In the early morning of January 4 (Vietnam time), Al-Nassr had a 0-0 draw with Iranian team Esteghlal Tehran in the first leg of the 2024-2025 AFC Champions League round of 16. Notably, Al-Nassr did not register superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in this match.
According to Marca, the reason Ronaldo did not go to Iran was because he could face a penalty of 99 Whigs for cheating in this country.
Ronaldo's problem came in September 2023 when Al-Nassr arrived at Tehran to face Persepolis. Here, thousands of fans surrounded the team's hotel to see Ronaldo. Police had to intervene to disperse the crowd as the players' safety could be threatened.
Ronaldo met a special fan Fatima Hamami, a disabled female artist who specializes in footwork. She wanted to meet the Portuguese superstar and was granted a wish. During the meeting, Ronaldo took a photo with Hamami. The Al-Nassr striker gave him his shirt, hugged the female artist and kissed her on the head. In return, Hamami gave Ronaldo paintings she painted for him.
When he returned to Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo was sued by many Iranian lawyers for violating Islamic law. According to Iranian law, Ronaldo's actions towards Hamami can be considered an affair, because the kiss was not done by the wife or husband. The penalty can be up to 99 Whigs.
Before the match against Esteghlal Tehran, Al-Nassr requested to play on a neutral field but was rejected by the Iranian team. Therefore, Al-Nassr decided to withdraw Ronaldo from the list of players registered to play in this match.
The return match between Al-Nassr and Esteghlal Tehran will take place on March 10 in Saudi Arabia.
