Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Al-Nassr beat Damac 4-1 on Thursday to clinch the Saudi Pro League title, ending a three-year wait for major silverware since his arrival in Riyadh. The 41-year-old’s second-half brace, taking his season tally to 28 league goals, helped his side finish two points clear of city rivals Al-Hilal, who completed the 34-round campaign unbeaten yet still fell short. Sadio Mané and Kingsley Coman had already put Al-Nassr in control by the interval, setting the stage for Ronaldo to lift the trophy just two days after being named in Portugal’s squad for what would be a landmark sixth World Cup appearance.

In a social-media post that quickly resonated across the Arab world, Ronaldo acknowledged the arduous path. “From day one, we knew what we wanted and what it would take to get there. We worked, fought and gave everything in every training session and every match. It was not an easy road, but we did it together,” he wrote, thanking Al-Nassr’s faithful. Viewed from Gulf football circles, the league title vindicates both the club’s heavy investment and the Portuguese star’s decision to extend his career in the kingdom, even as the side failed to secure the King’s Cup, Super Cup or Asian Champions League 2 this season. The title – Al-Nassr’s eleventh in its history – was secured in the final round, underscoring the intense pressure of a race where Al-Hilal’s flawless record proved insufficient.

European observers note the poignant timing: Ronaldo’s league success came less than 48 hours after his selection for the World Cup, reinforcing his enduring capacity to perform at an age when most peers have retired. From Tehran, the Persian-language press framed the achievement as another milestone in a career that defies geography, noting that Ronaldo has now won domestic league titles in four different countries – England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia – to complement five Champions League crowns and the European Championship with Portugal. The forward finished third in the scoring charts, behind Al-Qadsiah’s Julian Quiñones, but his 28 goals carried far greater symbolic weight.

The immediate focus now shifts to the World Cup in North America, where Ronaldo will seek to lead a talented Portugal side in what is likely his final tournament. For Al-Nassr, the challenge will be to convert their regained domestic pre-eminence into continental success, having fallen short in Asia this term. The kingdom’s football project, which has lured a generation of global stars, has found its most emblematic victory yet – a title won not merely through individual brilliance but through the collective resolve that, in Ronaldo’s words, “did it together”. As Saudi Arabia continues its rapid sporting transformation, this triumph may come to be seen as the moment the league’s international ambitions were finally matched by a home-grown trophy narrative.