From Headbutting Opponents to Making NSFW Gestures, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Long History of Suspensions

Cristiano Ronaldo has been suspended recently for showing a Not Safe for Work (NSFW) gesture to his opponent’s fans. To stay at the top, Ronaldo faced challenges, needing grit and determination to preserve it. In return, the Portuguese captain, being motivated, reacts in unusual ways to express himself. Even though most of the time it is taken positively, a few instances backfired for the Portuguese captain. Here, we look at all the occasions Ronaldo was penalized because of his uninhibited nature.

The Portuguese superstar first saw the wrath of regulations against Aston Villa in 2004, receiving a red (two yellows) for a mild violation of attempting a goal even after an off-side was declared. But the 39-year-old later received suspensions for more severe offenses, including an attack on the referee.

List of violations by Cristiano Ronaldo leading to bans

1. 2005 One-Match Suspension in the UEFA Champions League

Significantly, the Portuguese captain hardly tolerates losses. The player was penalized by UEFA for showing his middle finger to Benfica’s fans after their loss in 2005. After that, Ronaldo served the ban in the next season as they were knocked out the same year.

2.  2007: Punishment in the Premier League

The Manchester United number 7 was seen head-butting Portsmouth player Richard Huges in the 85th minute of the game. It led the Premier League to keep him away for two games. Moreover, the incident brought an emotional response from Ronaldo, who said, “This is a personal promise that I have made to the manager. It will never happen again and that has to be a positive thing for Manchester United and myself.” Nevertheless, CR7 faced more severe prohibitions.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo banned for assaulting a player in La Liga 2010

Real Madrid’s highest goalscorer was again suspended for two games after slashing his elbow at the Malaga player Patrick Mtiliga. Coming in with force, the opposition player bled after getting injured in the face. Cristiano, anyhow, felt two games was a harsh call by the referees.

4. Three-match ban for a brawl with players and then a gesture towards the referee in 2014

Ronaldo saw himself on the wrong side of the sport when he pushed Carlos Gurpegui of Athletic Bilbao in early 2014. He then confronted another player, Ander Iturraspe, leading to a red card. However, things got worse when he was reported to show dissent to the referee while leaving the field, adding two more games to his suspension list, making it three games in total.

READ MORE – Sir Alex Ferguson Publicly Remembers Cristiano Ronaldo for the First Time Since Manchester United Firing

5. 2015: Suspended for kicking an opponent

The player was the Ballon d’Or holder when he got the suspension. Expressing his frustration against Córdoba player Edimar, former Los Blancos #7 missed two league games against Real Sociedad and Sevilla, which the club had lost, anyway.

6. 2017: Action was taken against Cristiano Ronaldo for pushing the referee

It was one of the significant bans the Al Nassr captain received. Coming against archrivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup, the highest goalscorer in the world was shocked to see a second yellow for diving. Subsequently, Cristiano pushed the referee from behind, attracting the jury’s fury, barring him for five games later on.

7. A monetary fine for celebration

On this occasion, it wasn’t a ban, but he had to face a fine for an inappropriate ‘Cojon’ celebration. Ronaldo had then moved to Juventus, but his affinity for scoring against Atletico Madrid was high. After scoring a hat trick, though, the Juventus forward was fined $21.5k for his jubilation.

READ MORE – Rejecting Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, Kevin De Bruyne Opens Possibility of Retiring in the MLS

8. Mistreating a fan and a two-game ban

The year 2022 was a unique experience for the 2016 Euro winner. Already suffering a terrible relationship with the coach, Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo vents his frustration by hitting a fan’s phone at Goodison Park after a 1-0 loss to Everton. He took another 2-game off by the FA.

9. 2024: Disciplined for another weird gesture toward the fans

In the year 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo received another suspension for reacting with a lewd gesture at the Al Shabab fans. It comes after the rival fans chanted his nemesis Lionel Messi’s name. The player will serve a match ban along with two fines.

It was Rio Ferdinand who said that Ronaldo was more expressive than Lionel Messi. And the former Manchester United player’s intention to compete is what makes him do so. Nevertheless, the player has always been subject to mixed feedback from the soccer fraternity.