Cristiano Ronaldo has been criticised by the player who knocked Al-Nassr out of the Saudi Arabian Cup for not swapping shirts after the match.
Al-Nassr have seen their lead at the top of the Saudi Arabian top division slip away in recent weeks after Ronaldo completed a stunning move to the club in January. They currently languish three points off league leaders Al-Ittihad, who also have a game in hand.
The arrival of the Portuguese superstar – in a world record deal worth £173million per year – hiked up the expectations in Riyadh. Ronaldo has netted 11 league goals in 14 games for his new club, but it has coincided with a decline in results as Al-Nassr lost top spot.
Ronaldo has not scored in any of his most recent three appearances for the Saudi Arabian club and has failed to find the net in his last six outings. There has been a downturn in his goal return which has coincided with the side being able to find solutions around that.
The side was also eliminated from the Saudi Arabian Cup by Al-Wehda with the goal scored by French forward Jean-David Beauguel. The 31-year-old has now opened up on his disappointment with his encounter with Ronaldo at the end of the game.
"I was a bit disappointed," Beauguel explained to L’Equipe, when recounting his meeting with Ronaldo after the match. "At the end of the game, I told him I was a big fan and asked for his shirt.
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"He shook my hand without meeting my eyes, with a very contemptuous air. I remained silent because I grew up with him.
"I still remember the videos I watched of him when he was in college. I understand that he was disappointed after the loss, that he is a great competitor, but his attitude surprised me. Even on the pitch, he was upset, he yelled at his teammates."
Beauguel also added that Ronaldo’s overall impact should be a positive thing for the Saudi Arabian game: "Beyond the economic aspect, which is sure to be positive, I think his arrival is great for Saudi football.
"The Saudis are football fans. And his arrival may push players of his calibre want to play here. This will allow the development of football here, academies and training centres."
