Video: Cristiano Ronaldo scores key goal for Al Nassr vs Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad in Saudi Pro League

The Saudi Pro League season is only a few weeks old, but Friday already delivered one of the most important fixtures of the 2025–26 campaign. Al Nassr defeated Al Ittihad 2–0 to secure their spot at the top of the standings, in a high-profile matchup headlined by Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Al Nassr showed clear superiority from the opening whistle. Aware of the importance of the fixture, coach Jorge Jesus fielded his strongest lineup, with stars like Iñigo Martinez, Marcelo Brozovic, Joao Felix, Sadio Mane, and Kingsley Coman surrounding Ronaldo in a stacked XI.

On the other side, Karim Benzema was supported by big names such as N’Golo Kante, Fabinho, and Steven Bergwijn. Like Al Nassr, Al Ittihad had won their first three matches of the season, but this time, they struggled to cope with the intensity and quality of their opponents.

Just nine minutes into the first half, Jorge Jesus’ side took the lead. Former Liverpool winger Sadio Mane received a pinpoint cross from Kingsley Coman and fired a beautiful left-footed shot that gave goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic no chance.

Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Al Nassr

The early goal only strengthened Al Nassr’s control of the game. From that point on, they dominated possession and dictated the tempo, relying on the individual brilliance of their attacking players. It always felt like they were closer to extending the lead than Al Ittihad were to finding an equalizer.

And shortly before halftime, the second goal arrived. In the 35th minute, Cristiano attempted a left-footed shot from outside the box, but it was blocked by a defender. The rebound fell to Mane, who patiently waited for Ronaldo to arrive in the box before delivering a precise cross. The Portuguese forward connected with a powerful header to make it 2–0.

How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored in 2025?

Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal this Friday against Al Ittihad was his fourth of the season for Al Nassr in the 2025–26 Saudi Pro League. He currently ranks second in the league’s scoring chart, trailing only his teammate Joao Felix, who leads with five goals. However, across all competitions, Ronaldo has scored five goals so far this season, including one in the Saudi Super Cup final against Al Ahli.

Beyond this specific season’s stats, Ronaldo’s numbers in the 2025 calendar year are remarkable. Throughout the year, Cristiano has netted 30 goals between Al Nassr and the Portugal national team. And with more than three months left in the year, he still has a strong chance to add significantly to that total.