Cristiano Ronaldo once again stood at the center of Al-Nassr’s success story, as the Saudi powerhouse recorded a 3-1 victory over Neom SC at the King Khalid Sports City Stadium in Tabuk, extending its perfect start to the season with an eighth consecutive league win. The clash, packed with big names like Sadio Mane, Joao Felix, and Kingsley Coman, was far from one-sided. For long stretches, the first half teetered between dominance and frustration, with Al-Nassr dictating the tempo yet failing to turn control into goals.
Ronaldo, typically clinical, spurned what many would describe as the “easiest chance of the half”, sending a close-range header over the bar. Moments later, Mane misfired inside the box, and the crowd groaned in disbelief. But the game’s rhythm shifted dramatically after the interval — and it was only a matter of time before Al-Nassr’s experience told.
In the 48th minute, the breakthrough arrived. After Ronaldo’s free-kick struck the defensive wall, Angelo Gabriel, the in-form midfielder and former Chelsea player, reacted quickest to the rebound and fired a low shot past Luis Maximiano to put Al-Nassr in front. The goal sparked relief on the visitors’ bench — and anxiety in Neom’s ranks.
The home side’s evening went from bad to worse when Luciano Rodríguez saw red just minutes later for an off-the-ball elbow on Nawaf Al-Boushal, confirmed after a VAR review. It compounded Neom’s misery after Alexandre Lacazette had already limped off injured in the first half. At that point, it was clear who controlled the narrative — and it was only fitting that the 40-year-old veteran would take the next headline for himself.
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Cristiano Ronaldo reaches historic Saudi Pro League milestone after converting penalty to in Al-Nassr’s win over Neom SC (VIDEO)
The moment that made history
Just after the hour mark, Ronaldo’s persistence paid off. Following a miscommunication in Neom’s defense, the Portuguese forward saw his first effort saved, but Joao Felix pounced on the rebound, forcing Abdoulaye Doucoure into a desperate foul inside the area. The referee immediately pointed to the spot.
After a brief VAR check, Ronaldo stepped up, took a deep breath, and — with trademark composure — sent Maximiano the wrong way to double Al-Nassr’s advantage. But the goal meant far more than just a match-deciding moment. Hidden beneath the celebrations was a milestone no foreign player in Al-Nassr’s history had ever achieved.
That penalty marked his 100th direct goal involvement in the Saudi Pro League — 83 goals and 17 assists in just 85 appearances — making him the first non-Saudi player ever to reach that landmark for the club. His strike also pushed him to 953 career goals, extending another layer of history: Ronaldo has now scored against 206 different opponents worldwide, including 158 clubs and 48 national teams, both world records.
Felix finishes, Al-Nassr flies
Despite conceding a late goal to Ahmed Abdo in the 84th minute, capitalizing on a lapse by defender Mohamed Simakan, the visitors remained unfazed. Within two minutes, Joao Felix struck a thunderous long-range effort to restore the two-goal cushion and seal the 3-1 victory. That finish marked his 10th goal of the season, momentarily nudging him ahead of Ronaldo in the Golden Boot race — a friendly rivalry that continues to drive the club’s relentless form.
With 24 points from eight games, the Riyadh outfit now sits comfortably atop the Saudi Pro League table, three points clear of Al-Taawoun, while continuing to boast the league’s best attacking record.
