Al Ittihad mocks Ronaldo after Al Nassr's first defeat of the season
Al Nassr suffered its first loss of the season, falling 1:2 away to Al Ittihad, and the hosts poked fun on social media at Cristiano Ronaldo after he was caught peeking at an opponent's tactical note.
Saudi Arabian champions Al Nassr suffered their first defeat of the new season on Saturday, losing 1:2 away to Al Ittihad. An incident during the match became a talking point afterward — 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted trying to read over the shoulder of Al Ittihad midfielder Danilo Pereira a tactical note the coach had just handed him. When Pereira turned and saw Ronaldo standing so close, both Portuguese players shared a laugh over the moment.
After the game, Al Ittihad posted a photo of the scene on social media, adding a teasing comment suggesting their opponent had tried to cheat but lost regardless.
Winning streak snapped
Al Nassr had opened the season with four straight wins, but Saturday's defeat dropped the club to second place in the standings, three points behind leaders Al Hilal. Ronaldo has scored twice in four league matches this season, while Al Nassr's only goal in Saturday's match came from Angelo Gabriel, who said after the match that a single loss should not shake the team's confidence and that they need to prove in the next game why they remain the defending champions.
Head coach Ange Postecoglou also tried to highlight positives, noting that in the opening 15 minutes his side was the only team creating chances. He said the group had shown strong character both last season and this one.
Before the season began, Ronaldo said he expects this to be his final season in professional football, although his contract with Al Nassr formally runs until June 2027.
