Al Nassr secured the Saudi Pro League title in
dramatic fashion on the final night of the season, finishing just enough to
edge Al Hilal, who ended two points behind.
The decisive moments came late as Ronaldo, 41,
delivered a trademark free-kick and then added a close-range finish to turn the
game in Al Nassr’s favour. The win was sealed in a match that Ronaldo watched
from the bench, with the Portuguese star weeping as the final minutes unfolded.
Al Nassr had opened the scoring and built a 2-0 lead,
but the match swung as Al Hilal pulled one back to make it 2-1. Ronaldo then
struck from a free-kick on 63 minutes, evading the goalkeeper and finding the
far corner. He doubled his impact with another goal nine minutes from time,
firing high into the net after receiving a cut-back on the edge of the six-yard
box.
With the league title, Ronaldo added a new honour to
his already glittering career, bringing his trophy tally to championships
across England, Spain and Italy, plus five Champions League medals. It was his
first major club trophy since winning Serie A with Juventus in 2020.
Next for Ronaldo is a sixth World Cup attempt after
being named in Portugal’s squad earlier this week.
Desert trailblazer
Ronaldo’s arrival in Saudi Arabia in January 2023
sparked a wave of big-money signings across the league. He joined on a
two-and-a-half-year deal estimated at 200 million euros, later extended by two
years in June 2025. Neymar and Karim Benzema were among the high-profile
players who followed.
Saudi Arabia’s wider goal is to help elevate the Pro
League by attracting top talent, improving stadium attendance and boosting
commercial success. While international interest has been limited, the country
has pushed harder since being confirmed as the host of the 2034 World Cup.
Sportswashing accusations
Ronaldo’s global fame has also made him a prominent
ambassador as Saudi Arabia seeks to shift its image. The kingdom has faced
criticism for “sportswashing,” accused of using major sporting investments to
deflect human rights concerns.
However, some of the more extravagant spending on
diversification projects has reportedly been scaled back, including changes at
major sporting ventures. Saudi Arabia recently said it would exit the breakaway
LIV Golf tour after reportedly investing more than $5 billion.
Ronaldo’s moment
Although his Saudi spell has included challenges,
Ronaldo remains close to a major milestone. His career tally now stands at 973
goals, just 27 shy of 1,000.
He has also experienced painful setbacks, including in
2024 when Al Nassr lost the King’s Cup final to Al Hilal on penalties, leaving
him in tears. This season, he also appeared to protest by missing three games,
reportedly linked to Benzema’s move to Al Hilal.
Before Thursday, Ronaldo’s only silverware with Al
Nassr was the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup. He was also disappointed on
Saturday after Al Nassr lost the AFC Champions League Two final to Gamba Osaka.
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