Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League title race was pushed back after Tuesday’s draw. Cristiano Ronaldo had the chance to secure the championship with one match left, but now he will have to wait a few more days after a draw with Al Hilal and an AFC Champions League Two final loss to Gamba Osaka.
The forward could have won the title with Al Nassr without even playing if Al Hilal failed to beat Neom, which did not happen on Saturday as they secured a 2-0 victory. This means the gap is now just two points with one match remaining, so Ronaldo must wait until next Thursday.
No mistakes are allowed as Damac stand in their way while fighting to avoid relegation. If Al Nassr win, they will clinch the title regardless of how Al Hilal finish their match. Another way they can do it is if Al Hilal do not defeat Al-Fayha. If they finish level on points, the head-to-head record favors Al Hilal after they won the first meeting.
Al Nassr’s season
After several years in which inconsistency defined their performances, Al Nassr were much stronger this season. Their number of wins shows they were the most dominant side, with 27 victories.
Ronaldo must wait a bit more (Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
Their fewest results were draws, with only two all season. That suggests they were a high-risk team, always going for the win, even if that sometimes led to defeats.
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Cristiano Ronaldo misses out on title as Al Nassr lose 1-0 to Gamba Osaka in 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two final
Al Nassr did not have a perfect season in that respect. Unlike Al Hilal, who finished without a loss, Ronaldo’s team lost four times. Still, the most important thing is that they got the result they wanted.
The goal difference
As is often the case with champions around the world, Al Nassr had a strong goal difference backed by their attacking power. They scored 87 goals and conceded only 27, finishing with a plus-60 goal difference on their way to the title.
