Cristiano Ronaldo disappears before medal ceremony as Al Nassr suffer heartbreaking AFC Champions League final loss

Cristiano Ronaldo walked away disappointed on Saturday night after Al-Nassr lost the AFC Champions League Two final to Gamba Osaka at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh. The Saudi club suffered a painful defeat in front of their home fans after Deniz Hommet scored the winning goal for the Japanese side. But what caught even more attention after the final whistle was Cristiano Ronaldo refusing to collect his runner-up medal with the rest of the Al-Nassr squad.As soon as the match ended, Ronaldo was seen walking alone toward the tunnel while his teammates stayed on the pitch. Cameras later showed Al-Nassr manager Jorge Jesus leading the players to the medal ceremony, but Ronaldo was missing from the group. The Portuguese forward looked visibly upset after another major final slipped away from the club.The defeat was a huge blow for Al-Nassr, especially because the club had entered the final as favorites playing at home in Riyadh. Fans inside the stadium were left stunned after Gamba Osaka held firm under pressure and protected their lead until the final whistle.Cristiano Ronaldo’s reaction quickly became one of the biggest talking points from the final. The 41-year-old veteran has always shown strong emotions after defeats during his career, and Saturday night was no different. Instead of staying with the squad for the official ceremony, Ronaldo chose to leave the pitch immediately.Neither Ronaldo nor Al-Nassr released an official statement about the incident after the match. However, several broadcasters covering the game showed footage of him heading down the tunnel while the rest of the players prepared for the medal presentation.The loss also added more frustration to what has already been a difficult continental campaign for Al-Nassr. The Saudi side had invested heavily in their squad and were hoping to lift the AFC Champions League Two trophy in front of their supporters.Still, Al-Nassr’s season is not over yet. Ronaldo and his teammates still have a chance to finish the year with silverware in the Saudi Pro League title race. The club currently sits two points ahead of Al-Hilal at the top of the table. A victory against relegation-threatened Damac in their next league match would officially secure the league championship.Cristiano Ronaldo has remained one of Al-Nassr’s key players this season despite his age. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star has continued scoring important goals and leading the attack throughout the campaign. But after losing another major final, emotions clearly took over on a difficult night in Riyadh.