Cristiano Ronaldo Wins Saudi Pro League Title with Al-Nassr

The wait is over. Cristiano Ronaldo has finally achieved success.

He has won the Saudi Pro League title with Al-Nassr. This news may not make much difference to many people. For some, it might even be upsetting. But the most interesting thing is how important it was for Ronaldo to lift his first major trophy with Al-Nassr.

He is one of the most decorated players in football history. Having previously won numerous league titles in England, Spain, and Italy, he is also a five-time Ballon d'Or winner. Yet, after Al-Nassr decisively defeated Damac on Thursday night, he celebrated as if he had never won a league title before.

However, the reason for his celebration is not hard to understand. This was his eighth championship win in his club career, and it proved to be his most difficult yet.

• A Move for Lucrative Earnings

Ronaldo's unexpected move to the Middle East in 2023 was not solely about football. It was also driven by a mutual desire for financial gain.

The Portuguese international was promised a record-breaking salary to join Al-Nassr. On the other hand, Al-Nassr expected to earn millions from the 'Ronaldo effect'.

As then-Al-Nassr president Musalli Al-Muammar stated, the arrival of the world's most famous face was going to be 'commercially beneficial from a profit perspective' for the club.

However, Al-Nassr was and still is owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). The PIF had a specific reason for supporting this historic deal. Saudi Arabia wanted to use Ronaldo as the 'poster boy' for an ambitious national project aimed at changing the country's image, diversifying its economy, and transforming its infrastructure.

Ronaldo certainly fulfilled his end of the agreement. Even when not scoring, he was praising Saudi Arabia. His groundbreaking transfer and the hefty salary offered played a significant role in attracting other top players to the previously lesser-known Saudi Pro League (SPL).

The only problem for Ronaldo was that while he was scoring in Saudi Arabia, he wasn't actually winning any trophies. And this was becoming a major issue.

• Desperate State

Whatever one may say about Ronaldo, his strong desire to win cannot be questioned. He is perhaps the most professional player in the history of the game. His dedication to his profession is unique, and his rigorous fitness routine has become legendary.

Just as he did in Manchester, Madrid, and Turin, he once again mesmerized his new teammates with his work ethic. It was no surprise that he easily scored in a comparatively weaker league, but he couldn't win any major trophies. This was clearly hurting him.

As the 2022-23 Saudi Pro League title race unfolded, Ronaldo appeared increasingly frustrated and disappointed. In the span of a month, we saw him angrily kick a ball when Al-Nassr was leading 2-0, kick a water bottle, vent his anger towards his own bench, react angrily to controversial decisions, push an opposing fan who wanted a selfie, refuse to swap jerseys, and take down an opponent in a wrestling move.

The most unforgettable incident occurred after the 2-0 defeat at the King Fahd International Stadium on April 18. He was seen making an obscene gesture towards Al-Hilal fans who had been taunting him with Lionel Messi's name since before the match. Following this, some Saudi Pro League fans demanded that he be expelled from the league.

• 'The Chapter is Over...'

Various reasons were cited to explain Ronaldo's irritability. These included misleading reports that his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez was unhappy in Saudi Arabia, leading to a strained relationship.

In reality, Ronaldo was unhappy with Rudi Garcia. When the Portuguese player arrived in Riyadh, Al-Nassr was leading the league under the former Roma coach. However, it was rumored that Ronaldo was dissatisfied with Garcia's tactics and played a major role in the Frenchman's dismissal in April 2023.

Unfortunately, Al-Nassr did not perform particularly well under the subsequent two coaches, Luis Castro and Stefano Pioli. Doubts arose about whether Ronaldo would extend his contract, which was set to expire in 2025.

There was even speculation that he might leave Al-Nassr and join another PIF-owned club, Al-Hilal. It was assessed that he might do so to represent Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup in America last summer.

After the final match of the season, where his team failed to qualify for the Asian Champions League, Ronaldo wrote on social media, 'The chapter is over.'

However, exactly one month later, Ronaldo revealed that his story with Al-Nassr would continue. After signing what was considered the most lucrative deal in sports history, he wrote on Instagram, 'Same passion, same dream. Together, we will make history.'

Now, they have truly succeeded in doing so. The arrival of some other high-level players also played a role in this.

• Jesus and 'The Fab Four'

The main reason Ronaldo couldn't even come close to the 2023-24 Saudi Pro League title was Jorge Jesus. It was under this Portuguese coach that Al-Hilal achieved a record-breaking success by winning 100 points without losing a single game.

