Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday ended his wait for a major trophy in Saudi Arabia after scoring twice in Al Nassr’s 4-1 victory over Damac to clinch the Saudi Pro League title.
The Portuguese superstar inspired Al Nassr to a dramatic final-day triumph as the club finished two points ahead of fierce rivals Al Hilal to secure the championship.
The victory marks Ronaldo’s first major domestic title since joining Al Nassr in January 2023 and his first major club trophy since winning the Coppa Italia with Juventus in 2021.
Al Nassr came into the match under pressure following last weekend’s defeat to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final, but Jorge Jesus’ side delivered when it mattered most.
Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a powerful header before Kingsley Coman doubled the lead early in the second half after a neat attacking exchange.
Damac reduced the deficit through a penalty converted by Morlaye Sylla, briefly threatening Al Nassr’s title hopes.
Ronaldo, however, responded in trademark fashion.
The 41-year-old curled a low free-kick from a difficult angle on the left side, with the ball sneaking through bodies and beyond the goalkeeper into the far corner.
The goal sparked massive celebrations among Al Nassr supporters as the title edged closer.
Ronaldo sealed the victory nine minutes from time with a close-range finish after receiving a cut-back inside the six-yard area, confirming Al Nassr as champions.
Television cameras later showed the Portuguese icon in tears on the bench during the closing moments of the game.
The title adds to Ronaldo’s remarkable collection of honours, having previously won league championships in England, Spain and Italy alongside five UEFA Champions League titles.
Since moving to Saudi Arabia in 2023, Ronaldo has become the symbol of the kingdom’s ambitious football expansion project.
His arrival paved the way for several high-profile signings including Neymar, Karim Benzema and other European stars as Saudi Arabia intensified efforts to raise the profile of the Pro League.
Backed by the country’s Public Investment Fund, Saudi clubs have spent heavily in recent years as part of wider economic diversification plans linked to Vision 2030 and preparations for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Despite criticism from human rights groups accusing the kingdom of “sportswashing,” Saudi Arabia has continued investing aggressively in football and other global sporting events.
Ronaldo also moved closer to another historic milestone after increasing his career goal tally to 973, leaving him just 27 goals short of the 1,000-goal mark.
The Portugal captain is expected to shift focus to international duty after being named in Portugal’s squad ahead of next year’s World Cup preparations.
