Ronaldo's brace leads Al Nassr to Saudi League championship

Forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, scored a free-kick goal as Al Nassr defeated visiting team Damac 4-1, securing his first official title in five years.

Cristiano Ronaldo finally ended his title drought in Saudi Arabia after 14 competitions without a championship with Al Nassr. The victory over Damac allowed Jorge Jesus's squad to finish the season with 86 points from 34 matches, two points ahead of runners-up Al Hilal. This marked their first Saudi Pro League title since the 2018-2019 season.

For Ronaldo, this is his first official title since the 2021 Italy Cup with Juventus. He previously helped Al Nassr win the Arab Club Champions Cup, but that tournament is considered outside the official season.

Ronaldo celebrates his goal, increasing the score to 3-1. Photo: Al Nassr

Al Nassr needed a win on the final day of the Saudi League to secure the championship, and Sadio Mane played a crucial role by scoring the opening goal for the hosts. In the 34th minute, from a Joao Felix corner kick, the Senegal captain headed the ball off the ground and into the net, unmarked. That goal significantly eased the pressure on Al Nassr, allowing them to play more freely.

Another Al Nassr forward who shone in the match was Kingsley Coman. The decision to recruit the French forward to Al Nassr proved astute, as he brought his knack for winning national championships. This marks Coman's 14th national championship title in 14 seasons, including two Ligue 1 titles (with PSG), two Serie A titles (Juventus), nine Bundesliga titles (Bayern), and now the Saudi League.

Coman himself scored to make it 2-0 on the evening of 21/5. Receiving the ball on the right, the 29-year-old forward dribbled to his left foot before firing a low shot into the far corner, giving the visiting goalkeeper no chance to save.

Ronaldo's free-kick goal against Damac.

Damac posed some difficulty for Al Nassr by reducing the deficit in the 58th minute from a penalty, and then nearly equalizing. However, in the 63rd minute, Ronaldo ended their comeback efforts.

From a free-kick earned by Joao Felix on the left, at a tight angle, the 41-year-old superstar struck the ball off the ground into the far corner of the net. A flurry of players from both sides rushed in but did not touch the ball, obscuring Ronaldo's view and causing him to take a second to realize the ball had gone in. He immediately ran to embrace his teammates, celebrating his 972nd career goal.

Not stopping there, the Portugal captain scored another goal to seal the opponents' fate in the 81st minute. From a scramble in the box, he seized the opportunity, rushing forward to strike close-range into the near corner, securing the 4-1 victory. This time, Ronaldo was able to perform his signature jump celebration, then lay on his back on the field before being mobbed by teammates. Afterwards, he even shed tears.