RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Cristiano Ronaldo ended a five-year wait for a major domestic trophy, scoring twice to lead Al Nassr to a 4-1 victory over Damac and secure the Saudi Pro League title on the final night of the season.
The 41-year-old Portuguese forward, who last won a domestic league crown with Juventus in 2020, delivered a trademark free-kick and a close-range finish in the final half-hour to seal the championship, with Al Hilal finishing two points behind in second place.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s trophy drought is FINALLY over! 🥹
Al-Nassr clinch Saudi Pro League title with win over Damac as CR7 scores stunning brace 🏆
Read more 🔗 https://t.co/N7wAvfY4cA pic.twitter.com/LNb790tIM5
— GOAL (@goal) May 21, 2026
Ronaldo, who wept as he watched the final minutes from the bench, now adds the Saudi championship to his collection of English, Spanish, and Italian titles, along with five Champions League medals.
Match Details
Al Nassr took a 2-0 lead but were pulled back to 2-1 before Ronaldo’s decisive free-kick on 63 minutes evaded the goalkeeper and a crowded penalty area to find the far corner. He struck again nine minutes from time, receiving a cut-back on the edge of the six-yard box and smashing high into the net.
At the fourth time of asking, Cristiano Ronaldo is a Saudi Pro League champion 🤩🏆
His persistence pays off as Al-Nassr claim their first title in seven years 📈🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/vzP7zJYstx
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) May 21, 2026
Next up for the all-time leading men’s international goalscorer, with 143 goals, is a sixth World Cup appearance after he was named in Portugal’s squad this week. His career goal tally now stands at 973, tantalisingly close to the 1,000-goal milestone.
Saudi trailblazer
Ronaldo opened the door to a series of big-money Saudi signings when he joined Al Nassr in January 2023 following an unhappy second spell at Manchester United.
Neymar and Karim Benzema were among those who followed after Ronaldo signed a two-and-a-half-year deal estimated at 200 million euros, later extended for two years in June 2025.
The stated aim was to turn the Pro League into one of the world’s top five football competitions. In December 2024, Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host of the 2034 World Cup.
🏆 🇸🇦 Al Nassr have now won their 10th Saudi Pro League in the competition’s history.
🏆1975
🏆1980
🏆1981
🏆1989
🏆1994
🏆1995
🏆2014
🏆2015
🏆2019
🏆2026🏅 Cristiano Ronaldo has now won his first league trophy with Al Nassr. pic.twitter.com/ZmmnyRJjNR
— FIFA World Cup Stats (@alimo_philip) May 21, 2026
Controversy and tears
Ronaldo’s Saudi stint has not been without turbulence. In 2024, he was left in floods of tears when Al Nassr lost the King’s Cup final to Al Hilal on penalties.
This season, he disappeared from Al Nassr’s line-up for three games in an apparent protest at Benzema’s transfer to rival Al Hilal.
🏆 A historic night for Cristiano Ronaldo as Al Nassr are crowned Saudi Pro League 2025/26 Champions. pic.twitter.com/5oZSg7HhN7
— FIFA World Cup Stats (@alimo_philip) May 21, 2026
Before Thursday, Ronaldo’s only silverware with Al Nassr was the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup. He was also disappointed last Saturday when Al Nassr lost to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final.
With the Saudi Pro League title finally secured, Ronaldo wept tears of joy from the bench, proof that even at 41, the hunger for silverware remains undimmed.
