Cristiano Ronaldo is at the centre of a fresh controversy after being criticised and handed a severe punishment by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) for his behaviour in the Saudi Arabian Super Cup final, where Al Nassr were defeated 1-4 by Al Hilal.

The SAFF Disciplinary and Ethics Committee has announced that it is investigating the possibility of imposing a punishment on Ronaldo for his behavior, which was deemed disrespectful to both opponents and tournament organizers. Following the match on August 18, in which Ronaldo opened the scoring but saw his team concede four goals in less than 20 minutes, the Portuguese star openly expressed 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.