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Al Nassr were mere seconds from claiming the Saudi Pro League crown on Tuesday night when Al Hilal struck a 98th-minute equalizer, shattering the dreams of Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates who were ready to erupt in celebration at Al-Awwal Park.
The game plan was straightforward: a victory in the Riyadh derby would hand Jorge Jesus's squad the league championship. Executing it, however, was far more difficult — Al Hilal had, after all, cruised to a commanding 3–1 victory in the first meeting back in January.
The hosts, however, appeared ready for the challenge this time, particularly with the stands packed in yellow and white. A collective wave of relief swept through the stadium when Karim Benzema's 18th-minute effort was ruled offside, keeping things level before Al Nassr broke the deadlock in the 37th minute.
An unexpected hero stepped up. From a corner kick, Kingsley Coman headed the ball toward a teammate in yellow — none other than center back Mohamed Simakan, who was perfectly positioned to fire a right-footed shot into the net.
Al Nassr held their 1–0 advantage until catastrophe arrived deep in added time. Al Hilal launched a desperate long throw-in that goalkeeper Bento came out to claim, but a collision with Iñigo Martínez caused the Brazilian to spill the ball directly into his own net, robbing his side of the league title.
Ronaldo Made to Wait for Major Trophy at Al Nassr—Again
Prior to his move to Al Nassr in December 2022, Ronaldo had lifted silverware at every club he represented throughout his storied career. Yet replicating that success in the yellow shirt during the latter stages of his playing days has proven elusive.
Al Nassr finished as runners-up in the Saudi top flight in each of Ronaldo's first two seasons, then dropped to third place in 2024–25. The club has also come up short in the AFC Champions League Elite and the Saudi Super Cup since he became the marquee name of both the team and the league.
It appeared the long wait was finally coming to an end for Ronaldo, who was energizing the crowd before being substituted off in the 83rd minute. Instead, he could only sit on the bench, laughing in sheer disbelief, as the final whistle blew.
Ronaldo will undoubtedly wish he had contributed more on the night to give his side a more comfortable margin. The striker managed just one shot on target and created only one chance during his time on the field.
Al Nassr remain top of the table with 83 points, while Al Hilal — who have a game in hand — trail on 78 points. Jesus's side can still clinch the title with a win on Thursday, May 21 against Damac FC, regardless of how Benzema and company fare in their remaining fixtures.