Cristiano Ronaldo cheekily plays off ‘Messi’ chants as Al-Hilal fans taunt superstar in goal less display

Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo had a humorous response to 'Lionel Messi' chants by Al-Hilal fans, as he reacted with a thumbs-up sign.

Cristiano Ronaldo cheekily plays off ‘Messi’ chants as Al-Hilal fans taunt superstar in goal less display

Cristiano Ronaldo cheekily responded to 'Lionel Messi' chants by Al-Hilal fans, during 1-1 draw against Al-Nassr. (via Daily Mail)

Al-Nassr skipper and Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo had a cheeky response to Al-Hilal fans who, once again, chanted Lionel Messi‘s name in order to provoke him. The incident occurred during Al-Nassr’s 1-1 draw against city-rivals Al-Hilal in a Saudi PL encounter.

Ronaldo had a rather quiet evening, as he managed to record just a single shot on target against Al-Hilal, saved by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. The score ended 1-1 to the disappointment of the home side, who needed a win to close the gap on their Saudi PL title rivals.

It was an intense match which saw Brazilian forward Anderson Talisca scoring the opening goal in the very first minute of the match. Al-Nassr held on to their lead until the 77th minute, before Al-Hilal midfielder Sergej Milenkovic-Savic scored an equalizer.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo was once again greeted by rival fans making ‘Messi’ chants, at the Al-Awwal Park stadium. This time, unlike the previous occasions, the 39-year-old forward humorously responded to the chants by raising his hand to show a ‘thumbs-up’ sign.

He remained unfazed by the Al-Hilal fans’ attempts to provoke him. Videos showed the five time-Ballon d’Or winner having a laugh with Anderson Talisca, as he smiled towards the rival stands, gesturing the Al-Hilal supporters to continue with their chants.

However, he has not always carried the same reaction towards ‘Messi’ chants. Earlier this season, the Portuguese had made a lewd gesture towards fans making a similar chant, while also rubbing an Al-Hilal scarf on his crotch in anger.

Portuguese starlet Vitinha believes Cristiano Ronaldo ‘will be there’ at the 2026 FIFA World Cup 

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal teammate Vitinha, in a recent interview, expressed confidence in the 39-year-old forward’s abilities as well as his continuance until the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner holds the record for the most international goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Vitinha
Vitinha expressed confidence on Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup. (via Yahoo Sports)

Ronaldo captained Portugal to their 2026 Euro triumph and is expected to lead his country to the upcoming 2026 World Cup. Despite the fact that he will be 41 years old by then, Portugal teammate Vitinha adamantly stated that the Al-Nassr star would not give up before the World Cup. He also praised Ronaldo’s longevity and professionalism as well as the sacrifices that he has made.

Luckily, I’ve had quite a few years to enjoy the national team with him. Of course, he will be there [at the 2026 World Cup]; he’s not going to give up.”

Vitinha on Cristiano Ronaldo (via RMC)

Moreover, the PSG star added on by stating that he is extremely lucky to have been able to share the pitch with the veteran Portuguese forward. It remains to be seen whether the 39-year-old continues playing till 2026.