Cristiano Ronaldo wasted no time reminding everyone why he remains decisive, scoring twice on his return from injury to power Al-Nassr to victory and tighten their grip on the Saudi Pro League title race.
Back after a month-long absence, the 41-year-old forward delivered a clinical second-half performance as Al-Nassr defeated bottom-placed Al-Najma, extending their winning streak and opening a six-point gap at the top of the table.
Ronaldo’s goals take him to an impressive 23 in 23 league appearances this season, underlining his continued influence despite recent fitness concerns. He had been sidelined since late February with a hamstring injury, which required further treatment in Spain after initial assessments underestimated its severity.
Al-Nassr’s evening, however, didn’t start smoothly. Al-Najma—struggling at the bottom of the table with just one win in 27 matches—took a shock early lead, briefly threatening an upset.
The response was swift. Sadio Mané and Abdullah Al Hamdan struck in first-half stoppage time to turn the game around and give Al-Nassr a crucial advantage heading into the break.
The match remained tense after the restart when Al-Najma found a way back, but Ronaldo stepped up from the spot in the 56th minute, calmly converting a penalty to regain control for his side.
From there, Al-Nassr took over. Ronaldo added his second of the night, while Mané also grabbed a brace, sealing a convincing win that reinforced the team’s title credentials.
The victory marks Al-Nassr’s 13th consecutive league win, a run that has put clear daylight between them and rivals Al-Hilal, who now face pressure to respond in their next fixture.
For Ronaldo, the performance sends a clear message: even after injury setbacks, he remains the focal point of a team chasing silverware—and still one of the most reliable goal scorers in world football.
