Any whispers of a permanent rift between Cristiano Ronaldo and the Saudi football establishment were silenced in just 18 minutes on Saturday. Returning to the starting lineup after a high-profile "protest" absence, the 41-year-old superstar captained Al Nassr to a clinical 2-0 victory over Al Fateh at the Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Stadium.
Ronaldo’s return to the pitch was immediately impactful. After missing three matches amid rumours of dissatisfaction with the Public Investment Fund’s allocation of talent (specifically regarding Karim Benzema's move to Al Hilal), Ronaldo looked hungry from the opening whistle.
Goal: In the 18th minute, Sadio Mane outmaneuvered his marker on the left wing and whipped a low cross into the box.
Finish: Ronaldo, lurking with his trademark predatory instinct, clinically slotted a first-time shot into the bottom-right corner.
Celebration: The Hofuf crowd was treated to a vintage "Siu" celebration, signalling that the captain was back and fully focused on the title race.
Despite Al Fateh’s resilience: including a slaloming run by Mourad Batna that nearly resulted in an equalizer, Al Nassr’s star-studded attack, featuring Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman, kept the pressure high.
Substitute Ayman Yahya finally put the game beyond reach in the 78th minute, blasting home a pinpoint cross from Coman to secure the 2-0 scoreline.
Ronaldo's return followed reports that the PIF met his primary demands: the payment of overdue salaries and the restoration of management autonomy to Al Nassr’s executives. The standoff highlighted the growing pains of a league fueled by massive investment and even larger personalities. With 18 months left on his contract, Ronaldo remains the league's primary ambassador and a key driver of its global reach.
