Cristiano Ronaldo asked Danilo Pereira blunt question as Al-Ittihad defender finally reveals what happened during heated Saudi Pro League clash

Cristiano Ronaldo produced one of the most entertaining moments of Al-Nassr’s frustrating defeat to Al-Ittihad last weekend, when the Portugal captain found himself involved in an unexpected exchange with former teammate Danilo Pereira. The brief incident quickly went viral, offering a lighter moment during a match that otherwise ended badly for Ronaldo and his team.

The two Portugal internationals have shared countless moments together over the years, including their country’s historic Euro 2016 triumph. Their familiarity was obvious as Ronaldo approached Danilo during the match, with cameras catching the pair exchanging smiles after an unusual moment involving the Al-Ittihad defender.

The incident happened during Al-Nassr’s 2-1 defeat to Al-Ittihad on September 5, a result that ended the defending champions’ perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season. While the match was fiercely contested, Ronaldo briefly turned his attention away from the action when he noticed Danilo holding a tactical note.

Danilo had received instructions from Al-Ittihad’s coaching staff and was looking at the piece of paper when Ronaldo moved behind him. The Al-Nassr captain leaned over in an apparent attempt to see what was written, creating an amusing scene that was quickly picked up by television cameras.

Danilo eventually noticed Ronaldo standing behind him, and rather than reacting angrily, the former teammates appeared to laugh about the situation. The moment was soon shared widely online, with Al-Ittihad even joining in with the banter. “Cheating and still losing!”, Al-Ittihad took to X (formerly Twitter) to write.

Danilo finally reveals what Ronaldo asked

Almost a week after the match, Danilo finally explained what happened between the two players. Speaking after Al-Ittihad’s victory over Al-Fayha, the defender confirmed that Ronaldo had indeed managed to see the tactical instructions on the paper.

But the funniest detail was what Ronaldo actually said to him. “Yes, it’s true… Cristiano asked me, ‘Are you going to play like this?’, he told reporters, via Al-Riyadiah. Danilo explained that he had not initially realized Ronaldo was standing behind him.

Once he heard the Portuguese star speaking, however, the situation became clear: “I didn’t know he was behind me, and then I heard him talking behind my back, asking me, ‘Are you going to play like this?’ My answer was, ‘Yes, yes… we’ll play like this.’”

Ronaldo’s competitive instincts were on display

The exchange was funny, but it also offered a glimpse of Ronaldo’s mentality. Even during a heated league match, the 41-year-old was looking for any piece of information that could give Al-Nassr an advantage, although this particular attempt clearly became more entertaining than useful.

Danilo later played down the incident, insisting that there were no hard feelings between the pair. When asked whether Ronaldo had actually read what was on the paper, he confirmed that he had, before making clear that it contained tactical information rather than anything particularly sensitive. “He was behind me and he did indeed read what was written on the paper, but there is no problem, it was only about tactics.”

The relaxed reaction reflected the long relationship between the two players. Ronaldo and Danilo spent years together with Portugal and were part of the squad that won Euro 2016, giving the incident an almost friendly feel despite their fierce club rivalry.