Cristiano Ronaldo could not hide his anger after missing a penalty during Al Nassr’s 1-0 victory over NEOM. The incident happened just hours after Erik ten Hag publicly criticised his former Manchester United star.

Ronaldo Reacts Furiously to Penalty Miss Hours After Ten Hag’s Explosive Claims

Cristiano Ronaldo showed his anger and frustration after missing a penalty during Al Nassr’s 1-0 victory over NEOM, just hours after former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag made explosive claims about his attitude and professionalism.

The Portuguese superstar endured a difficult evening on October 20, 2026, as he missed several excellent scoring opportunities.

Despite Al Nassr securing an important victory, Ronaldo failed to find the net and could not hide his disappointment.

His emotional reaction quickly attracted attention, especially because Ten Hag had publicly criticised him earlier that day.

Ronaldo loses his temper after penalty miss

Ronaldo’s biggest opportunity came in first-half stoppage time when João Félix won a penalty for Al Nassr.

The 41-year-old stepped forward with the chance to give his team the lead and move another step closer to 1,000 career goals.

However, his penalty went wide of the left post.

Ronaldo immediately showed his frustration, shaking his head and making angry gestures after wasting the opportunity.

According to The Scottish Sun and Portuguese outlet Notícias ao Minuto, the Al Nassr captain looked extremely disappointed with himself.

His reaction became even more noticeable as the referee ended the first half shortly after the missed penalty.

Instead of celebrating another goal, Ronaldo walked towards the dressing room knowing he had wasted a major chance.

Another shocking miss makes Ronaldo’s night worse

Ronaldo’s problems continued almost immediately after the second half began.

In the 48th minute, Sadio Mané headed the ball towards Ronaldo following a set-piece situation.

The Portuguese forward found himself just a few metres from goal, with most of the net open.

But in a surprising moment, Ronaldo fired his close-range shot over the crossbar.

It was another huge opportunity for a player who has scored hundreds of goals throughout his career.

Ronaldo continued searching for a goal, but his finishing failed to improve.

Despite his struggles, João Félix eventually came to Al Nassr’s rescue.

The Portuguese midfielder scored the winning goal in the 61st minute, securing a 1-0 victory over NEOM.

Ten Hag’s explosive accusations add to the drama

Ronaldo’s frustrating performance came on the same day that Erik ten Hag made several serious accusations about their time together at Manchester United.

In an interview with The Athletic, the Dutch manager claimed Ronaldo had failed to meet training and fitness requirements during the 2022/23 season.

Ten Hag also alleged that the Portuguese superstar sometimes withdrew from training sessions and encouraged teammates to save energy during practice.

“He let the team down, and he let me down,” Ten Hag said.

The former United manager explained that he had originally wanted Ronaldo to play an important role in his plans.

However, he claimed that the forward’s preparation and performances did not meet his expectations.

These comments brought their famous disagreement back into the headlines nearly four years after Ronaldo left Old Trafford.

However, there is no confirmed evidence that Ten Hag’s comments affected Ronaldo’s performance or caused his angry reaction during the NEOM match.

Ronaldo remains 19 goals away from historic milestone

Ronaldo’s missed opportunities also affected his personal ambition to reach 1,000 career goals.

Before the match against NEOM, the Al Nassr captain had scored 981 goals for club and country.

Had he converted the penalty, Ronaldo would have reached 982 goals and moved within 18 of the historic milestone.

Instead, he finished another match without scoring.

His career total remains at 981 goals, leaving him 19 short of 1,000.

At 41, Ronaldo is still determined to achieve a record that very few players have ever approached.

However, every missed opportunity now attracts greater attention because of his famous goal-scoring ambition.

Has Ronaldo responded to Ten Hag?

Despite the renewed controversy, Ronaldo has not issued a confirmed public response directly addressing Ten Hag’s latest accusations.

The two previously had a difficult relationship during Ronaldo’s final months at Manchester United.

In November 2022, Ronaldo criticised Ten Hag during his controversial interview with Piers Morgan.

Manchester United later announced that the forward would leave the club by mutual agreement.

Although the disagreement has now returned to the headlines, Ronaldo’s anger against NEOM appeared to be a reaction to his missed scoring opportunity rather than a direct response to his former manager.

Can Ronaldo bounce back after a difficult night?

Al Nassr secured three important points against NEOM, but Ronaldo’s individual performance left him disappointed.

His missed penalty, open-goal failure and angry reaction became major talking points after the final whistle.

At the same time, Ten Hag’s latest accusations have brought fresh attention to the Portuguese superstar’s past at Manchester United.

For now, Ronaldo’s main challenge is to recover his scoring form and continue his journey towards 1,000 career goals.

He remains one of football’s greatest goalscorers, but even the biggest legends experience difficult matches.

With the Ten Hag controversy growing and Ronaldo still waiting for his 982nd career goal, all eyes will be on how the Al Nassr captain responds in his next appearance.

Can Cristiano Ronaldo put this disappointing night behind him and return to scoring goals?