Ronaldo's Riyadh Derby: Relentless Heart Keeps Al-Nassr Pushing After a 3-2 Thriller
18 January 2026
Ronaldo's Riyadh Derby Day
The Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Al-Nassr, spoke after the Riyadh derby victory over Al-Shabab, a 3-2 result in the 16th round of the Roshn Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo did not score, yet he remains the league's top scorer this season with 15 goals.
He posted a multi-photo update on his official X account, saying, "Proud of this team, we gave what was required of us."
He also addressed the Nasr fans who stood by the team recently, adding, "Thank you to the fans for their support until the end."
Al-Nassr halted a four-match winless streak, drawing 2-2 with Al-Ettifaq and losing to Al-Ahli (2-3), Al-Qadsiah (1-2), and Al-Hilal (1-3).
Looking Ahead
The win tightens the title race and underscores Ronaldo's enduring influence, even when he isn’t scoring every game.
Punchline 1: If consistency were a goal, Ronaldo would own the scoreboard—just not every page of the match report.
Punchline 2: Ronaldo didn’t net today, but his legend netted a new chorus from the crowd.
