Gamba Osaka Continues Cristiano Ronaldo's Curse in Asia

RIYADH, SUNDAY – Two consecutive seasons of Cristiano Ronaldo's dream to deliver a continental title for Al-Nassr were dashed by a team from Japan. After Kawasaki Frontale in the semifinals of the 2024-2025 AFC Champions League, it was Gamba Osaka's turn to defeat Al-Nassr 1-0 in the final match of the AFC Champions League Two, on Sunday (17/5/2026) early morning WIB, at Al-Awwal Park Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A solitary goal from Turkish striker Deniz Hummet in the 30th minute was enough for Gamba to become the new champion of the Asian Champions League Two. They are the first Japanese team to reach the final and win the competition, which was known as the AFC Cup from 2004 to 2024.

Hummet, who was substituted at the beginning of the second half, was pleased to contribute a valuable goal for the Asian championship for Gamba. An injury prevented Hummet from continuing the match after halftime.

I'm proud of my teammates' hard work. Now it's time for us to celebrate and enjoy this achievement.

"I am happy to be able to help the team and do my best for the club. I was very tense watching the second half, but the most important thing is that we won," said Hummet.

"I am proud of my teammates' struggle. Now it is time for us to celebrate and enjoy this achievement," added Hummet, who joined Gamba in 2025.

The team nicknamed "Aoi Kuro" is the third representative from East Asia to win the trophy. This achievement follows Johor Darul Ta’zim (Malaysia) in 2015 and Central Coast Mariners (Australia) in the 2023-2024 edition.

For Gamba, this is their second continental title after becoming champions of the Asian Champions League Elite in 2008. Gamba has also made a historic mark for Japanese football. They are the first team from the "Land of the Rising Sun" to win two Asian club competitions.

On the other hand, Al-Nassr is also on the verge of writing a new chapter in Saudi Arabian football. Al-Nassr is the second Saudi team to compete in the second-tier Asian club competition. The first Saudi representative in this competition was Al-Ettifaq in the 2012 season.

Unlike Al-Ettifaq, which was eliminated in the semifinals, Al-Nassr managed to reach the final. However, alongside Ronaldo, "Al-Alami" once again failed to conquer Asia. Last season, Al-Nassr was defeated 2-3 by Kawasaki in the semifinals of the Elite Asian Champions League.

Ronaldo's disappointment could not be hidden, the owner of five UEFA Champions League titles. Upon hearing the final whistle blown by the Kuwaiti referee, Abdullah Jamali, Ronaldo shook his head. He immediately headed to the locker room.

Ronaldo did not participate in the silver medal presentation during the closing ceremony of the competition. Other Al-Nassr players remained on the field to witness Gamba lift the championship trophy.

That feeling of confusion is very natural for Ronaldo. In addition to failing to win in front of around 20,000 home supporters, Ronaldo performed poorly, managing only two shots that were off target.

First, the header welcomed Joao Felix's free kick in the 45+1 minute, narrowly missing on the left side of Gamba's goal. Next, Ronaldo's right-footed shot was blocked by a Gamba defender, causing the ball to soar over the crossbar.

Ronaldo has only played four matches in the Asian Champions League over the past two seasons. One goal and one assist are his contributions that led Al-Nassr to reach the final.

With the presence of Ronaldo and several players renowned in Europe, such as Sadio Mane, Kingsley Coman, and Felix, Al-Nassr is highly favored. Moreover, leading up to the final, they have won all 10 matches.

Al-Nassr's statistics are also impressive, as they have scored 33 goals and conceded only three. However, a goal from Hummet, stemming from the only accurate shot by Gamba, became an obstacle to Al-Nassr's ambition to secure their first major title alongside Ronaldo.

Al-Nassr is recorded to have only won the Asian Cup Winners' Cup in 1997-1998 in their trophy cabinet. The tournament, which was designated for league cup champions in Asia, has been discontinued since 2002.

One of the biggest obstacles to Al-Nassr's failure to break through the solid defense of Gamba is the lack of creativity from the midfield. The absence of midfielder Marcelo Brozovic due to injury has created a significant gap in Al-Nassr's attacking creativity.

The efforts of Al-Nassr Coach Jorge Jesus to give Felix a free role as number 10 did not provide much assistance. Al-Nassr's attacks were too monotonous, relying heavily on both flanks.

Gamba's center-backs, Shinnosuke Nakatani and Genta Miura, anticipated aerial attacks and cutbacks. Furthermore, Gamba goalkeeper Rui Araki performed brilliantly with six saves.

The two best golden opportunities for Al-Nassr were actually created by Felix. The player, a graduate of the Benfica Academy, took a long-range shot that was deflected by the goalpost of the visiting team in the 77th minute. Then, Felix's chance in front of Gamba's goal in the 84th minute was blocked by Miura.

After failing to win the championship in Asia, Al-Nassr still has the opportunity to find solace in the domestic arena, namely as the champions of the Saudi League. The condition is that they must defeat Damac in the final match of this season at Al-Awwal Park on Friday (22/5/2026) at 01:00 WIB.

On the other hand, Gamba relied solely on counterattacks. Attacking midfielder Issam Jebali was a key figure in Gamba's fast-break scheme.

The only goal in the match was initiated by Jebali's precision in delivering a through pass between the lines of Al-Nassr's defense. He provided a well-timed assist to Hummet, who was able to face the home team's goalkeeper, Bento, in a one-on-one situation.

That was Jebali's third assist in the Asian competition this season. The midfielder from Tunisia also contributed two goals. Unsurprisingly, he was named the Best Player of the Asian Champions League Two 2025-2026.

"We were able to achieve an extraordinary achievement. We won the title. Thank you for all the support," Nakatani said, as reported by the AFC. (AP)