Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Saudi Arabia as a conqueror — the face of a brand new soccer period, a person who had already scaled each mountain in Europe. But, almost three years after becoming a member of Al-Nassr, the Portuguese celebrity finds himself battling an odd, unrelenting curse. Regardless of his particular person brilliance, Ronaldo’s quest for a serious trophy in Saudi Arabia stays painfully unfulfilled.
The 40-year-old ahead, who as soon as appeared destined to win every thing he touched, has gone from gathering silverware to enduring one heartbreak after one other. On October 28, the desert’s silence grew heavier: Al-Nassr crashed out of the Saudi King’s Cup after a 2-1 defeat to Al-Ittihad — one other crushing blow in a collection of near-misses that now outline Ronaldo’s Center Japanese chapter.
The match carried an added sting of irony. Throughout the sphere stood Karim Benzema, Ronaldo’s former Actual Madrid accomplice in glory. The Frenchman struck first after a swift counterattack, punishing Al-Nassr early. Ronaldo responded moments later, establishing Angelo Gabriel for the equaliser that briefly reignited hope in Riyadh. However simply earlier than halftime, Houssem Aouar buried a curling effort previous goalkeeper Bento, restoring Al-Ittihad’s lead.
Regardless of enjoying the complete second half with a person benefit, Al-Nassr couldn’t discover a means by means of. Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, and Kingsley Coman all pushed ahead, however Predrag Rajkovic’s heroics in purpose denied them. When the ultimate whistle blew, Ronaldo’s frustration was seen, his dream of lastly lifting a Saudi trophy slipping additional away.
The hidden document behind the drought
Behind that optimism, nonetheless, lies a painful reality. Since becoming a member of Al-Nassr in December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo has competed in 13 official tournaments — and misplaced each single one. The closest Ronaldo has come to breaking the spell was in 2024, when his aspect misplaced the King’s Cup last on penalties to Al-Hilal. Later that yr, they fell once more in consecutive Tremendous Cup finals, together with a dramatic 5-3 defeat to Al Ahli in Hong Kong.
| Competitors | Season | Consequence / Standing |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Tremendous Cup | 2022 | Missed trophy |
| King’s Cup | 2022/23 | Missed trophy |
| Saudi Professional League | 2022/23 | Missed trophy |
| Saudi Tremendous Cup | 2023 | Missed trophy |
| Arab Champions Cup | 2023 | Gained (solely success, pleasant competitors) |
| King’s Cup | 2023/24 | Missed trophy |
| Saudi Professional League | 2023/24 | Missed trophy |
| Asian Champions League | 2023/24 | Missed trophy |
| Saudi Tremendous Cup | 2024 | Missed trophy |
| King’s Cup | 2024/25 | Eradicated in Spherical of 16 (misplaced 2-1 to Al-Ittihad) |
| Saudi Professional League | 2024/25 | Missed trophy |
| Asian Champions League | 2024/25 | Missed trophy |
| Saudi Tremendous Cup | 2025 | Missed trophy |
| King’s Cup | 2025/26 | Missed trophy |
The one silverware Ronaldo has lifted since his transfer is the 2023 Arab Membership Champions Cup, a regional title that FIFA doesn’t acknowledge as an official competitors. “It’s been 1,623 days since his final official membership trophy,” famous TNT Sports activities, referring to his 2021 Coppa Italia triumph with Juventus. In that point, he’s performed for three golf equipment — Juventus, Manchester United, and Al-Nassr — with out including a single official honor.
