The Meaning Behind Ronaldo's Viral Celebration

Cristiano Ronaldo once again captured the spotlight when he unexpectedly replaced his legendary "Siu" celebration to debut a completely new style during Al Nassr's 5-0 victory over Al Najma in the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League.

At 41 years old, the Portuguese superstar continues to demonstrate his class and immense influence. Right from the early minutes, Ronaldo opened the scoring for Al Nassr from the penalty spot, bringing his total domestic league goals this season to 21 in 21 matches. However, what sparked the most discussion among fans was not just his familiar goal-scoring, but rather the highly surprising celebration that followed.

Instead of his trademark run-up, jump, and 180-degree turn with the "Siu" shout, Ronaldo ran towards the corner flag, raised his hand, and performed a jumping motion, flicking his wrist as if launching a basketball shot. That moment instantly went viral on social media, leaving many curious about the inspiration behind this novel celebration.

For many, this celebration was simply a spontaneous moment from the Portuguese forward and a way for Ronaldo to express his love for the sport of basketball. But others believe it was a response to comments made by his junior, Ruben Neves.

Previously, Neves had made the following statement: "I think we need to protect this league. There are four teams competing for the championship, but the same standards must be applied to everyone. There are some players out there who play football as if it's basketball, and they still don't get penalized."

Returning to the match action, after Ronaldo's opening goal, Al Nassr completely dominated the game. Kingsley Coman doubled the lead in the 32nd minute before Inigo Martinez scored a spectacular long-range effort to make it 3-0 just before halftime. In the second half, former Liverpool star Sadio Mane scored to make it 4-0, and Martinez completed his brace, sealing the 5-0 victory in the 80th minute.

The resounding victory allowed Al Nassr to temporarily overtake Al Ahli and claim the top spot in the Saudi Pro League table with a two-point lead. With the title race entering a crucial phase, this serves as a massive morale boost for Al Nassr's coach and players.

On a personal level for Ronaldo, although he only scored one goal in this match, he is still maintaining an impressive performance rate. However, the race for the Golden Boot is becoming extremely intense, with Ivan Toney leading with 23 goals, and Julian Quinones in second place. Ronaldo currently sits in third and certainly does not want to be left behind.