WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo silences Al-Ettifaq fans over ‘Messi, Messi’ chants in Al-Nassr’s King’s Cup of Champions game

Cristiano Ronaldo unable to escape Messi comparisons in Saudi Arabia.

WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo silences Al-Ettifaq fans over ‘Messi, Messi’ chants in Al-Nassr’s King’s Cup of Champions game

Cristiano Ronaldo (Source: Twitter/@Mirrorfootball and Twitter/@sportbible)

Cristiano Ronaldo was met with chants of “Messi, Messi, Messi” during Al-Nassr’s fixture against Al-Ettifaq in the Round of 16 for the King Cup of Champions. Lionel Messi had just been awarded his 8th Ballon d’Or the night before the game thus the opposition supporters attempted to throw off the Portuguese star who made the gesture of telling the crowd to ‘shush’.

Even after both players left the European stage earlier this year, Cristiano Ronaldo is still met with jeers about his longtime Argentine rival. When Ronaldo went to take a throw-in for the club, a fan caught on video, fans of Al-Ettifaq taunting the Al-Nassr player by shouting the name of his longtime rival. Initially smiling at the words of the crowd, the player left the ball for his teammate to take the throw-in and then motioned towards the crowd by placing his finger on his lips as he walked towards the opposition box.

YouTube video

Al-Nassr came out winners after a goal in extra time from Sadio Mane separated the two sides on the night. Cristiano failed to get on the scoreboard for Al-Nassr and picked up a yellow card fairly early on in the game. However, a win means they will proceed to the quarter-finals of the tournament with their opponents for the next round yet to be announced.

FS Video

Al-Nassr will face Al-Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League this coming weekend, followed by an AFC Champions League fixture against Al-Duhail.

Is the rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi over?

While both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have chosen to put an end to their ‘rivalry’, the fans refuse to stop comparing the two. This comes even after the pair made separate comments on the issue when asked about the other.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi
(L-R) Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi (Source: via GOAL)

Recently in Lionel Messi’s press conference – after winning his 8th Ballon d’Or – he stated:

It was a great battle, from a sporting point of view. We fed off each other's rivalry because we're both great competitors. We stayed at the top for ten, fifteen years. It's very difficult to stay at that level and it's spectacular. And I think it remains a good memory for all those who followed us.

Cristiano Ronaldo spoke on the topic a month before Messi’s statements where he famously said:

The rivalry is over. Those who like Cristiano don't have to hate Messi. We are respected throughout the world, that's the most important thing.

The pair have both come to a separate agreement and called an end to a rivalry that saw the pair play against each other on 36 different occasions. However, will the fans stop the comparison? Users on ‘X’ disagree.

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