Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, has long been considered one of the greatest footballers in history, but recent actions are causing damage to his once untouchable legacy.

His decline in performance has been evident for several years, and during Al-Nassr’s Saudi Super Cup final loss to Al-Hilal, his behavior took center stage for all the wrong reasons. Ronaldo scored the opening goal, but his team’s collapse in the second half led to a 4-1 defeat. After a costly error from goalkeeper Bento allowed Al-Hilal to extend their lead, Ronaldo reacted with frustration, accusing his teammates of being “asleep” and making an inappropriate gesture that suggested they had “crumbled under pressure.” This incident painted an unflattering picture of Al-Nassr’s captain. As the highest-paid footballer in the world, Ronaldo’s lack of composure and leadership was striking, especially when his team needed his guidance most. With 18 minutes left to play, a comeback was unlikely but not impossible. However, Ronaldo’s actions only furthered the narrative that his focus now seems to be more on himself than the team. Despite his impressive goal tally—66 goals in 72 appearances for Al-Nassr—the club has not lifted a trophy since Ronaldo’s arrival in January last year.

His presence, rather than elevating the team, has at times overshadowed it, as Al-Nassr has struggled to replicate their past successes. Rival teams like Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal have surged ahead, with Al-Hilal recently finishing the season 14 points clear of Al-Nassr without losing a single match.

Ronaldo’s frustration has been evident throughout his time in Saudi Arabia. Earlier in the year, he was suspended for an obscene gesture toward Al-Shabab fans and later sent off for elbowing a defender during a loss to Al-Hilal. His outbursts, like storming down the tunnel without collecting his runner-up medal after the Super Cup defeat, raise concerns about the example he sets for younger players. The contrast between Ronaldo’s current conduct and his once-glorious prime is stark. During his peak years, he set unprecedented standards of excellence and was regarded as a role model. Now, however, his actions both on and off the field have become a source of ridicule, especially on social media. Even another 50-goal season in the Saudi Pro League is unlikely to restore his tarnished imagehis situation begs the question many football fans are asking: why hasn’t Ronaldo retired? Despite his illustrious career, the past four years have been marked by diminishing returns. His final season at Juventus and brief return to Manchester United were marred by controversy, and his move to Saudi Arabia was viewed by many as a last resort after top European clubs showed little interest in signing him.

Ronaldo’s transition to Middle Eastern football has yet to yield the success he might have hoped for. The gap between his current team and rivals like Al-Hilal remains significant, and another season of disappointment seems likely. Despite the mounting criticism, former teammate Rio Ferdinand suggested that Ronaldo has no plans to retire anytime soon, predicting that the Portuguese star could continue playing for at least another three years. However, the longer Ronaldo stays in the game, the more he risks further eroding the legacy that once made him a global icon.