Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Al Nassr, was left frustrated as his team’s chance to seal the Saudi Pro League title slipped away due to a shocking error from his goalkeeper.
On December 30, 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed his move to Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, vowing to dominate the competition and become its biggest star. However, achieving that goal has proven more difficult than expected.
His team was on the verge of clinching the league title by defeating Al Hilal at home… but the unthinkable happened: Bento made an inexplicable mistake, and the 1-1 draw postponed the championship celebration for Cristiano’s side—which also includes Iñigo Martínez in defense.
Iñigo Martínez, wearing Al Nassr’s jersey.
That elusive trophy remains a pending debt. It was the same frustration that made Cristiano explode earlier in the season when Al Hilal signed Karim Benzema, arguing that it was favoritism. The lack of a league title in his trophy case was already becoming unbearable.
Because the 2023 Arab Champions Cup they won was not considered an official tournament. The math was clear: a victory here would secure the league title. Nothing else counted.
The opponent, with 77 points, had one game less and the chance to catch up to Ronaldo’s team if they won at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, or at least delay the celebration if they earned a point.
Beyond the tension, the match had little action. French defender Mohamed Simakan pounced on a rebound from a corner taken by his compatriot Coman and fired a right-footed shot past Bono to make it 1-0 in the first half. Everything was going well for captain Cristiano.
The Portuguese star tried his luck but was denied by an outstanding save from Bono. He was substituted in the final minutes and was visibly emotional, with the trophy seemingly within reach.
But never celebrate before the final whistle. Simone Inzaghi’s side, with former Barcelona player Malcom starting, along with names like Theo Hernández or Bono, had to rely on a rival’s mistake to equalize. It came in the dying moments, on the last play, with an incomprehensible error: a throw-in that Brazilian goalkeeper Bento tried to catch to end the match. He couldn’t, and the ball ended up in his own net, sealing the draw.
The gap is now five points (78 to 83), almost insurmountable but not impossible.
