Al Ittihad mocked Al Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo after handing the Saudi Pro League defending champions their first defeat of the season, a 2-1 loss on Saturday. The match dropped Al Nassr to second in the standings, three points behind leaders Al Hilal. During the game, Ronaldo, 41, was filmed leaning close to Al Ittihad midfielder Danilo Pereira to view a tactical note, prompting Al Ittihad to post on X: "Cheating and still losing!".

Despite the setback, new Al Nassr coach Ange Postecoglou emphasized positives, noting his team created chances early and praising the squad's character. Midfielder Ângelo Gabriel, who scored Al Nassr's lone goal, acknowledged the loss but stressed the need to prove their champion status in the next match. Ronaldo has scored two goals in four league games this season and previously indicated this campaign could be his last, though his contract runs until June 2027.