Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo showcased an exemplary act of sportsmanship during Al Nassr’s AFC Champions League clash against Persepolis, stunning fans worldwide by urging the referee to overturn his own penalty decision.
Ronaldo, known for his goal-scoring ability, put on a commendable performance on the field as Al Nassr faced Persepolis. After appearing to go down in the penalty box and prompting the referee to award a penalty to his team, the Portuguese maestro immediately approached the official, pleading with him to reconsider the decision.
Ronaldo asks THE referee to not award him a penalty.
GOAT for a reason. #Ronaldo𓃵
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.#AlNassrPersepolis #afcclonfancode pic.twitter.com/lDldzA74Fd— FanCode (@FanCode) November 27, 2023
Despite initially acknowledging Al Nassr’s penalty claim, Ronaldo graciously admitted to the referee that no foul had occurred, prompting the official to retract the penalty decision after consulting VAR.
During the match, Persepolis had a goal disallowed, and despite Ronaldo’s attempts inside the opposition’s box, the encounter ended goalless. The Nassr captain, aged 38, seemed to sustain a neck injury in the second half after a collision with Beiranvand, the Persepolis goalkeeper.
Ronaldo, who was substituted after 77 minutes, displayed signs of discomfort following the incident. Despite the draw against Persepolis, Al Nassr secured a spot in the Asian Champions League knockout stage, marking their progression with the Saudi Arabian side previously winning all four Group E matches.
Al Nassr’s tenacious performance, despite playing with only ten players for the majority of the game, ensured their progression to the last 16, setting the stage for a crucial match against arch-rivals Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.