Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr were eliminated from another domestic tournament after falling 2-1 to Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad in the Round of 16 of the King’s Cup. Following the painful defeat, the Portuguese captain delivered a message to the squad and all supporters.
Al Ittihad quickly took the lead after a smooth French connection: Karim Benzema scored the opening goal in the 15th minute after receiving a superb assist from Moussa Diaby. However, Al Nassr managed to find an equalizer 30 minutes in. Following a swift counterattack, the squad managed by Jorge Jesus leveled the score through a strike from Brazilian midfielder Angelo.
The joy was short-lived, however, as Houssem Aouar scored just 15 minutes later to secure the decisive 2-1 lead before halftime. Upon returning for the second half, Al Ittihad was dealt a setback when Ahmed Al Julaydan received a red card. Despite numerous attempts to equalize the match, Al Nassr failed to find the net again, resulting in their elimination from the King’s Cup.
Approximately one hour after the match concluded, Cristiano Ronaldo took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a clear statement regarding the tough loss. “We stand tall, learn, and move forward together,” CR7 wrote.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr’s title drought
Cristiano Ronaldo has been the undisputed centerpiece of Al Nassr since his high-profile arrival in 2022. The Portuguese icon remains the team’s leading scorer, having tallied 107 goals in 114 matches. However, despite his phenomenal individual production, he has yet to secure a single major official trophy with the club.
see also
Ronaldo scores for Al Nassr while Messi nets brace for Inter Miami: Where does the 1,000-goal race stand?
Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in soccer history with 950 goals, has been defeated in all three finals he has contested with Al Nassr. This streak includes a penalty shootout loss to Al Hilal in the 2023-24 King’s Cup, followed by consecutive defeats in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Saudi Super Cup (losing 4-1 to Al Hilal and subsequently losing to Al Ahli on penalties).
The only silverware Ronaldo has captured with Al Nassr is the Arab Club Champions Cup, where he scored a brace to defeat Al Hilal 2-1. However, this tournament is not officially recognized by either the AFC or FIFA, meaning it is classified only as an exhibition trophy.
