Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-awaited first championship in Saudi Arabia was agonizingly postponed after Al-Nassr conceded a dramatic equalizer in stoppage time against Al-Hilal.
In the 2025–2026 Saudi Pro League Round 32 clash held at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh on Tuesday (local time), Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal played out a 1-1 draw. Had Al-Nassr secured victory, they would have opened an eight-point gap over second-placed Al-Hilal (78 points), making the title mathematically unreachable for their rivals even if Al-Hilal won both of their remaining matches. It would have been Al-Nassr’s first league trophy since the 2018–2019 season, ending a seven-year drought. For Ronaldo, who joined the club in January 2023, lifting the trophy would mark his first major honor in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Nassr dominated the match and looked poised to seal the win in the first half. In the 37th minute, a corner kick was played into the box. Kingsley Coman cushioned the ball to Mohamed Simakan, who fired a shot past the Al-Hilal goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
The hosts held onto their slender lead deep into second-half stoppage time, seemingly on the verge of celebrating the title. However, with just one minute remaining, the game took a cruel twist. Al-Hilal launched a long throw-in into the Al-Nassr area. The ball sailed over a cluster of players and reached goalkeeper Bento, who was caught in a challenging position alongside defender Iñigo Martínez. Under pressure, Bento failed to clear or secure the ball, inadvertently allowing it to roll into his own net for a shocking equalizer.
Ronaldo, who had been substituted in the 83rd minute, watched helplessly from the bench, visibly stunned and dejected. Despite the disappointment, he later posted on social media: “The dream is close. We must stay alert. We need to take one more step. Thank you for the incredible support tonight.” He made clear his determination to push forward in pursuit of the title.
Beyond the league, Ronaldo and Al-Nassr still have another trophy to chase: the AFC Champions League (ACL) 2 final. On March 17 at 2:45 AM local time at Al-Awwal Park, they will face Gamba Osaka, aiming to win the club’s first-ever continental championship.