Al-Nassr missed the chance to clinch the Saudi Arabian league title early. In a crucial season showdown, Jorge Jesus’s side settled for a draw against Al-Hilal, even though they could have secured the championship with one game to spare. Now, the celebration for their first league title in six years must be postponed.
Saudi Pro League – Round 32
May 12, 2026, Tuesday – 21:00 Moscow Time
Al-Nassr (Riyadh) 1 : 1 Al-Hilal (Riyadh)
1:0 – Simakan (37′)
1:1 – Bento (90+8′)
Both of Saudi Arabia’s powerhouse teams fielded their biggest stars.
For Al-Nassr: Mohamed Simakan, Iñigo Martínez, Marcelo Brozović, Sadio Mané, Kingsley Coman, João Félix, and of course, Cristiano Ronaldo.
For Al-Hilal: Yassine Bounou, Theo Hernández, Rúben Neves, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Malcom, and Karim Benzema. These lineups would be worthy of a Champions League knockout stage, judging purely by star power.
The first half was tense. The weight of the result pressed heavily on Al-Nassr. Al-Hilal also knew that a defeat would all but end their title hopes. Neither side took unnecessary risks. But as early as the 8th minute, Brozović delivered a brilliant pass to Ronaldo, who shot from a good position just wide of the post – though the offside flag was raised, so the goal wouldn’t have counted anyway.
Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t the most influential player on the pitch. He gestured actively and advised teammates, but Al-Hilal’s defense handled the star well. On the 19th minute, the visitors created a scoring chance: Benzema headed home a cross from Milinković-Savić, but VAR spotted an offside – the goal was disallowed.
Al-Hilal held a slight edge in possession during the first half. Yet Al-Nassr went into the break with a comfortable lead. In the 37th minute, Mohamed Simakan pounced on a loose ball in the box and slotted it home from close range into the near post. 1-0 – Ronaldo moved closer to gold!
Before the break, the hosts could have doubled their advantage. First, Ronaldo fired a dangerous shot from outside the box – Bounou saved. Then Milinković-Savić made a dreadful misplaced pass, Coman intercepted, advanced, and hit the post.
The second half became even more nerve-racking. Chances dried up. It wasn’t just the 30°C heat in Riyadh – Al-Nassr knew only 45 minutes stood between them and the title. They didn’t push forward recklessly, prioritizing defensive solidity. Surprisingly, on the 69th minute, Simone Inzaghi subbed off Benzema. The Frenchman had a poor game, but Karim is capable of scoring even on a bad day.
Al-Nassr enjoyed strong support from the stands at Al-Awwal Park. Every touch by an Al-Hilal player was met with whistles. With the visitors struggling in attack, the hosts’ confidence grew.
On the 83rd minute, Jesus decided to replace Ronaldo. As he left the pitch, Cristiano urged the crowd to help Al-Nassr hold the lead. It wasn’t his best game, but he occupied Al-Hilal’s defenders. In the closing stages, an extra defender was more valuable than Ronaldo in attack.
What about Al-Hilal’s Brazilian-Russian winger Malcom? The former Zenit player didn’t have clear-cut chances and was forced off with an injury in the 85th minute. Malcom has had a mediocre season: just seven goals and seven assists in 30 matches.
The referee added eight minutes of stoppage time.
Cristiano Ronaldo was restless on the bench. Cameras kept catching the Portuguese, as if sensing something… And in the 90+8th minute, disaster struck. An Al-Hilal player threw the ball into Al-Nassr’s penalty area; goalkeeper Bento made a costly error coming out, and the ball deflected off his hands into the net. An instant reminder of Alexander Filimonov’s mistake in 1999. Madness!
How painful for the hosts to lose the celebration. The final whistle blew immediately, and all eyes turned to Ronaldo. The Portuguese sat in shock, laughing sarcastically on the bench. But everything is still in Al-Nassr’s hands. They must win their final home match against Damac, who sit 15th. If Jesus’s side drops points, they risk losing the title: Al-Hilal holds the head-to-head advantage (1-3, 1-1). If the rivals win both remaining games and Al-Nassr draws or loses to Damac, Ronaldo will miss out on gold.
Is Al-Nassr getting outside help? Ronaldo and Al-Nassr might blow a historic title?! Even though they are already accused of administrative resources!
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