The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is still finding the net at a prolific rate, but tangible success continues to prove elusive in the Middle East
After Al-Nassr's 3-2 defeat to Japanese outfit Kawasaki Frontale in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, Cristiano Ronaldo could be seen talking to himself in the centre circle. He also made several gestures with his hands and feet, perhaps agonising over the golden chance to equalise that he spurned in stoppage time, and looked up to the sky as if wondering to himself: 'Why me?'
This was not a case of luck going against Ronaldo, though. Al-Nassr would be in the final if the 40-year-old had been more clinical; he also powered a header against the bar in the first half and wasted two free-kicks in good areas in the second.
In his prime, Ronaldo thrived when the stakes were high, but he has been unable to live up to his reputation as the ultimate difference-maker in Saudi Arabia. There is even an argument that the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar has made Al-Nassr worse, given that they were top of the Saudi Pro League when he joined the club in January 2023.
Ronaldo has undoubtedly raised the profile of Saudi Arabian football, but he's failed to lead Al-Nassr into a glorious new era. There have been no major trophies to celebrate at Al-Awwal Park since his arrival, and barring a miracle in the final five games of the league season, that barren run will continue.
It seems that Ronaldo's adventure in the Middle East is becoming little more than a stat-padding exercise. He's still delivering plenty of goals, and a few more records could tumble in the process, but if the biggest prizes continue to elude Al-Nassr, the final chapter of Ronaldo's storied career will add nothing to his overall legacy.
Getty Images/GoalWhat is 'most important' to Ronaldo?
Despite Ronaldo's arrival, Al-Nassr finished five points behind Al-Ittihad in the 2022-23 Pro League title race, and a whopping 14 short of champions Al-Hilal in the following campaign. History is destined to repeat itself this time around, with Al-Ittihad back at the summit on 68 points, six ahead of Al-Hilal and eight clear of third-placed Al-Nassr.
Stefano Pioli's side can close the gap by beating Al-Ittihad at Al-Awwal Park next week, but it would be a huge surprise if the current leaders are usurped, given how consistent they've been across their first 29 games (21 wins, five draws and three defeats). There is likely to be a consolation prize coming Ronaldo's way, though.
The Sporting CP academy graduate has hit 23 goals in 27 league appearances for Al-Nassr so far this term, which puts him top of the Golden Boot rankings ahead of Al-Ahli's Ivan Toney and Al-Shabab's Abderrazak Hamdallah (both on 19), and Al-Ittihad talisman Karim Benzema (18). However, Benzema will not lose any sleep if he doesn't catch up to his old Real Madrid team-mate.
"I don’t care about this my friend," Benzema said to a reporter after scoring in Al-Ittihad's crucial 3-2 win against Al-Ettifaq on April 21. "The most important thing is the (Pro League) trophy." The 37-year-old went viral for those comments, which subtly highlighted the difference between his mentality and Ronaldo's.
It's never felt like team trophies are as important to Ronaldo as individual ones. Indeed, he has never looked happier than when stepping on stage to collect each of his five Ballon d'Or awards ahead of eternal rival Lionel Messi, which he has consistently used as ammunition to boast about being "the best player in history".
AdvertisementGettyRace to 1,000
At Al-Nassr, Ronaldo has appeared to be more motivated by boosting his career goals tally than anything else. The Portugal international brought up goal 899 in a 4-1 win over Al-Fayha back in August, and subsequently proceeded to set the most ambitious of targets in a sit-down interview with former Manchester United colleague Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel.
"For me, it’s the best mark that I can have in football, to reach, first 900 goals," Ronaldo said. "After, my challenge is 1,000 goals." He then aimed a dig at the late Brazil legend Pele, who once claimed to have reached 1,279 goals, but also included those he'd scored in unofficial matches, adding: "All the goals that I score, they have video. So I can prove that it’s [real]. If I don’t have injuries, I want that [goal tally]."
Fast-forward to the present day, and Ronaldo is up to 933 – as the whole world knows courtesy of a goal-by-goal social media countdown from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano – but we've yet to hear him speak with the same passion about Al-Nassr's aspirations for collective success.
Every time Al-Nassr take to the pitch, most of the focus is placed on whether Ronaldo will edge closer to the four-digit milestone. It may not have been intentional, but he has created a sideshow that has detracted from the efforts of the rest of the players in Pioli's squad.
(C)Getty ImagesSelf-doubt creeping in
It's by no means a foregone conclusion that Ronaldo will get to 1,000 goals, though. He'll probably have to keep playing for at least two more seasons, which is the length of the contract extension he has reportedly already agreed at Al-Nassr, but there is no guarantee the veteran frontman will be able to maintain his prolific strike rate.
As it stands, Ronaldo is 11 goals shy of the 44-goal mark he reached in all competitions last season. It works in his favour that the standard of Saudi football still doesn't compare to any of Europe's major leagues, and Ronaldo hasn't lost any of his predatory instincts, but he's nowhere near as quick or mobile as he once was.
That fact may not be lost on him, either. After scoring a brace in Al-Nassr's 3-1 derby win over Al-Hilal last month, Ronaldo made the surprise declaration: "Guys, let’s enjoy the moment, the present. I’m not following 1,000 [goals]. If it’s yes, perfect. If it’s not, it’s not."
Ronaldo has not suddenly transformed into a humble man; those words were simply an indication of self-doubt creeping in.
Getty Images SportEverything revolves around CR7
So far, Ronaldo has achieved nothing of real note in Saudi Arabia, unless you count the huge increase in his weekly earnings. That is an embarrassing state of affairs for a player of Ronaldo's stature, especially given the success his peers have enjoyed since following the Portuguese to the Middle East.
Benzema, Fabinho and N'Golo Kante are all on the cusp of a title party at Al-Ittihad, while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Malcom played key roles in Al-Hilal's run to the Pro League trophy in 2023-24. Al-Nassr's raid on Europe didn't stop at Ronaldo either, with the likes of Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic, Aymeric Laporte and, most recently, Jhon Duran having also been convinced to join the Riyadh club's project.
So why have Al-Nassr not evolved in the same way as their two main competitors? One reason could be that everything always has to revolve around Ronaldo.
The same accusation was levelled at United when their form dropped off a cliff after Ronaldo's homecoming transfer from Juventus in 2021. He was immediately made the focal point in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's line up, and contributed more than his fair share of goals, but the Red Devils' attempts to accommodate him threw the rest of the team out of balance.
It's been a similar story for Al-Nassr. Rudi Garcia and Luis Castro both failed to mould a cohesive unit under the pressure of always starting Ronaldo, and Pioli has fared no better since being appointed manager in September.