How Al Nassr Outlasted Al Hilal to Give Ronaldo His First Saudi Trophy

Ronaldo’s Saudi wait is over

Jorge Jesus kept Al Nassr on track through injuries and unrest to deliver the title Ronaldo chased for nearly three seasons in Saudi Arabia.

After years of spending and near misses, Cristiano Ronaldo wins his first trophy in Saudi Arabia under Jorge Jesus. Here’s how Al Nassr turned frustration into silverware...

Cristiano Ronaldo claimed his first piece of silverware in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, over three years after moving to Al Nassr. The Portuguese forward scored twice in a 4-1 win against Damac on the final day of the Saudi Pro League, sealing the title as Al Nassr held off a late challenge from Al Hilal.

A league title looked like a given when Ronaldo left European football for Saudi Arabia’s ambitious project. In the end, it took far longer than expected to arrive.

After years of heavy spending, squad overhauls, and repeated letdowns, Jorge Jesus delivered on his preseason pledge. He gave Al Nassr and their captain the first trophy of the CR7 era in Saudi Arabia.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s interview with Piers Morgan became a turning point. The fallout with Manchester United cleared the way for a move to Saudi Arabia that reshaped his career and left a mark on football as a whole.

Saudi football was already shifting, with clubs trying to lure established European players with lucrative contracts. The real turning point came when Ronaldo signed for Al Nassr and set off a broader exodus.

مشاعر كبيرة ودموع فرح من كريستيانو رونالدو 🥹#النصر_ضمك | #دوري_روشن_السعودي pic.twitter.com/Y9CtYNn6TT

— رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) May 21, 2026

Ronaldo’s transfer opened the door for other big names, from his contemporaries to younger stars, to make the jump to the Saudi Pro League. Yet the move also brought its own set of challenges for him personally.

Al Hilal Remains Al Nassr’s Biggest Obstacle

The early months under Rudi Garcia felt promising, with Al Nassr staying in the title race. The real impact of Ronaldo’s arrival became clear the following summer, when both the club and the league began to change around him.

  

Ahead of the 2023/24 season, Al Nassr appointed Luis Castro, who left Botafogo mid-title push in Brazil. The club also spent over €150 million on Otavio, Aymeric Laporte, Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic, and Seko Fofana. Even with Ronaldo scoring 35 league goals, it wasn’t enough. Al Hilal dominated, finishing 14 points ahead and entering the Guinness World Records for the most consecutive men’s football wins.

Your support has pushed us every single week. In the stadium, at home and everywhere around the world. That energy is with us on the pitch.

Let’s make it count. For us. For you. For Nassr.
See you tomorrow. 💥 pic.twitter.com/kRcwByaSDN

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) May 11, 2026

Jorge Jesus Builds an Unstoppable Side

Under Jorge Jesus, Al Hilal invested close to €400 million to bring in Neymar, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Malcom, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Bono. The team went unbeaten in the league with 31 wins and three draws, ending Al Nassr’s title hopes once again.

This chapter is over.
The story? Still being written.
Grateful to all. pic.twitter.com/Vuvl5siEB3

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) May 26, 2025

Chasing Silverware While Building a Legacy Online — Al Nassr Reloads for the Second Half

With the Club World Cup on the horizon, Ronaldo used Al Hilal’s scaled-back spending and Al Nassr’s renewed investment as fuel to push for silverware.

My happy place 😁 pic.twitter.com/YVwNqK8Cxq

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) April 14, 2026

Al Hilal pulled back after their spending spree, while Al Nassr returned to the market to address squad gaps. Bento arrived as the new goalkeeper, and in January the club signed Jhon Duran for €77 million to spark a second-half surge.

Despite the reinforcements, the season ended worse than the last.

Ronaldo’s Goals Can’t Bridge the Gap

Ronaldo finished as the league’s top scorer again with 25 goals, but Al Nassr never mounted a serious title challenge. Under Stefano Pioli, the team ended more than 10 points behind champions Al Ittihad and placed third behind Al Hilal.

Asian Campaign Ends in Shock Defeat

  

Missing out on the league wasn’t the only disappointment. Al Nassr were knocked out of the Asian Champions League in the semifinals by Kawasaki Frontale in a surprise result.

Early Trophy Chance Slips Away

The season started with another setback in the Super Cup final. Al Hilal beat Al Nassr 4-1, repeating their role as spoilers from the previous year. The loss came just weeks after Ronaldo had launched a YouTube channel.

Titles Still Elusive Amid Off-Field Buzz

The contrast was hard to miss. The player who transformed Saudi football was still chasing his first domestic title there, even as he talked about closing in on MrBeast’s subscriber count on YouTube.

Ronaldo celebrates Al Nassr’s league win

Jorge Jesus Changes the Momentum at Al Nassr

After two and a half seasons, Ronaldo’s time at Al Nassr had yet to produce a trophy. His individual numbers were outstanding, with goals and records piling up, but the league title stayed with rivals across Riyadh. That gap sparked speculation about a summer exit, even with the Club World Cup approaching.

With the 2026 World Cup nearing, a Nations League win already secured, and 1,000 career goals in sight, Ronaldo chose to stay with the Saudi project. He did so while expanding his influence within the club.

Following Luis Castro’s departure, Al Nassr again turned to a Portuguese coach familiar with Saudi football. Jorge Jesus met with Ronaldo and partnered him with Joao Felix. The two clicked quickly, building chemistry that soon carried over to the national team.

Ronaldo’s influence at Al Nassr extended beyond the pitch. Jose Semedo, a close friend of his, moved from technical director to general manager, a move that highlighted the forward’s standing within the club.

Tensions rose when Jorge Jesus publicly criticized the lack of new signings and Ronaldo expressed frustration over what he saw as favoritism toward Al Hilal. The unrest came just as a title challenge looked realistic. Ronaldo even took leave in protest, reigniting speculation about his future.

This time, however, Al Nassr held together and did not collapse.

Even with a lower level of spending, smart decisions kept Al Nassr at the top of the table for most of the season. Ronaldo’s brief absence through injury didn’t shake Jorge Jesus’ confidence in the team.

After years of heavy investment, constant squad changes, frustration, and painful defeats, Jesus delivered on the promise he made when arriving in Riyadh. He gave Cristiano Ronaldo his first title in Saudi Arabia, closing a three-year wait for the player who reshaped the league but needed time to win in it.