Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Al Nassr’s trip to Iran over a controversial kiss nearly landed him in hot water two years ago.
Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Al Nassr’s Champions League match against Iranian club Esteghlal due to a shocking scandal from his previous trip to Tehran.
The Portuguese striker has been left out of the squad for the Asian C1 8th final first leg after reportedly committing an act that could lead to severe consequences in Iran.
The 40-year-old’s absence is not due to injury, but rather because he could face prosecution for an incident that allegedly occurred nearly two years ago.
 "Ronaldo to miss Al Nassr’s Champions League match after committing adultery in Iran and risking 99 whiplashes 1")
Ronaldo has reportedly exposed himself to serious punishment after hugging and kissing a female fan in Iran.
What happened?
According to French outlet RMC Sport, Ronaldo is prevented from travelling to Iran for the match due to complaints filed by Iranian lawyers over an incident during a game in September 2023.
Renowned Iranian artist Fatemeh Hamami gifted Cristiano Ronaldo two paintings which was done with her feet| Photo Credit: Instagram(@fatemehamami)
Ronaldo and his Al-Nassr teammates had travelled to Iran to play Persepolis, where the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was greeted by a group of fans at his hotel.
What seemed like a simple fan interaction quickly turned controversial when Ronaldo kissed Fatemeh Hammami Nasrabadi, a local artist with a disability, on the cheek.
Ronaldo’s perceived adultery and the punishment of 99 whiplashes
Cristiano Ronaldo gifted Fatemeh Hamami an Al-Nassr jersey| Photo Credit: Instagram(@fatemehamami)
While Ronaldo’s gesture was intended as a kind and respectful act towards the artist, who has previously painted portraits of him, it was viewed quite differently under Iranian law.
In the context of Iranian culture, the act of Ronaldo kissing a woman who is not his wife has been classified as adultery.
In Iran, such acts can reportedly lead to severe punishment, including up to 99 whiplashes.
Cristiano Ronaldo hits the famous siuuuuuu | IMAGO
The situation has sparked major concern for Ronaldo, who had hoped to feature in the crucial Champions League match.
As per the aforementioned outlet, Al-Nassr reportedly requested to play the game on neutral ground in order to ensure their talisman’s availability, but the request was denied by Esteghlal.
Despite being in excellent form, having scored 25 goals in 30 appearances this season, Ronaldo’s participation is now in jeopardy.
As Ronaldo faces the fallout from his actions, it remains to be seen how this legal issue will affect his career moving forward.
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