Cristiano Ronaldo netted his 972nd and 973rd career goals as Al-Nassr triumphed over Damac with a score of 4-1 on Thursday, securing their first Saudi Pro League championship since 2019.
With the knowledge that a victory would secure the league title ahead of Al Hilal, Sadio Mané opened the scoring with a header in the 34th minute from a corner delivered by João Félix.
The festivities at Al-Awwal Park escalated in the 52nd minute when Kingsley Coman extended the advantage with a well-placed shot from just outside the Damac box.
Advertisement
Nervous moments set in during the 58th minute as Damac narrowed the gap to 2-1, aware that a draw for Al-Nassr alongside a victory for Al Hilal would jeopardize Al-Nassr’s title hopes. However, just five minutes later, the 41-year-old Ronaldo took charge, restoring a two-goal cushion for the home team by converting a free kick amidst a crowded defense.
Ronaldo was not finished; in the 81st minute, he seized on a loose ball in the penalty area and sent it into the Damac net, marking a commanding 4-1 lead.
This victory crowned Al-Nassr with their 11th SPL title, their first since Ronaldo’s arrival in December 2022. The club’s only other trophy since his signing was the Arab Club Champions Cup, which is considered an unofficial tournament, claimed three years ago.
Advertisement
Since Ronaldo’s joining in Saudi Arabia, the team finished second in both of Ronaldo’s first two seasons and ended up in third place in the 2024-25 season. Additionally, they have lost four cup finals since 2022: the King’s Cup, the AFC Champions League Two, and the Saudi Super Cup on two occasions.
Al-Nassr had the opportunity to secure the league title the previous week, but a last-minute own goal against Al Hilal — a team that completed the season undefeated — had postponed those celebrations.
Ronaldo, recently selected for his sixth World Cup squad with Portugal this week, has now scored 102 goals in four seasons with Al-Nassr, leaving him just 27 goals away from reaching the remarkable milestone of 1,000 career goals.