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Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo is facing deportation from Saudi Arabia after making an obscene gesture.
Ronaldo moved to Saudi side Al Nassr after leaving United by mutual consent in controversial circumstances. The Portuguese star had done a “warts and all” TV interview expressing how unhappy he was at the club.
Having been unable to find a club that could provide the Champions League football he so desperately craved, “CR7” followed the money and joined the Saudi side for a world record salary.
Things had been going well but have started to unravel this week.
In Tuesday’s Saudi Pro League match against Al-Hilal, Ronaldo was lucky to get away with a yellow card after a ridiculous foul on an opponent.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s bringing WWE to Saudi Arabia 🤕 pic.twitter.com/LCfH1ttxEG
— GOAL (@goal) April 19, 2023
The 2-0 defeat, courtesy of a majestic display from another former United forward, Odion Ighalo, saw Ronaldo trudge off the pitch to taunts from opposition fans chanting Lionel Messi’s name.
The Portuguese legend reacted by grabbing his genitals, a gesture that is illegal in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo’s reaction in today’s game when the opponent’s fans were chanting Messi’s name 😂pic.twitter.com/5GNOQREnCA
— Jan (@FutbolJan10) April 18, 2023
Lawyer Nouf bin Ahmed, a professor at the University of Genoa and United Nations-accredited international arbitrator, announced on Twitter (via AS) that he will submit a petition to the Saudi Public Ministry Saudi for Ronaldo’s arrest and deportation.
“Cristiano’s conduct is a crime,” the lawyer said.
“A publicly indecent act, which is one of the crimes required for arrest and deportation if committed by a foreigner.”
The lawyer also said Ronaldo had broken the law in his tackle on the Al-Hilal player.
“What was observed in the Al Nassr party. Specifically, Cristiano’s is a misdemeanor. An attack by Cristiano against an Al Hilal player is not related to the duel due to sports custom,” he Tweeted.
“It should be noted that Cristiano is known for his balance. What is the reason for the change in his behavior and his tendency to aggression after joining Al Nassr?”
Whether anything will come of the petition remains to be seen, but even if it is swept under the carpet, Bin Ahmed’s question is a good one; why is someone whose on-field behaviour was once impeccable and professional now behaving like a hooligan?
If the Saudi authorities, FA or his club do not act to punish him for the obscene gesture, the concern will be as to what might happen next. The situation could rapidly devolve into a political nightmare for a country that had hoped to raise its profile in world football by signing the legendary forward.
It also portends a very undignified end to one of the greatest careers in football history.
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