• Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo walks off dejected at the final whistle of the Saudi Super Cup semi-final. Nassr lost the match to Al Ittihad 3-1 at King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudia Arabia on January 26, 2023. Reuters
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo walks off dejected at the final whistle of the Saudi Super Cup semi-final. Nassr lost the match to Al Ittihad 3-1 at King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudia Arabia on January 26, 2023. Reuters
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo is tackled by Al Ittihad's Hamdan Al Shamrani. EPA
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo is tackled by Al Ittihad's Hamdan Al Shamrani. EPA
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo in action. Reuters
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo in action. Reuters
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo skips past Al Ittihad's Hamdan Al Shammari. Reuters
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo skips past Al Ittihad's Hamdan Al Shammari. Reuters
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr pleads to match referee Danny Makkelie during the Saudi Super Cup semi-final. Getty Images
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr pleads to match referee Danny Makkelie during the Saudi Super Cup semi-final. Getty Images
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo shakes hands with Al Ittihad's Ahmed Hegazy after the match. Reuters
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo shakes hands with Al Ittihad's Ahmed Hegazy after the match. Reuters
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr reacts after a missed chance. Getty Images
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr reacts after a missed chance. Getty Images
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr reacts to Al Ittihad's third goal. Getty Images
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr reacts to Al Ittihad's third goal. Getty Images
  • Al Nassr's Saudi defender Nawaf Boushal helps Cristiano Ronaldo back onto his feet. AFP
    Al Nassr's Saudi defender Nawaf Boushal helps Cristiano Ronaldo back onto his feet. AFP
  • Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo lays on the pitch injured. AFP
    Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo lays on the pitch injured. AFP
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo in action against Al Ittihad's Tarek Hamed. EPA
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo in action against Al Ittihad's Tarek Hamed. EPA
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr gestures towards an Al Ittihad player. Getty Images
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr gestures towards an Al Ittihad player. Getty Images
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr checks on teammate Talisca. Getty Images
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr checks on teammate Talisca. Getty Images
  • Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr. Getty Images
    Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr. Getty Images
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo. Reuters
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo. Reuters
  • Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo runs with the ball. Reuters
    Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo runs with the ball. Reuters
  • Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo gestures during the Saudi Super Cup semi-final against Al Ittihad. Reuters
    Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo gestures during the Saudi Super Cup semi-final against Al Ittihad. Reuters
  • Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo is marked by Al Ittihad's Egyptian midfielder Tarek Hamed. AFP
    Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo is marked by Al Ittihad's Egyptian midfielder Tarek Hamed. AFP
  • Cristiano Ronaldo gestures during the Saudi Super Cup semi-final. AFP
    Cristiano Ronaldo gestures during the Saudi Super Cup semi-final. AFP
  • Al Ittihad's Saudi defender Muhannad Al Shanqeeti is marked by Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo. AFP
    Al Ittihad's Saudi defender Muhannad Al Shanqeeti is marked by Al Nassr's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo. AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo draws a blank as Al Nassr suffer Saudi Super Cup defeat - in pictures


Steve Luckings
  • English
  • Arabic

Cristiano Ronaldo drew another blank as his Al Nassr suffered a 3-1 defeat to Al Ittihad in the SaudI Super Cup semi-final on Thursday.

Portugal forward Ronaldo is goalless in his first two matches for his new club after signing a lucrative two-and-a-half-year contract reportedly worth more than $200 million per year last month.

Ronaldo, who made his Nassr debut in last weekend's 1-0 win over Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League, was unable to have a major impact as his side were undone by goals from Romarinho, Abderrazak Hamdallah and Muhannad Al Shaqeeti.

Al Ittihad goalkeeper Marcelo Grohe denied Ronaldo — men's football's most prolific goalscorer — with a chance to open his Nassr account but saved the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus striker's powerful header on the stroke of half time.

Talisca scored Nassr's consolation goal on 67 minutes.

Updated: January 27, 2023, 3:53 AM