August 12, (THEWILL) – Cristiano Ronaldo was the hero for Al-Nassr on Saturday, scoring two goals to guide his 10-man team to their first ever Arab Club Champions Cup title with a 2-1 extra-time victory against Saudi rivals Al-Hilal.
The 38-year-old Portuguese superstar, whose move to Al-Nassr was instrumental in attracting big names this summer, failed to win any trophies in his debut campaign, as the club finished second in the Saudi Pro League. However, Ronaldo found his scoring boots in the regional tournament, netting six goals to emerge as the top scorer and lead his team to the coveted trophy.
In a tense final at King Fahd International Stadium, Al-Hilal took the lead in the 51st minute through Brazilian striker, Michael. But Ronaldo responded with a 74th minute equaliser to keep Al-Nassr in the game. Despite going down to 10 men after a red card, Al-Nassr persevered into extra time where Ronaldo grabbed the winner with a header in the first half.
The victory caps a remarkable tournament for the 5-time Ballon d’Or winner in which his goals proved decisive. While concerns remain over a possible injury sustained late in the game, Ronaldo, once again, showed his pedigree for delivering on the big occasion.
As Al-Nassr celebrate their maiden regional title, the legendary number 7 has firmly established himself as the new hero in Saudi football. His commanding performances throughout the tournament have silenced critics, who doubted whether he could still produce moments of magic.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
