Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr in January 2023, has yet to secure a major domestic trophy with the club, his only silverware being the Arab Club Champions Cup. For a period, it appeared that his spell in Saudi Arabia might conclude without a league title.
However, that outlook has now shifted significantly. Following a 2–0 victory over Al Ahli, Al Nassr have moved to the brink of winning the Saudi Pro League title for the first time in Ronaldo’s tenure.
League standings context
| Team | Matches | Points | Games Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Nassr | 30 | 79 | 4 |
| Al Hilal | 29 | 71 | 5 |
Al Nassr currently lead Al Hilal by eight points, having played one match more. With four matches remaining for Al Nassr and five for Al Hilal, the title race is mathematically still open, but Al Nassr are in a strong position.
Winning sequence
Al Nassr’s current form has been a defining feature of their season. The club have recorded 20 consecutive victories across competitions, including 16 wins in the Saudi Pro League. This run has played a central role in establishing their lead at the top of the table.
Ronaldo’s contribution
In the win against Al Ahli, Ronaldo scored the opening goal in the 76th minute. He converted a header from an in-swinging corner delivered by João Félix. The goal marked his 970th career goal.
Since joining Al Nassr, his record across all competitions stands as follows:
| Category | Matches | Goals | Assists | Total Goal Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Nassr (all competitions) | 143 | 126 | 23 | 149 |
Ronaldo has also achieved the milestone of scoring 25 or more league goals in three consecutive Saudi Pro League seasons. This mirrors a previous run in European football where he consistently reached similar scoring levels over nine consecutive seasons between 2009–10 and 2017–18.
Match context and incidents
The match carried additional tension due to events surrounding Al Ahli’s recent success in the AFC Champions League Elite, which they had won four days earlier. The absence of a guard of honour from Al Nassr prior to kick-off contributed to an already strained atmosphere between the sides.
Throughout the season, relations between the two clubs have been marked by disputes, including repeated complaints from Al Ahli regarding refereeing decisions. Following this match, Al Ahli again raised concerns, claiming that at least two handball incidents warranted penalty kicks.
The closing stages of the game saw heightened tension on the pitch, particularly involving Kingsley Coman and Merih Demiral, with the situation extending beyond the final whistle.
Post-match incidents
After the match, Al Nassr’s Mohamed Simakan took a large club flag from the stands, displayed it in front of Demiral, and carried out a lap of honour around the pitch. In response, Demiral collected a winners’ medal associated with Al Ahli’s AFC Champions League success from staff and held it up towards Al Nassr supporters.
During post-match exchanges, Al Ahli supporters reminded Ronaldo that their team are two-time Asian champions. Ronaldo responded with a smile and raised his hand, stating, “I have five Champions Leagues.”