"Should get a refund", "Records chase him" - Lionel Messi fans slam Cristiano Ronaldo as Al-Nassr's trophy drought since his move comes to light

Lionel Messi fans online have taken digs at Cristiano Ronaldo after Al-Nassr lost 2-1 against Al-Ittihad on Tuesday, October 28. As a result, the Saudi Pro League side was eliminated from the King Cup of Champions Round of 16.

Karim Benzema opened the scoring for Al-Ittihad in the 15th minute at Al-Awwal Park on Tuesday. Gabriel restored parity in the 30th minute, before Houssem Aouar restored the visitors' lead in the first-half stoppage time. Ahmed Al Julaydan was sent off in the 49th minute, but Al-Ittihad managed to hold on to their lead.

With this, Al-Nassr's run in the King Cup of Champions came to an end. This also meant that Cristiano Ronaldo still hasn't won a major trophy with the Knights of Njad. He joined the club in January 2023 and has been part of 13 major tournaments, failing to win even one.

With this stat surfacing on Tuesday, Lionel Messi fans took digs at the Portuguese forward, as one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote:

"Records chase him"

Another commented,

"Al Nassr should get a refund because he has added nothing. He doesn’t even sell stadiums out over there, what a waste"

Here are some other reactions:

Cristiano Ronaldo did win the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023, but FIFA does not recognise it as an official trophy.

Jorge Jesus opens up on Cristiano Ronaldo after Al-Nassr's defeat against Al-Ittihad

Al-Nassr head coach Jorge Jesus was asked about Cristiano Ronaldo's impact in their elimination from the King Cup of Champions on Tuesday. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner played the entire 90 minutes, but failed to help his side find the equalizer against 10-man Al-Ittihad.

Jesus said in his post-match press conference (h/t One Football):

"Cristiano? Our problem today wasn't Cristiano, but rather fatigue and exhaustion. We can't forget that we played against a strong and excellent team, champions of the League and the Cup. The defeat had nothing to do with tactics, but rather with a great match between two teams, each looking for victory."

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo also shared a message after the game, writing on his social media accounts:

"We stand tall, learn, and move forward together."

The Real Madrid legend has scored seven goals and provided two assists in nine games across competitions for Al-Nassr this season. He will look to help them get back to winning ways against Al-Feiha in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, November 1. Al-Nassr sit atop the league table, with six wins in six games.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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Edited by Aditya Singh