Berlin: Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended for one game after he caused a major stir in Saudi Arabia with a gesture that was deemed obscene, the Saudi football federation said on Wednesday evening.
Videos circulating online showed the 39-year-old Portuguese apparently gesticulating in the direction of opposing fans and making hand gestures after his team Al Nassr's 3-2 win against Al Shabab in the Saudi Pro League on Sunday.
Ronaldo had previously briefly put his hand to his ear, and shouts of "Messi" could be heard from the stands in the videos. Lionel Messi is Ronaldo's long-time rival.
According to media reports, the gesture was not shown on the TV broadcast, but videos of it quickly circulated on the Internet and caused outraged reactions in local media.
Messi and Ronaldo both played in Spain's La Liga, on opposite sides of the El Clasico derby. Messi spent 16 years with Barcelona, while Ronaldo played for Real Madrid for nine.
Combined they have won 13 of the past 15 Ballon d'Ors, the award for the best footballer in the world.
Messi left Barca in 2021 for Paris Saint-Germain, before moving to Inter Miami last year. Ronaldo left Europe just over a year ago for Saudi club Al Nassr.
— dpa
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