Therefore, when their main rivals decided to part ways with Jesus the following year, Al-Nassr did not hesitate. Less than a month after leaving the Kingdome Arena, the club appointed the former Flamengo and Benfica coach.

Jesus also revealed that Ronaldo's decision to stay at the club motivated him to come to Al-Nassr. He himself wanted to stay in Riyadh.

Of course, Al-Nassr's ambitious 'Summer Recruitment' plan also helped. They promised to significantly strengthen the team before the 2025-26 season. The club fulfilled its promise by bringing in Kingsley Coman and Joao Felix to join the existing frontline of Ronaldo and Sadio Mané.

Led by Jesus and featuring their own version of 'The Fab Four' (four excellent players), the revitalized Al-Nassr made a sensational start to the season. The club won its first ten league games.

Felix, who ended the season with 20 goals and a league-high 13 assists, told the official SPL website, 'We are all quality players. When the four of us play together and our chemistry is good, the results are also good.'

He added, 'It's good that we are all together. If one person doesn't perform well on a given day, the other three will. Or if two don't perform well, the other two will help the team.'

'I think when all four of us are in top form, no one can stop us in Saudi Arabia.'

Unfortunately, as the new year began, the situation worsened for Felix and his team. Losing four consecutive games, Al-Nassr dropped ten points.

Ronaldo's Strike

Due to Al-Nassr's declining form, Ronaldo fully expected some new players to be brought in during the 'Winter Transfer Window' by the club's owners. Jesus also hoped to see some new faces in the squad before the end of January. However, the coach was aware that there were no guarantees due to the club's budget limitations.

Title contenders Al-Hilal, however, had no such problems. They signed Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad. This unexpected mid-season move reportedly angered Ronaldo. He felt that some PIF-owned clubs had more advantages than others. Consequently, the Al-Nassr captain went on strike. He refused to play two consecutive SPL matches against Al-Riyadh and Al-Ittihad.

It was not surprising that the league took Ronaldo's questioning of the fairness of Saudi Arabian football seriously. A league spokesperson said, 'The Saudi Pro League is based on a simple principle. Each club operates independently under the same rules.'

'Clubs have their own boards, their own management, and their own football leadership. Player acquisition, spending, and strategic decisions are made by the clubs themselves within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. This framework applies equally across the league.'

'Since his arrival, Cristiano has been fully committed to Al-Nassr and has played a significant role in the club's growth and ambitions. Like any great competitor, he wants to win. But no individual, however important, can make decisions outside of their club.'

'Recent transfer activities clearly demonstrate that independence. One club strengthened itself in a certain way. Another adopted a different approach. These were the clubs' own decisions taken within the approved financial parameters.'

'The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. The small points difference between the top four teams shows that the title race is very exciting. This level of balance clearly indicates that the system is working as intended.'

It is difficult to say how much impact the SPL's statement had on Ronaldo's return. He never clarified why he ended his solitary protest on February 14. Why he initially refused to play was even more of a mystery.

Of course, the main thing was his return. His absence was a major PR disaster for the SPL. However, the end of his boycott did not mean the end of controversies involving Ronaldo.

• 'Who are we chasing?'

As Al-Nassr maintained their title challenge, some of their rivals began to complain that the league leaders were being given preferential treatment by the officials.

After Al-Fayha held third-placed Al-Ahli to a 1-1 draw on April 7, Ivan Toney expressed his dissatisfaction with two 'crystal clear' penalty decisions awarded against his team. When asked who benefits from major decisions going against Al-Ahli, the SPL's top scorer replied, 'We know who benefits. Who are we chasing? If you make me speak more deeply, I can speak. It might put me in trouble, but I am a person who speaks as it is.'

That same night, Toney wrote on social media, 'It's clear what is being influenced here.' His teammate Galeno sounded even more aggressive. He claimed that the SPL should 'just hand over the trophy to Al-Nassr now.'

The Brazilian player wrote, 'They want that. They want to get us out of the championship at all costs. They want to hand over the trophy to one person. This is a complete disrespect to our club.'

Ronaldo was undoubtedly upset by the blatant accusations that officials were ordered to hand the title to the league's most important player.

'I am the first person to come to this league, and others have come because of me. Therefore, they should respect the league. They should respect this project. They should respect the referees. Sometimes they may not make the best decisions, but they are human, and they make mistakes,' Ronaldo told his former United teammate Rio Ferdinand.

'So, I think the SPL should have a big meeting and make some rules. If that doesn't happen, I don't see the league progressing consistently in the coming years.'

