Cristiano Ronaldo was seen in tears after Al Nassr’s defeat to Al Hilal in the King’s Cup final on Friday, marking another missed opportunity for the Portuguese star to secure a domestic trophy in Saudi Arabia. The match, which ended in a penalty shootout, extended Ronaldo’s trophy drought in the Saudi Pro League.
In a tense game that saw three red cards, including one for Al Nassr’s former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina, Ayman Yahya scored in the 88th minute to level the match after Al Hilal’s Aleksandar Mitrovic had given his team an early lead. Despite Yahya’s late equalizer, Al Hilal emerged victorious with a 5-4 win in the shootout.
Ronaldo, 39, was visibly distraught as Al Hilal celebrated their triumph. He slumped to the ground before slowly walking off the pitch and sitting in the dugout, tears streaming down his face. This defeat adds to a series of near-misses for Ronaldo since joining the Riyadh-based club last year.
Al Hilal’s victory completed a domestic treble, as they also clinched the Super Cup and the Saudi Pro League titles this season, remaining unbeaten in domestic competitions. Despite the absence of their star signing Neymar, who has been injured since October, Al Hilal managed an impressive 34-match winning streak in all competitions.
Al Nassr finished second in the league behind Al Hilal and also lost to them in the Super Cup earlier in the season. Despite Ronaldo’s record-breaking 35 goals in the Pro League, his only silverware with Al Nassr remains last year’s Arab Club Champions Cup.
Ronaldo’s lucrative contract with Al Nassr, reportedly worth 400 million euros over two-and-a-half years, runs until the end of next season. The football icon’s ongoing quest for a domestic trophy in Saudi Arabia continues as he navigates this challenging period in his illustrious career.