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Cristiano Ronaldo's quest for a major trophy at Al Nassr remains unfulfilled, after the Saudi Pro League club suffered a 1–0 defeat to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final on Saturday.
The legendary forward, once celebrated for his ability to deliver in the biggest moments, came up short again for Al Nassr when a title was within reach. Ronaldo has now suffered four cup final defeats in the Gulf region; this tournament serving as the AFC's equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.
The 41-year-old has nonetheless had a strong 2025–26 campaign and could yet end his trophy drought by clinching the Saudi Pro League title, giving him some positive momentum heading into this summer's World Cup. Ronaldo, who is set to spearhead Portugal's attack in North America, has netted 26 league goals this season but once again failed to find the net in the Champions League Two final.
The striker featured just once during the group stage, netting his sole goal of the tournament in a quarterfinal thrashing of Al Wasl.
Al Nassr Beaten in AFC Champions League Two Final
With the final played on home turf, Al Nassr were widely expected to lift the trophy on Saturday, with Ronaldo lining up alongside the likes of Iñigo Martínez, João Felix, and Sadio Mané in Jorge Jesus's starting eleven.
However, the determined Japanese side Gamba Osaka refused to relinquish their first-half lead. Swedish-born Deniz Hümmet broke the deadlock against the run of play around the half-hour mark, and the visitors were forced to withstand relentless Saudi pressure for the rest of the match.
Hümmet's effort turned out to be their only shot on target throughout the entire contest.
The narrow 1–0 win not only prolonged Ronaldo's silverware misery in the Gulf, but also crowned Gamba Osaka as the first Japanese club to win the competition, which was founded 22 years ago and has yet to be claimed by a Saudi side.
Ronaldo drew further criticism for his behavior after the final whistle, as he declined to return to the pitch to collect his runners-up medal.
How Cristiano Ronaldo Can Secure First Saudi Pro League Title
The loss in Riyadh rounds off a deeply frustrating week for Ronaldo's club, who also let slip a golden opportunity to secure their first Saudi Pro League title since the prolific Portuguese star embarked on his Gulf adventure in January 2023.
Table-toppers Al Nassr appeared to be cruising to a crucial 1–0 win over title rivals Al Hilal, only to concede a farcical late equalizer stemming from a mix-up between Martínez and Brazilian goalkeeper Bento. The resulting own goal handed Al Hilal a point, keeping them in contention before they defeated Neom on Saturday to close the gap to just two points.
Nevertheless, Ronaldo is still well-placed to add to his trophy collection, with Al Nassr set to host relegation-threatened Damac on the final day of the season. A win on Thursday would be enough to seal the championship, but any other result would leave the door open for Al Hilal to snatch the title at the death.