Ronaldo Misses Penalty, Open Goal in Al-Nassr Victory Amid Ten Hag Criticism

Cristiano Ronaldo experienced a difficult match on Wednesday as his team, Al-Nassr, secured a 1-0 victory over Neom in the Saudi Pro League. The Portuguese forward missed a penalty in first-half stoppage time after teammate Joao Felix was fouled inside the box. Later in the second half, Ronaldo failed to convert from close range, volleying an open goal opportunity over the bar after a pass from Sadio Mane. The missed chances led to visible frustration from Ronaldo, who was seen gesturing with his hands and looking towards the sky.

Despite Ronaldo's personal struggles, Al-Nassr's victory was secured by a second-half strike from Felix. The win keeps Al-Nassr in third place in the league standings, three points behind leaders Al-Qadsiah with a game in hand.

Ronaldo's on-field performance followed a challenging day off the field, as former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag spoke critically of the player's attitude during his tenure at Old Trafford. In an interview with The Athletic, Ten Hag alleged that Ronaldo did not adequately prepare himself for matches, citing instances where the forward reportedly skipped training sessions and encouraged teammates to conserve their energy.

"He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him," Ten Hag stated. "Obviously, he's one of the best in football history. I respected him a lot. But at that time, as a manager, I had to make a rational decision and keep the players I admire in."

Ten Hag described Ronaldo as being unable to reach the necessary fitness levels, claiming he did not train effectively. "Many times I say, 'Ronnie, everyone wants to work for you to bring you in the right position, but if you can't bring yourself in the box, you can't score'," Ten Hag said. "He was not capable to do this. It's the wrong idea to put this to me that I expected him to do the pressing, that he's exhausted. But he couldn't. He ran neither in possession nor out of possession. The reason was because he didn't prepare himself."

The former manager also commented on Ronaldo's alleged advice to teammates. "Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team. He was telling the players, 'Save your legs at the training'. I understand it when you are top fit; you have sessions, you can save the legs. But first you have to train yourself to get into the right fitness levels."

Ronaldo departed Manchester United in November 2022 by mutual agreement, following a public interview with Piers Morgan in which he accused Ten Hag of betrayal.

Separately, Ronaldo recently received a nominal fine from the Portuguese Football Federation for leaving the national team camp. He had been provisionally suspended after departing the squad due to a dispute with head coach Jorge Jesus, whom Ronaldo claimed had broken promises regarding playing time. Reports indicate that the one-month ban is backdated, allowing him to play in the next international fixture in November. The fine of approximately £215 is considered minor relative to Ronaldo's earnings.