Al-Nassr received a painful blow in the race for the Saudi League title, after squandering a victory that would have led them to the crown two rounds before the end of the season. They were held to a dramatic 1-1 draw by Al-Hilal in a match that witnessed a dramatic finale that caused widespread shock within the team's camp, according to the Spanish newspaper Marca.
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo experienced one of his most frustrating moments since moving to Saudi football, appearing deeply affected on the substitutes' bench after the late goal scored by Al-Hilal in the 98th minute — a goal that denied Al-Nassr an early title clinch.
The decisive moment saw clear confusion between Brazilian goalkeeper Bento and Spanish defender Iñigo Martínez, after the goalkeeper made a mistake in coming out to deal with the ball before colliding with his teammate. The ball then bizarrely turned into the net in a scene described by the Spanish press as "cruel and surreal."
Ronaldo had left the pitch in the 83rd minute, before signs of collapse and frustration appeared on him after the final whistle. He looked distraught and close to tears — an unusual image for the Portuguese star.
However, the Al-Nassr captain quickly tried to lift the morale of his teammates and fans, writing on his X account: "The dream is now close... Hold your heads high, we still have one final step. Thank you for the amazing support this evening."
Despite the stumble, Al-Nassr still retains its full chance to win the title. A victory over Damac in the final round would be enough to officially crown them champions, or they could wait for Al-Hilal to slip up in one of their remaining two matches against Al-Fayha and Neom.
If Al-Nassr succeeds in clinching the title, it would be Cristiano Ronaldo's first Saudi League triumph since joining the team at the beginning of 2023.
