portuguese midfielder Danilo Pereira as he attempted to sneak a look at a tactical note handed to the Al Ittihad player by his coach.
Ronaldo moved in close, seemingly trying to get a glimpse of the instructions before Danilo turned his head and discovered his compatriot practically over his shoulder.
The two players could not help but smile at the unusual moment.
Al Ittihad later posted a photograph of the incident on X, adding a brutal caption that turned the light-hearted exchange into a post-match troll.
“Cheating and still losing!.”
The joke landed even harder because Al Nassr had ultimately walked away empty-handed.
The defeat leaves Ange Postecoglou’s side second in the Saudi Pro League standings, three points behind leaders Al Hilal. It also ended a perfect opening run that had suggested the defending champions were ready to make another serious push for the title.
Postecoglou, however, refused to allow the result to overshadow what he saw as encouraging signs from his team.
“What I saw, after 15 minutes, was one team created chances and that was us,” he said. “If you talk about character, this group of players saw last year and have show this year that they have a very, very strong character.”
Al Nassr midfielder Ângelo Gabriel, who scored his side’s only goal, also urged the team to respond quickly rather than dwell on the setback.
“It happens that you can lose a game. Now we have to prove in the next game why we are the defending champions.”
For Ronaldo, the defeat adds another setback to a season that could carry extra significance given his comments before the campaign began.
The Portugal superstar has scored two goals in four league appearances so far, but his immediate focus will now be on helping Al Nassr bounce back and prevent Al Hilal from creating further separation at the top.
Ronaldo previously indicated that he expected the current campaign to be his final season, while his contract with Al Nassr remains in place until June 2027.
That makes every game increasingly important.
Al Nassr still have plenty of time to recover, but Saturday’s defeat showed that their path to another Saudi Pro League title will not be straightforward.
And for Al Ittihad, the victory provided more than three points.
They got the result, the bragging rights and the perfect social-media punchline at Ronaldo’s expense.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
