An emotional Cristiano Ronaldo was reduced to tears before finally lifting the Saudi Pro League title. Al-Nassr were confirmed as champions following a commanding 4-1 home victory over Damac on Thursday, with their legendary captain scoring twice in the process.
Ronaldo, 41, endured an agonizing wait for his first major honor in Saudi Arabia , which included a cup final defeat on Saturday — the second crushing disappointment the Portugal captain had experienced within five days.
In their second-to-last league game against second-placed Al-Hilal, his side were moments away from clinching the title before surrendering a stoppage-time equalizer due to a defensive mistake. Ronaldo and his teammates were subsequently forced to wait until the final day, but they have now secured the trophy, via The Mirror .
Ronaldo scored twice as Al-Nassr beat Damac 4-1 to clinch the league crown -Credit:Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images
After strikes from Sadio Mane and Kingsley Coman put Al-Nassr in control, Damac threatened a revival by pulling one back before the hour mark. However, within five minutes, Ronaldo converted the first of his brace from a free-kick to seal the victory.
Coach Jorge Jesus substituted Ronaldo in the closing stages, and the Portuguese star was visibly emotional on the bench. Ronaldo's two-goal haul also moved him to 974 career goals, as he continues his pursuit of the 1,000-goal milestone.
Ronaldo has now secured eight league titles in his illustrious career. The five-time Ballon d'Or recipient joined Al-Nassr in December 2022 following his bitter exit from Manchester United .
Things didn't unfold as expected in his first two full seasons but it's proven to be third time lucky, with Jesus guiding Al-Nassr to the title in his inaugural season at the helm. It's also expected to be the 71-year-old's final season, having chosen to depart the Riyadh club when his contract concludes next month.
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Ronaldo is expected to stay in Saudi Arabia until 2027, having inked a new lucrative two-year agreement last summer. But he recognizes that retirement isn't far off.
Last month, Ronaldo acknowledged: "The end of my career is getting closer... let's enjoy every game. I keep playing not only for this generation, but also for the previous one and the one coming next.
"I enjoy it day by day, game by game, year by year, even as I get closer to the end of my career. That's a fact. My career has been brilliant and I want to keep it that way. I still enjoy it, I keep scoring goals... but above all, it's about winning."
