Cristiano Ronaldo finds himself at the center of a new controversy after facing sharp criticism and a severe penalty from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) for his conduct during the Saudi Super Cup final, where Al Nassr suffered a 1-4 defeat to Al Hilal.

The SAFF Disciplinary and Ethics Committee has revealed that it is considering further action against Ronaldo for behavior they deemed disrespectful to both his opponents and the tournament organizers. The incident followed the August 18 match, where Ronaldo opened the scoring but watched as his team conceded four goals in less than 20 minutes, leading the Portuguese star to openly display his frustration.

Shortly after the final whistle, Ronaldo headed straight to the locker room, refusing to participate in the awards ceremony, despite being the captain of Al Nassr. This behavior drew widespread criticism in Saudi Arabia, with many fans claiming that Ronaldo showed poor sportsmanship and disrespect towards his opponent.

In response to the criticism and the impending punishment, Ronaldo said: “I always play to win and it is difficult to hide my disappointment when things do not go as planned. I apologize if my attitude was interpreted in a negative way, but my commitment to Al Nassr and respect for our opponents remains unwavering.”

The SAFF also issued a statement, saying: “The behaviour of any player, regardless of his status, must reflect the values of respect and sportsmanship that we hold dear in Saudi football. The investigation will be conducted in accordance with the regulations and a decision will be made shortly.”

If convicted, Ronaldo could face a ban, which would not be the first time he has been suspended for one game in February following a controversial celebration against Al Shabab fans. The latest episode adds another difficult chapter to Ronaldo’s career in Saudi Arabia, where he is still seeking his first official title since arriving in the Middle East.