Cristiano Ronaldo walked into another Riyadh derby carrying the familiar weight of expectation. Even amid a turbulent start to the year for Cristiano Ronaldo, the spotlight once again found him, not only because of what was at stake in the title race, but because history was quietly waiting to be nudged forward. For Al-Nassr, the visit to their fiercest rival represented a chance to reset momentum. For the Portuguese, it became yet another night where individual milestones clashed with collective frustration.
The Saudi Pro League’s Matchday 15 delivered one of its most anticipated fixtures, with Al-Nassr traveling to face Al-Hilal in a pivotal six-pointer at the top of the table. Coming into the match, the margins were fine, the pressure immense, and the narrative unforgiving. The visitors needed a result to keep the title battle alive, while Al-Hilal aimed to extend its advantage and reinforce its dominance in Riyadh.
Despite a difficult recent history in the rivalry, the visitors started with confidence. They controlled possession, pressed with intent, and looked sharper in the opening exchanges. The breakthrough arrived in the 42nd minute, coming from a familiar source. Joao Felix floated a precise delivery into the area, Kingsley Coman cleverly redirected it, and Ronaldo—completely unmarked—applied the simplest of finishes. Al-Nassr led 1-0, and for a moment, the balance of power appeared to shift.
Ronaldo’s opener was not just another entry in an already extraordinary scoring catalogue. The goal took his career tally to 959, leaving him 41 short of the mythical 1,000-goal milestone. It was also his second goal of 2026 and his 16th of the season, reinforcing his continued centrality to Al-Nassr’s attacking output.
Yet the deeper significance of that strike only became clear later. Beneath the surface of the derby drama, the 40-year-old veteran had quietly drawn level with one of the most enduring benchmarks in the club’s history—setting the stage for something even bigger.
When the match turned
As has often been the case in recent weeks, Al-Nassr’s control did not survive the second half. Al-Hilal emerged with renewed intensity and soon forced a decisive error. Mohamed Simakan’s foul on Malcom inside the box handed the home side a route back into the game, and Salem Al-Dawsari converted from the spot to level the score.
Moments later came the turning point. As Al-Hilal hurried to restart play, goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi struck Rúben Neves in a chaotic exchange. VAR intervened, and the initial caution was upgraded to a straight red. Reduced to ten men, Al-Nassr’s resistance faded rapidly.
Mohamed Kanno headed home from a corner in the 81st minute, and deep into stoppage time, Neves converted a second penalty to seal a 3-1 comeback victory. Ronaldo, substituted shortly before the end, could only watch from the sidelines, visibly frustrated, as the title gap widened to seven points.
The record revealed
Amid the disappointment, Ronaldo’s goal carried historic weight. With that finish, he matched Al-Nassr’s all-time record for goals scored by a foreign player, drawing level with Abderrazak Hamdallah on 115 goals for the club. It is a landmark that places Ronaldo at the very summit of Al-Nassr’s modern history—and one he is now poised to surpass in 2026.
| Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 115 |
| =1 | Abderrazak Hamdallah | 115 |
| 2 | Talisca | 77 |
| 3 | Ohene Kennedy | 74 |
This achievement underscores the paradox of Ronaldo’s Saudi spell: elite individual production in the shadow of elusive silverware. Since arriving in the league, he has consistently delivered goals, yet team success—especially against Al-Hilal—has remained frustratingly out of reach.
