Rivals Reloaded: Ronaldo’s Firepower Meets a Blueprint of Glory in the King’s Cup Showdown

The official lineups for the King’s Cup Round of 16 were announced by veteran coaches Jorge Jesus of Al-Nassr and Sergio Conceicao of Al-Ittihad, as both teams ready themselves for a marquee clash at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh.

Set against a backdrop of a storied rivalry, this tie is regarded as one of the tournament’s most competitive duels, featuring two clubs with a long history of thrilling encounters and a thirst for silverware.

Al-Nassr arrive in high spirits after a league win in Round 6 of the Roshen Saudi Pro League, while Al-Ittihad aim to regain momentum following a setback to Al-Hilal in the league’s previous round.

Historically, Al-Ittihad have also faced two recent defeats to Al-Nassr this season — a 2-1 loss in the Saudi Super Cup opener and a 2-0 league defeat — making the upcoming clash a stern test for the visitors as they seek to halt the hosts’ growing momentum.

One change for Al-Nassr

Jesus kept the XI that beat Al-Hazm intact, with a single alteration: goalkeeper Bento started in place of Nawaf Al-Aqidi.

The Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo spearheads the attack, flanked by Joao Felix and Sadio Mané alongside Kingsley Coman, forging a front line described as among the competition’s most dangerous due to its blend of technique, pace, and experience.

Al-Nassr’s starting lineup:

Goalkeeper: Bento

Defence: Nawaf Boshil – Mohammad Seiman – Iñigo Martínez – Ayman Yahya

Midfield: Abdullah Al-Khībri – Angelo Gabriel – Joao Felix

Attack: Sadio Mane – Cristiano Ronaldo – Kingsley Coman

Bench: Nawaf Al-Aqidi – Ragid Al-Najjar – Sultan Al-Ghannam – Salem Al-Najdi – Nader Al-Shari – Abdullah Al-Omari – Marcelo Brozovic – Ali Al-Hasan – Abdulrahman Garib – Wesley – Haroun Kamara – Mohammed Moran

Two changes in Conceicao’s XI

In contrast, Sergio Conceicao made two changes from the side that faced Al-Hilal, recalling Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic after his absence and bringing back Roger Fernandez in place of Mohammed Domboia. Dutchman Steven Berguin remained unavailable for selection despite being on the bench.

Al-Ittihad’s official lineup:

Goalkeeper: Predrag Rajkovic

Defence: Ahmed Al-Jalidan – Danilo Pereira – Saad Al-Mousa – Mario Mita

Midfield: N’Golo Kanté – Fabinho – Houssam Aouar

Attack: Karim Benzema – Moussa Diaby – Roger Fernandez

Bench: Stefan Berguin – Abdulaziz Al-Bishi – Ahmed Al-Ghamdi – Muhannad Al-Shenqiti – Awwad Al-Nashri – Faisal Al-Ghamdi – Fawaz Al-Saqour – Saleh Al-Shehri – Mohammed Al-Absabi – Hamid Al-Shanqiti

Clash steeped in history and ambition

The meeting between Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad is one of the crown jewels of the King’s Cup Round of 16, given the clubs’ pedigree, fan base, and a fierce historical rivalry spanning decades.

Nasr progressed with a commanding 4-0 victory over Jeddah, while Al-Ittihad edged past Al-Wehda 1-0 via a Saleh Al-Shehri penalty, preserving the narrative of a rivalry that refuses to bow to time.

Al-Ittihad hold the King’s Cup title from the previous edition with six trophies, while Al-Nassr sit on five; Al-Hilal leads with nine and Al-Ahli with eight. The draw for the quarterfinals is scheduled for Wednesday, adding another layer of anticipation to this tournament run.

Historical head-to-head in the King’s Cup shows eight meetings, with each side winning three and two draws. The rivalry kicked off with a 1967 final, saw a 1986 final victory by Al-Ittihad, and has delivered dramatic moments in 1988, 1990, 2010-11, 2016, and 2019, ensuring that every encounter remains charged with drama and ambition.

Punchline time: if this game were a stand-up act, Ronaldo would finish the joke with a sprint to the net and a trophy in hand—because in football, even the punchlines come with a goal and a bow.

Punchline two: the only thing louder than the chants will be the sound of the crowd counting down the seconds until the next magical moment from Benzema—because in this sport, timing is everything and humor is the extra assist.