Ronaldo Substitution Sparks Viral Theory He Left To Watch Real Madrid vs Benfica
Although Al-Nassr secured a resounding 5-0 victory over Al-Najma, the headline of the day was not the rout but Cristiano Ronaldo’s unusual exit from the pitch in a match where he had already found the net and still had the chance to continue increasing his tally in pursuit of the 1,000-goal record.
In the 56th minute, head coach Jorge Jesus decided to substitute the Portuguese star, unleashing a wave of theories on social media pointing to a priority far removed from Saudi football: his love for Real Madrid.
While the Riyadh side dominated in the Saudi Pro League, Europe was staging the thrilling clash between Real Madrid and Benfica in the Champions League playoffs. For fans, the coincidence was too significant to ignore.
A heart in Madrid? The viral theory behind Cristiano’s substitution
The early withdrawal of “CR7” did not go unnoticed by followers on X, who quickly spread the idea that the captain wanted to follow the fate of his former club.
One fan joked: “Ronaldo asked Jorge Jesus to be subbed off. He wanted to watch the Real Madrid game.”
Although there is no proof that the forward requested the substitution, his body language as he sat on the bench fueled speculation.
Before leaving the field, Ronaldo had fulfilled his scoring duty by converting a penalty in the first half, reaching 965 official goals. The 1,000-goal milestone is closer than ever, yet even that historic target seemed to take a back seat to the magnetism of European nights, in a match where the tension was not only on the pitch but also off it.
The clash between Real Madrid and Benfica, fueled by alleged racist tension involving Gianluca Prestianni and Vinicius Junior, generated worldwide intrigue, with fears that it could spill into the stands. Although that did not happen, there were incidents before kickoff when some Benfica supporters were restrained by security forces.
This episode occurs in a context of tension following Cristiano’s brief strike due to the lack of elite reinforcements at his club. However, the Portuguese star used the microphones to calm the waters: “I’m very happy. As I say so many times, I belong to Saudi Arabia. It’s a country that welcomed me, my family and my friends very well. I’m happy here. I want to continue here.”
Despite rumors of discontent over the budget gap with Al-Hilal, Ronaldo reaffirmed his commitment: “Our job is to win, make pressure [on our title rivals], and let’s see. We are on track.”
In the end, whether it was tactical rest or his desire to watch Madrid, Cristiano remains the center of attention, not only in Saudi Arabia but also in Portugal, where he is preparing to compete in what will be his final World Cup.
