Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Al Nassr secured the Saudi Pro League title with a commanding 4-1 victory over Damac on Thursday, finally ending the Portuguese star’s long wait for major domestic silverware in Saudi Arabia.
A trademark free-kick and a powerful close-range finish in the final half-hour sealed the crucial win for Al Nassr on the final day of the season, as rivals Al Hilal finished just two points behind in the title race.
Ronaldo, 41, who had not lifted a major club trophy since winning the Serie A title with Juventus in 2020, appeared emotional as he watched the closing minutes from the bench after helping guide his side to glory.
The Saudi title adds to Ronaldo’s league triumphs in England, Spain, and Italy, alongside his five UEFA Champions League crowns.
Al Nassr had raced into a 2-0 lead before Damac reduced the deficit to 2-1. Ronaldo restored control in the 63rd minute when his free-kick slipped through a crowd of players and beyond the goalkeeper into the far corner.
He completed his brace nine minutes from time, smashing home from close range after receiving a cut-back near the six-yard box.
Attention now turns to the international stage for the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football, with 143 goals, after he was named in Portugal’s squad this week for what could become his sixth FIFA World Cup appearance.
Desert trailblazer
Ronaldo paved the way for a wave of superstar arrivals in Saudi Arabia after joining Al Nassr in January 2023 following his turbulent second spell at Manchester United.
Global stars including Neymar and Karim Benzema soon followed, attracted by lucrative contracts after Ronaldo signed a deal reportedly worth around €200 million over two-and-a-half years, later extended by another two years in June 2025.
Saudi Arabia’s ambition has been to transform the Pro League into one of the world’s leading football competitions through elite signings, increased attendances, and commercial growth, although global interest has remained relatively limited.
In December 2024, Saudi Arabia was officially confirmed as host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup — a major milestone in the kingdom’s broader push to diversify its economy away from oil and expand its global tourism and business appeal through sports.
With a record 664 million Instagram followers, Ronaldo has become one of the most visible faces of Saudi Arabia’s sporting ambitions as the kingdom seeks to reshape its international image.
However, critics have accused Saudi Arabia of “sportswashing” — using major sporting investments to deflect attention from human rights concerns — through heavy spending on football, Formula 1, golf, boxing, and tennis.
Some of the kingdom’s most ambitious diversification projects, including the futuristic desert city NEOM and massive tourism developments, have reportedly faced scaling back in recent months.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund also announced this month that it was stepping away from the breakaway LIV Golf project after reportedly investing more than $5 billion into the venture.
Meanwhile, the wave of extravagant football spending that once dominated headlines has slowed considerably.
Tears and setbacks
Ronaldo finished as the Saudi Pro League’s top scorer in each of his first two seasons, taking his overall career tally to 973 goals — edging ever closer to the historic 1,000-goal milestone.
His journey in Saudi Arabia, however, has not been without disappointment.
In 2024, he broke down in tears after Al Nassr lost the King’s Cup final to Al Hilal on penalties, denying him a first major Saudi title at the time.
This season, he was also absent from the Al Nassr squad for three matches in what was widely viewed as a protest following Benzema’s move to rivals Al Hilal.
Before Thursday’s triumph, Ronaldo’s only trophy with Al Nassr had been the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup. He also suffered disappointment last Saturday when Al Nassr lost to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final.
AFP
