Cristiano Ronaldo Ends Strike, Starts New Chapter with One Goal at 41

AL-AHSA, SUNDAY – A new era for Cristiano Ronaldo at the age of 41 finally unfolded at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. After ending his sulking period over the perceived injustices of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) – the consortium owning four major Saudi clubs – Ronaldo returned to the field and fulfilled his regular duty: scoring goals.

After being absent in three matches for Al-Nassr, Ronaldo quenched the longing of supporters by playing against Al-Fateh in the 22nd week of the Saudi Arabian League. Ronaldo appeared as if he had never been away. He opened the scoring for his team with a tap-in in the 18th minute, capitalizing on an accurate cross from Sadio Mane from the right side of the home team's defense.

That was the 962nd goal for Ronaldo in his professional career, which has spanned 24 seasons. Ronaldo has scored 18 goals in the Saudi League this season. He is two goals behind Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney, who is 12 years younger than him.

The match against Al-Fateh was not only special because Ronaldo had ended his protest against the unfair transfer funds provided by PIF to their four Saudi-owned teams, namely Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ahli. However, the match was also Ronaldo's first game after celebrating his 41st birthday on February 5.

Speed, instinct in the opponent's penalty box, and agility indicate that nothing has changed for the player nicknamed CR7. Ronaldo's ambition, which underlies the protest, also remains fervent, namely pursuing the Saudi Arabian League trophy this season.

Al-Nassr has been without a league title for six seasons, having won their 10th trophy in the 2018-2019 season.

Ronaldo has not experienced the joy of lifting a league title for five years. The last time he did so was when he led Juventus to win the scudetto in the 2019-2020 season.

As a player who has reached 41 years of age, Ronaldo still performs with the quality of a player 10 years younger. One goal was scored from an expected goal (xG) of 0.24. Two accurate shots were made from four attempts.

Ronaldo also recorded a 100 percent passing accuracy from 18 attempts. This number is divided into nine passes in Al-Nassr's defensive zone and nine in the opponent's final third.

In addition to attacking, Ronaldo also contributed to the defensive side of Al-Nassr. He made two clearances with headers in the Al-Nassr penalty area. Additionally, he recorded one ball recovery.

"Another step forward. Let's keep going," Ronaldo wrote in the caption on his personal Instagram account.

"We're delighted to have him (Ronaldo) back. Once again, he played a crucial role," said Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus, as reported by Koora.

Three points for Al-Nassr were secured by their academy graduate, Ayman Yahya, with a goal in the 78th minute. The goal was scored by the Saudi national team player just five minutes after coming on to replace Mane.

These three points helped Al-Nassr return to second place. They narrowed the point gap with Al-Hilal, the league leader, to just one point.

The opportunity for Al-Nassr to return to the top of the standings is open next week. Al-Hilal will host the defending champion, Al-Ittihad, on February 22.

If that major duel ends in a draw, and Al-Nassr wins against Al-Hazem, then Ronaldo and his teammates could return to the top position. Al-Nassr relinquished the top spot in the standings in week 12.

"The point difference with Al-Hilal is now only one point after it had widened. We are increasingly motivated to continue achieving positive results," said Jesus.

In the upcoming matches, Jesus stated that the competition for the championship will become increasingly intense. He also believes that there are no easy matches for his team in the remaining 13 games of the Saudi League 2025-2026.

"When I arrived, I was confident that we could compete for the championship. Currently, the competition for the title is tougher because there are many teams on par. Our goal is to compete for the championship with the top 3-4 teams until the end," said Jesus, who presented Al-Hilal with three domestic trophies for the 2023-2024 season, including the Saudi League. (REUTERS)