Ronaldo secures Saudi Pro League title for Al-Nassr as league ambitions face recalibration
Al-Nassr finishes two points clear of Al Hilal on the final day of the season, while the Public Investment Fund signals a retreat from high-cost sports investments.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to lead Al-Nassr to a 4-1 victory over Damac, securing the Saudi Pro League title on the final day of the season. The 41-year-old Portuguese forward netted a free-kick and a close-range finish in the second half of the match, sealing a championship that Al-Nassr finished two points ahead of rivals Al Hilal. The win marks Ronaldo’s first Saudi league championship, adding to his previous domestic titles in England, Spain, and Italy.
The victory ends Ronaldo’s long wait for domestic silverware, with his last major club trophy being Serie A with Juventus in 2020. The achievement carries significant emotional weight for the forward, who was previously left on the bench weeping during the final minutes of a previous title decider. His performance on Thursday, including a trademark free-kick on the 63rd minute and a close-range strike nine minutes from time, underscored his enduring impact on the league since his arrival in 2023.
Ronaldo’s tenure has been instrumental in the initial surge of the Saudi Pro League, which attracted high-profile signings such as Neymar and Karim Benzema following his own move from Manchester United. However, the landscape is shifting. Recent high-profile spending has waned, with the stream of big-money transfers slowing to a trickle. This contraction aligns with a broader reining in of expensive economic diversification projects by the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund that owns both Al-Nassr and Al Hilal.
The economic recalibration is evident in the fund’s recent decision to exit the LIV Golf tour after investing more than $5bn, part of a wider strategy to manage costs amid ambitious projects like NEOM. Despite the slowdown in transfers, Ronaldo remains a central figure in the kingdom’s efforts to reshape its international image. With a record 664 million Instagram followers, he has served as a highly visible ambassador for a nation seeking to attract business and tourism while facing criticism over human rights records.
As the league adjusts to a more sustainable financial model, attention now turns to Ronaldo’s upcoming participation in the 2026 World Cup. Named in Portugal’s squad for the tournament, the all-time leading men’s international goalscorer prepares for his sixth appearance. His career tally now stands at 973 goals, tantalisingly close to the 1,000-goal milestone, as he seeks to add international glory to his newly secured domestic crown.
