Cristiano Ronaldo throws runners-up medal into the crowd as former Premier League star wins player of the tournament
CRISTIANO RONALDO threw his runners-up medal into the crowd after missing out on the Player of the Tournament at the Riyadh Seasons Cup.
Ronaldo watched icily from afar as Al-Hilal collected their gold medals for winning the final thanks to a 2-0 win over Al-Nassr.
Al-Hilal captain Sergej Milinkovic-Savic lifted the MVP trophy and former Premier League ace Aleksandar Mitrovic was named Player of the Tournament.
During his seven seasons in England, Mitrovic played for Newcastle and Fulham, scoring 59 top flight goals during that time.
As Mitrovic and Milinkovic-Savic collected their rewards, Ronaldo was filmed by a spectator walking off the pitch and heading straight to the tunnel.
Footage of the superstar making a hand gesture whilst making his early exit was uploaded to X, formerly Twitter.
The video shows Ronaldo pulling his silver medal over his head and tossing it into the crowd.
Whichever lucky fan got his hands on it now has a keepsake they will never forget, although it is no big loss to a player with a trophy cabinet as jam-packed as Ronaldo’s.
It was a turbulent night for the ex-Real Madrid and Manchester United star who had encountered some trouble from the crowd earlier in the game.
Fans chanted ‘Messi, Messi, Messi’ from the sideline, prompting Ronaldo to shout back with what appears to be: “I am here, not Messi.”
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Minutes later he was awarded a red card after booting the ball into the crowd following a free-kick decision that did not go his way.
Even before the match started Ronaldo’s actions had been subject to analysis – he was seen laughing at the choice of entertainment before the match.
WWE sensation The Undertaker was welcomed onto the pitch for a pre-match trophy presentation which featured his funereal theme music booming over the stadiums.
Ronaldo’s reactions were under the microscope again as he watched his team thrash Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami 6-0 a few days earlier with a huge grin on his face.