Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest for a first official trophy with Al-Nassr suffered another setback after the Riyadh club lost to Al-Ahli on penalties in the Saudi Super Cup final on Saturday.
The highly anticipated clash, staged in Hong Kong as part of Saudi Arabia’s global sporting expansion drive, ended 2–2 after 90 minutes. Al-Ahli then showed greater composure from the spot to claim the title and leave Ronaldo frustrated once more.
The 39-year-old Portuguese superstar had given Al-Nassr the lead in the first half. He struck in the 40th minute, confidently converting a penalty after defender Ali Majrashi was penalised for handling inside the area.
Ronaldo’s goal, greeted by loud cheers from the capacity crowd, seemed to put his side on course for victory and a long-awaited piece of silverware since his arrival in the Saudi Pro League.
But Al-Ahli, boasting a squad filled with international names, hit back quickly. Franck Kessié, formerly of Barcelona, fired home an equaliser, capitalising on sloppy defending to tilt the momentum towards the Jeddah-based side.
The second half brought further drama, with both teams pushing forward in search of a decisive goal. Marcelo Brozović restored Al-Nassr’s advantage midway through the half, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box.
Just when it seemed Luis Castro’s men would hold on, Al-Ahli struck again. Roger Ibanez rose highest in the dying moments to level the contest at 2–2, forcing a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
From the spot, Al-Ahli held their nerve. Both teams converted their first three kicks, with Ronaldo, Brozović and João Félix successful for Al-Nassr. But the turning point came when Al-Nassr faltered on their fourth attempt, while Al-Ahli converted theirs.
The shootout ended 5–3 in favour of Al-Ahli, sparking wild celebrations from their fans and players, while leaving Al-Nassr to reflect on another missed opportunity.
For Al-Ahli, it was only their second appearance in the competition, but they made it count in style. For Al-Nassr, it was their sixth final—the joint-most appearances in the tournament’s history—yet the wait for glory goes on.
The defeat extends a bitter record for Ronaldo, who has now lost all three domestic finals he has contested with Al-Nassr: the 2023 Saudi Super Cup, the 2023 King’s Cup, and now the 2025 edition of the Super Cup.
His only silverware in Saudi Arabia remains the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, a title celebrated by fans but not recognised as an official competition by FIFA. For a player synonymous with winning, the wait for an official trophy in Saudi football continues.
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