Cristiano Ronaldo was the butt of jokes from fans after he was caught cheering before a free-kick went wide of the goal. The 39-year-old icon scored a goal for Al-Nassr against Al-Taawoun in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final on Wednesday night, extending his tally to 23 consecutive scoring seasons.

During the same match, Ronaldo prepared to take a free kick, facing criticism for his ever-declining success rate. As he puffed out his chest, Ronaldo was caught saying to himself in Portuguese: “I am the best,” before the ball sailed wide of the goal, without even requiring a jump from the opposing goalkeeper.

Despite the criticism, Ronaldo defended his attitude: “I have always believed in the power of self-confidence. People can interpret this in many ways, but for me it is a way to concentrate and motivate myself. Not all shots are perfect, but I am here to keep trying and improving.”

The scene sparked a series of criticisms from fans towards the veteran striker, who opted to move to Saudi Arabia in 2022 after leaving Manchester United and failing to find a place at another European club.

One fan commented: “When your time in the sport is over, even the things that used to be in your favour are no longer. That’s when you know you have to stop.” Another added: “Who’s dumber? Ronaldo, who thinks he’s great at taking free kicks, or the manager, who chooses Ronaldo to take free kicks?”

Ronaldo’s struggles with free-kicks are highlighted by his conversion rate for Portugal, having scored just one goal in 60 attempts, with the only success coming against Spain at the 2018 World Cup.