A Saudi lawyer has called for Cristiano Ronaldo to be deported out of the country after he appeared to make an insulting gesture towards fans following Al-Nassr’s 2-0 defeat by Al-Hilal on Tuesday night, April 18.
A video released on social media seemed to show the 38-year-old grabbing his crotch as he left the pitch in response to fans chanting the name of his rival Lionel Messi.
Lawyer Nouf bin Ahmed has reacted to the incident, and wants Ronaldo to be punished severely for his actions.
‘It is considered a crime of public dishonor, and it is one of the crimes that entails arrest and deportation if committed by a foreigner,’ Ahmed said on Twitter, as she vowed to file a complaint to the Saudi Prosecutor’s Office for his ‘crime of public indecency’.
Ronaldo has also drawn heavy criticism from journalists in Saudi Arabia, with Ozman Abu Bakr suggesting Al-Nassr should terminate his £175m-a-year contract following his ‘immoral and impolite gesture against the spectators’.
However, according to Marca, Al-Nassr sources have defended Ronaldo by claiming he made the gesture after he ‘received a blow during the match’ to his genitals.
The controversial incident came after a damaging defeat for Dinko Jelicic’s side that saw them concede further ground in the title race.
Second-placed Al-Nassr are now three points behind leaders Al-Ittihad having played a game more, and with Al-Shabab in third, three points behind them with a game in hand.
Ronaldo was furious as he stormed off the pitch and footage online seems to show him grabbing his crotch as supporters inside the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh sung ‘Messi! Messi! Messi!’ repeatedly in what was an attempt to taunt CR7.
As he headed for the tunnel, the former Manchester United player appeared to put his hand in his genital area and pull upwards.
Saudi lawyer calls for Cristiano Ronaldo to be DEPORTED for a 'crime of public indecency' after he appeared to grab his CROTCH as he walked off the pitch in response to 'Messi' taunts from fans
Ronaldo appeared to making an insulting gesture, footage from the game shows pic.twitter.com/G0hhM8HqhQ
— MassiVeMaC (@SchengenStory) April 20, 2023