Claiming that Al-Nassr, rather than external forces like Al-Ahli or other rivals, was actually being victimized, Ronaldo revived the issue he had raised before his boycott.

'We know we have to fight harder on the field to win. Because we are aware that other clubs have power off the field. That's the truth. That's a fact,' he declared.

'But I don't want to talk about it now. I will talk about many things at the end of the season. Because I have been silent for many weeks.'

• Faltering Under Pressure?

Ronaldo's nature is such. He responded to Al-Ahli's accusations by scoring in a crucial 2-0 victory against Toney's team at the end of April. However, an unexpected 3-1 defeat against Brendan Rodgers' Al-Qadsiah gave Al-Hilal a chance to close the points gap. This set the stage for a potential title-deciding match against Al-Nassr the following week.

A win would have given Al-Nassr a significant lead at the top. They were just seconds away from becoming champions. But an unfortunate own goal by goalkeeper Bento gifted Al-Hilal an equalizer. Ronaldo, who had already left the field, could only watch from the bench, smiling in disappointment. Al-Nassr fans were terrified of their team losing another title.

Haitham Al-Halmoush, Deputy Chief Editor of Goal Arabia, says, 'No one really believed Al-Nassr would win. Before winning the title, their image was similar to Inter, Atletico Madrid, or Arsenal. Despite having a big team and many fans, they were known for faltering at the final hurdle in the Saudi Pro League. Many thought this situation would change immediately after signing Ronaldo. But it didn't.'

'Even with the presence of Sadio Mané, Marcelo Brozović, and other famous players who came after Ronaldo, they couldn't win the league, cup, or Asian Champions League. They also had some excellent Saudi players, but they couldn't cross the finish line of success. Therefore, questions began to arise about the team's character. As the season reached its final stages, they couldn't handle the pressure.'

Al-Nassr's fear of faltering under pressure increased again after Jesus's team suffered a shocking defeat to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two (the Asian version of the Europa League) final last Saturday night.

By then, even Ronaldo had stopped smiling. At the end of the match, the 41-year-old player, instead of going to receive the runner-up medal with his teammates, walked straight towards the tunnel. He had spent enough time at Al-Nassr to realize that he had still not been able to change the club's image as the team that consistently falters at the end, the biggest 'bottlers' in Saudi Arabian football.

• Goal Achieved

Amidst such high tension, suspicion, and scrutiny, Al-Nassr took to the field for the final match of the SPL season against Damac on Thursday night. The home team knew well that this victory would secure the title. And this time, they achieved their goal.

Mané scored the crucial opening goal from a corner. Coman gave Al-Nassr some relief by scoring an excellent goal from the edge of the penalty box. But after the opposing team, under relegation pressure, pulled one back from a penalty, Ronaldo naturally took command of the game.

The Portuguese player weaved past several defenders in the box and sent the ball into the right corner of the net to make it 3-1. Then, with only nine minutes left to play, he secured both the win and the title with a superb finish from close range.

As he returned to the center circle after his second goal, Ronaldo's eyes began to water. He knew the job was finally done. His mission, albeit delayed, was complete. More than three years after his arrival, he was finally going to lift a 'major' trophy. As he left the field to a 'standing ovation' from the crowd shortly before the final whistle, he was completely overwhelmed.

Many spectators watching from outside were surprised to see his tears. Ronaldo winning the SPL title might not mean much to the wider football world, but for Ronaldo, it meant as much as conquering the world.

Al-Halmoush says, 'People were debating whether Ronaldo truly cared about his legacy at Al-Nassr and Saudi Arabia. There were arguments that he only cared about himself and the money he was earning. But we had already seen him cry after losing big games. He seems to genuinely love the club and the fans. He has integrated more than we thought. He is now a partial owner of the team and also enjoys Saudi culture.'

'Of course, he has his own personal goals. For example, reaching 1,000 goals or playing professional football with his son. This possibility is very close. Cristiano Jr. could be included in Al-Nassr's senior team this summer. He was also under pressure to deliver a title as the face of the football revolution in Saudi Arabia.'

'But I think, on a purely personal level, this was very important for him. Yes, the money is good, his lifestyle is good, and everything revolves around him. But ultimately, he is a person with an incredibly competitive nature. A great professional who wants nothing but to win.'

'That is why many neutral fans were genuinely supporting him. He deserved it for the passion and commitment he showed towards a league that was far below his level before he came here. Even if you are not a Ronaldo fan, I think the sight of him crying after the game tells you everything you need to know about him.'

Goal.com