Al Nassr was up for one of the biggest challenges in Matchday 13 of the Saudi Pro League against title contenders Al Ittihad. A minute after the home side’s goal, team star Cristiano Ronaldo replied quickly with the equalizer in his last game of the year.
Al Nassr were set to visit the King Abdullah Sports City stadium to confront Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad, who sit on top of the SPL, the Frenchman scored the opening goal in the 55th minute, but Al Nassr was eager to strike back.
Just after the kickoff, Otavio played a through ball to Angelo, who missed a one-on-one against the goalkeeper. But the Brazilian kept pushing, and after getting the ball back, he played a back pass for Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted his 10th goal in the 2024-25 SPL.
This is the second time Ronaldo and Benzema, former teammates in Real Madrid, face each other in the SPL. The first game was a 2-5 victory for Al Nassr in December 26 of 2023, where the Portuguese scored a brace and the Frenchman delivered an assist.
Ronaldo’s equalizer wasn’t enough to secure the win for Al Nassr. In added time, Dutch forward Steven Bergwijn completed a brilliant team move to score the decisive goal, giving Al Ittihad a 2-1 victory.
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With this result, Al Nassr remains in 4th place, 3 points adrift of the Champions League Elite spots. Meanwhile, Al Ittihad retains their position at the top, ahead of Al Hilal in the SPL.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s numbers in 2024
Although Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to secure a trophy in 2024, the year was still a remarkable one in terms of his individual performance for both Al Nassr and the Portugal national team. The forward featured in 53 matches, scoring 44 goals and registering 8 assists. His excellent physical condition and the absence of any major injuries allowed him to play consistently throughout the year.
Ronaldo’s 2024 stats with Al Nassr:
- 40 games.
- 37 goals.
- 5 assists.
Ronaldo’s 2024 stats with Portugal national team:
- 13 games
- 7 goals.
- 3 assists.
