Ronaldo Powers Al Nassr to Win, Golden Boot Still Out of Reach in Saudi Pro League

Cristiano Ronaldo featured in Al Nassr’s 3-0 victory over Al Diriyah on Friday, October 9, marking his first appearance since departing the Portugal national team setup. The milestone goal brought his career total to 980, yet the Saudi Pro League scoring chart still places him well behind the leaders.

Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 23rd minute at Al-Awwal Park, capitalizing on a rebound after Al Diriyah goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah could only parry Kingsley Coman’s powerful strike. Samu Costa doubled the lead just before halftime, meeting a Joao Felix corner with a header, and Coman sealed the 3-0 win with a finish in the 77th minute.

The match held special significance for Ronaldo following recent turbulence, as he exited the Portugal camp after a falling out with coach Jorge Jesus. The Al Nassr faithful made their support clear from the start, chanting his name and holding a banner in his honor, and Ronaldo responded with an early goal.

The result maintains Al Nassr’s presence in the title race, lifting them to 19 points, level with leaders Al Qadsiah on points but trailing on goal difference. However, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad have the opportunity to reclaim the summit with victories in their Saturday, October 10 encounter.

Golden Boot Still Out of Reach for Ronaldo in Saudi Pro League

The scoring table highlights the gap facing Ronaldo, with Ivan Toney leading the Saudi Pro League with 11 goals from eight appearances, well ahead of the rest. Francisco Trincão, Mateo Retegui and Alexandre Lacazette each have five.

Further down the table, Ronaldo is credited with four goals from seven appearances, placing him well behind the league leader. Several others, including Julián Quiñones (Al Qadsiah), George Ilenikhena (Al Ittihad), Steven Bergwijn, and Youssef En-Nesyri, also have four, tightening the Golden Boot race. At 41, Ronaldo would need a significant goal-scoring run to close the deficit, especially with Toney setting a formidable pace.

Al Qadsiah’s Julián Quiñones, Al Ittihad’s George Ilenikhena, Steven Bergwijn, and Youssef En-Nesyri, along with Al Hilal’s Sergej Milinković-Savić, are all level on four goals, making the race behind Toney tightly contested. At 41, Ronaldo would require a substantial scoring surge to challenge at the top, given Toney’s imperious form.

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