‘What I did was...’: Cristiano Ronaldo opens up about making obscene gesture

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has opened up for the first time about the obscene gesture that saw him suspended for a Saudi Pro League game last month. Ronaldo admitted his gesture was a "mistake" and that it was a "misunderstanding".

Ronaldo made an obscene gesture toward Al-Shabab fans, who chanted Lionel Messi's name to rile him up during Al-Nassr's 3-2 win.

"I take this opportunity to talk about the case in which I was punished for a game. What I did was a misunderstanding. I will always respect the cultures of all countries, but what people see is not always reality," said Ronaldo in a news conference.

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Ronaldo said he did not make the gesture on purpose and that it happened in the heat of the moment.

"Whenever I make them [mistakes], I don't do it on purpose. Every day I try to be a better man."

Quizzed if he could improve his behaviour to set a better example, Ronaldo did not make any promises.

"I can't promise because I'm a human being. Nobody is perfect. Life is made of mistakes. What I can promise is that I am a player who gives everything on the field, a player with passion, a player who always wants to win."

After Ronaldo's gesture, a disciplinary committee not only handed the one-match ban but also imposed a hefty fine of 10,000 Saudi riyals ($2,666) to be paid to the Saudi Football Federation and 20,000 riyals to Al-Shabab in order to bear the costs of the complaint filing fees. In addition, the committee revealed that the decision is not subject to appeal.

Ronaldo served the ban and paid the fine but his team could only draw the next game against Al Hazm. Al Nassr currently sits second in the league table, with Al-Hilal leading the pack by a gap of 12 points.

Notably, it wasn't the first instance when Ronaldo's obnoxious behaviour and gestures had made the heads turn. In April 2023, the veteran appeared to grab his genitals while heading to the dugout after Al Nassr's 0-2 league loss to arch-rivals Al Hilal.

(With inputs from agencies)