Ronaldo’s Quiet Substitution Sparks Saudi Derby Stir: When the Bench Becomes the Spotlight

Match Moments

Watch Ronaldo's reaction after his substitution in the derby.

Ronaldo Substitution and Aftermath

The Portuguese star, Cristiano Ronaldo, the Al Nassr forward, calmly protested the substitution decision in the Riyadh derby against arch-rivals Al Hilal.

Al Nassr lost 1-3 to Al Hilal on Monday at the Kingdom Arena, in the fifteenth round of the Roshen Pro League.

In the 83rd minute, after Al Hilal sealed the second through Mohammed Kanno, the Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus surprised everyone by substituting Ronaldo for the Brazilian Wesley.

As he left the pitch, Ronaldo showed a quiet protest, appearing to mutter "Impossible" in English, then shook hands with his coach before sitting on the substitutes' bench.

Replays showed the Portuguese star visibly stunned in the moments after the substitution, especially after Al Hilal's third goal by Ruben Neves in stoppage time from a penalty.

The moment lingered after the final whistle, Ronaldo walking around the pitch alone, not speaking to anyone.

It is noted that this marked the fourth time Jorge Jesus has substituted Ronaldo, the second in the Saudi league, with one prior substitution in the King’s Cup and another in the AFC Champions League.

Punchline: If embers could talk, Ronaldo would be asking for a longer break, and the bench would reply, "We call that tactical suspense."

Punchline 2: In football, sometimes the best pass is the one you don’t make—straight to the bench.