From glory to gloom: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Pro League adventure hits another rough chapter after setting unwanted negative career record

Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Saudi Arabia as a conqueror — the face of a new soccer era, a man who had already scaled every mountain in Europe. Yet, nearly three years after joining Al-Nassr, the Portuguese superstar finds himself battling a strange, unrelenting curse. Despite his individual brilliance, Ronaldo’s quest for a major trophy in Saudi Arabia remains painfully unfulfilled.

The 40-year-old forward, who once seemed destined to win everything he touched, has gone from collecting silverware to enduring one heartbreak after another. 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 — another crushing blow in a series of near-misses that now define Ronaldo’s Middle Eastern chapter.

The match carried an added sting of irony. Across the field stood Karim Benzema, Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid partner in glory. The Frenchman struck first after a swift counterattack, punishing Al-Nassr early. Ronaldo responded moments later, setting up Angelo Gabriel for the equaliser that briefly reignited hope in Riyadh. But just before halftime, Houssem Aouar buried a curling effort past goalkeeper Bento, restoring Al-Ittihad’s lead.

Despite playing the entire second half with a man advantage, Al-Nassr couldn’t find a way through. Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, and Kingsley Coman all pushed forward, but Predrag Rajkovic’s heroics in goal denied them. When the final whistle blew, Ronaldo’s frustration was visible, his dream of finally lifting a Saudi trophy slipping further away.

The hidden record behind the drought

Behind that optimism, however, lies a painful truth. Since joining Al-Nassr in December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo has competed in 13 official tournaments — and lost every single one. The closest Ronaldo has come to breaking the spell was in 2024, when his side lost the King’s Cup final on penalties to Al-Hilal. Later that year, they fell again in consecutive Super Cup finals, including a dramatic 5-3 defeat to Al Ahli in Hong Kong.

The only silverware Ronaldo has lifted since his move is the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, a regional title that FIFA does not recognize as an official competition. “It’s been 1,623 days since his last official club trophy,” noted TNT Sports, referring to his 2021 Coppa Italia triumph with Juventus. In that time, he’s played for three clubs — Juventus, Manchester United, and Al-Nassr — without adding a single official honor.