Another Blow for the Captain

Cristiano Ronaldo’s dream of adding another trophy with Al-Nassr slipped away once more. His team fell 2–1 to Al-Ittihad, who played much of the match with ten men, saying goodbye to the King’s Cup. Yet, far from breaking down, the captain spoke up and delivered a message that quickly went viral: “We stand tall, learn, and move forward together.”

The clash had all the ingredients of a battle between old rivals. Karim Benzema, Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate, opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a powerful strike. Ronaldo responded by assisting Angelo Gabriel for the equaliser, but a defensive lapse allowed Houssem Aouar to restore Al-Ittihad’s lead before half-time.

In the second half, Ahmed Al Julaydan was sent off, leaving Al-Ittihad with ten men — yet Al-Nassr couldn’t capitalise. Kingsley Coman, Sadio Mané, and Ronaldo himself squandered clear chances in a game that offered more frustration than joy.

A Leader Even on Dark Days

After the final whistle, Ronaldo gathered his teammates and urged them to stay united. His post on social media reflected his mindset: no blame, only determination. The Portuguese star, who has scored six goals in six league matches, is in one of the most intense seasons of his career, still chasing his personal goal of reaching 1,000 official goals.

At 40 years old, his obsession with excellence remains intact. “I want to keep playing for a few more years. People say I’ve done everything, but I’m still hungry. I’m still helping my club and my national team,” he recently declared.

The League Becomes the Final Goal

The elimination hurts, but Al-Nassr still lead the Saudi Pro League with 18 points, three ahead of Al-Taawoun and eight clear of Al-Ittihad. Under Jorge Jesus, the team is already focused on their next challenge against Al Feiha, aiming to bounce back and keep their title hopes alive.

In Saudi Arabia, the trophies may take time — but Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy continues to burn with the same fire that made him immortal in Europe.