Cristiano Ronaldo played a pivotal role in helping Al-Nassr secure their first Arab Club Champions Cup title, despite the team finishing with only nine men in extra time.
The Portuguese forward, aged 38, scored two crucial goals as Al-Nassr came from behind to defeat their Saudi counterparts, Al-Hilal, with a score of 2-1.
Ronaldo’s first goal equalized Michael’s opener, and his second goal, scored during the first half of extra time, ultimately secured the victory and the trophy. This win marks Ronaldo’s first title since his move to the Saudi Pro League.
However, there was a concerning moment as Ronaldo was taken off the field due to a collision in the final minutes of the match. This incident occurred just
two days before the start of Al-Nassr’s Saudi Pro League campaign against Al-Ettifaq, led by Steven Gerrard.
Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi Pro League in December, played a key role in helping Al-Nassr finish as runners-up in the previous season. He was joined
by other notable names in Saudi Arabia, including new teammates Sadio Mane, Seko Fofana, and Marcelo Brozovic.
In the match, several players, including Ronaldo’s teammates, had opportunities denied by Al-Nassr’s goalkeeper, Mohammed Alowais. Brazilian player
Michael scored the opener for Al-Hilal with an assist from former Barcelona and Zenit winger Malcom.
Despite facing challenges, such as two players from Al-Nassr receiving straight red cards (Abdulelah Al-Amri and Nawaf Boushal), the team managed to secure the
victory. Ronaldo’s header, following a rebound off the crossbar, was the deciding goal, and he finished as the top scorer in the competition, which featured the top clubs from various countries in the Arab region.