Al Nassr traveled to face Al Hilal on Monday for Matchday 15 of the 2025-26 Saudi Pro League in a pivotal six-pointer at the top of the table. With a composed tap-in finish, Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring for Al Nassr.
Playing Al Hilal has traditionally been difficult for Al Nassr, who since Ronaldo’s arrival hold a record of one win, two draws, and eight defeats in the rivalry. However, at Kingdom Arena, the visitors showed clear superiority throughout the match, controlling possession and creating the better chances before finally breaking the deadlock.
In the 42nd minute, João Félix delivered a cross into the box that Kingsley Coman cleverly redirected back toward the penalty spot, finding Ronaldo completely unmarked. With the goal at his mercy, the Portuguese star calmly converted to give Al Nassr the lead just before halftime.
With the strike, Ronaldo reached the milestone of 959 career goals, leaving him 41 shy of the coveted 1,000-goal mark. The Portuguese legend had already opened his 2026 account in a 2-1 defeat to Al Qadsiah, and this goal now takes his tally to two for the year and 16 for Al Nassr in the 2025-26 season.
Despite Ronaldo’s opener, the match turned against Al Nassr in the second half. Mohamed Simakan brought down Malcom inside the box, allowing Al Hilal to equalize from the penalty spot in the 57th minute. In the ensuing sequence, goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi struck Rúben Neves while attempting to quickly restart play, prompting a straight red card.
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Then, in the 81st minute, Neves delivered a corner that Mohamed Kanno headed home to complete the comeback. Head coach Jorge Jesus substituted Ronaldo in the 83rd minute, with the forward visibly frustrated by the officiating. The result was sealed in stoppage time when Neves converted a second penalty in the 90+2 minute for a 3–1 Al Hilal win, a decision Ronaldo protested by gesturing with his hand that they’ve been robbed.
Another blow for Al Nassr
Al Nassr went through a tough spell at the end of 2025, dropping points for the first time in the SPL with a 2-2 draw against Al Ettifaq. Then, 2026 began with two blows: first a 3-2 defeat against Al Ahli, followed by a 2-1 loss to Al Qadsiah, making the team drop from the first spot.
Monday’s clash against Al Hilal represented a golden opportunity to cut the gap at the summit to a single point. Instead, the 3-1 defeat leaves Simone Inzaghi’s side atop the SPL with 38 points, while Al Nassr sit second on 31, with the risk of slipping further down the standings once Matchday 15 concludes.
