'Speed is better than Ronaldo!' — Cristiano Ronaldo blasted by fans as Al-Nassr crash out of AFC Champions League

‎Cristiano Ronaldo is facing a wave of criticism from football fans around the world after Al-Nassr were knocked out of the AFC Champions League semi-finals by Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale. Despite Ronaldo's prolific run in the tournament — netting eight goals in as many games — the Portuguese icon failed to deliver when it mattered most in the 3-2 defeat, extending his trophy drought in Saudi Arabia.

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‎'Cristiano Ronaldo.'

‎Getty Images Sport

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‎Al-Nassr’s hopes of continental glory were dashed in a single-legged semi-final clash, with goals from Sadio Mané and Ayman Yahya proving insufficient against the J1 League side’s clinical edge. Kawasaki's resilience and sharp finishing exposed weaknesses in Al-Nassr’s defense, and the team now exits the competition without silverware once again.

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‎Ronaldo, who has scored 91 goals in 102 appearances since joining the Saudi club, was expected to be a decisive figure. However, his quiet performance in this crucial fixture has led to a storm of fan backlash on social media.

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‎Popular football commentator @AliHassanHQ harshly quipped, "At this stage, Speed is better than Ronaldo at both football and YouTube." Others, such as @IamHBozz, accused the five-time Ballon d'Or winner of being a “washed man” who “scammed Al-Nassr of £200m every year.”

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‎The frustration continued with @Abrampah_ noting, “Always ghosting when it’s time to save the club but statpads unnecessary goals,” while @Aceeeeeeed didn’t mince words, calling the veteran forward a “fraud” who should retire.

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‎Despite Ronaldo's remarkable numbers, fans and critics alike are questioning his impact in the most important matches. The semi-final defeat is just the latest disappointment in a series of missed opportunities for Al-Nassr and their marquee signing.

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‎Ronaldo and Al-Nassr must now turn their focus back to the Saudi Pro League, where they trail league leaders Al-Ittihad by eight points. With a crucial league clash against Al-Ittihad on the horizon, pressure is mounting on Ronaldo to justify his presence — not just in stats, but in silverware.