Cristiano Ronaldo's Title Hopes Delayed After Al Nassr's Draw with Al-Hilal

Cristiano Ronaldo's pursuit of his first Saudi Pro League title has been postponed following a 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal, marked by an own goal from goalkeeper Bento. Despite the setback, Al Nassr remains five points ahead in the league standings. Ronaldo expressed gratitude to fans, stating that the 'dream is close' as they prepare for their final match against Damac FC. The team also looks forward to competing for the AFC Champions League title soon. Read on for more details about this thrilling encounter and what lies ahead for Al Nassr.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 13, 2026, 09:10 IST

Al Nassr's Title Aspirations on Hold

Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], May 13: Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary forward, will have to wait longer for his inaugural Saudi Pro League title as Al Nassr's opportunity slipped away following a 1-1 stalemate against Al-Hilal on Tuesday night, due to an unfortunate own goal by goalkeeper Bento.

The highly anticipated match ended in a draw after Bento inadvertently scored an own goal in the eighth minute of stoppage time, as reported by Goal.com. Despite this setback, Al Nassr maintains a five-point advantage over Al-Hilal, sitting at 83 points after 33 matches.

Al Nassr initially took the lead in the 37th minute thanks to a goal from former Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan. With the score remaining unchanged until stoppage time, fans were celebrating, but Bento's blunder dashed their hopes for an early title win.

Post-match, Cristiano expressed gratitude to the supporters, emphasizing that the "dream is close."

"The dream is close. Heads up, we have one more step to take! Thank you all for the amazing support tonight!" he shared on social media.

Looking ahead, Al Nassr will compete against Damac FC next Thursday in their season finale, while Al Hilal is set to face NEOM SC on Saturday.

On May 16, Al Nassr will also vie for the AFC Champions League Two title against Gamba Osaka in Riyadh.