Football/ Ronaldo’s penalty miss epitomizes Al-Nassr’s cup exit and growing concerns

Cristiano Ronaldo’s dramatic penalty miss in the 96th minute sealed Al-Nassr’s elimination from the King’s Cup on Tuesday evening, as they fell 1-0 to Al-Taawoun in the round of 16.

The Portuguese star’s thunderous strike hit the crossbar, marking his first penalty miss since joining the Saudi club and his 31st career penalty failure.

The crucial miss came after an already disappointing performance from the 39-year-old forward, who managed to get only one of his four attempts on target and completed just 65% of his passes.

Walid Al-Ahmad’s 70th-minute goal for Al-Taawoun proved decisive in the match at Al-Awal Park.

Following the defeat, Ronaldo took to social media with a philosophical message: « Every challenge is an opportunity for growth. »

However, unlike his teammate Mohammed Simakan, who publicly apologized to Al-Nassr supporters, Ronaldo notably didn’t address his penalty miss.

The elimination adds to growing pressure on the former Real Madrid star, who has yet to secure an official trophy with Al-Nassr since his high-profile move in January 2023.

The Arab Champions Cup victory, not recognized by FIFA, remains his only silverware with the club.

Manager Stefano Pioli defended his team’s performance while acknowledging their finishing problems: « Technically, we played well, but not enough to win. We lost because we couldn’t convert our chances. »

With Al-Nassr now trailing league leaders Al-Hilal by six points and sitting in third place, Ronaldo faces mounting scrutiny ahead of Friday’s crucial Riyadh derby against Al-Hilal.

The match presents an opportunity for redemption, but questions about his effectiveness continue to grow despite recent contract extension rumors.