Asian exit sums up Ronaldo's Saudi time
Cashed-up Al-Nassr get close to the big prizes but can't make that final step
For Cristiano Ronaldo, the semi-final exit at the AFC Champions League Elite on Wednesday was fitting. His whole time in Saudi Arabia has been one of getting to within sight, but not within touching distance, of a big prize.
For Al-Nassr, the team he signed for in December 2022, there have been no last-minute heartbreaks when silverware was snatched from their grasp (losing in the final of the King’s Cup in 2024 would have been a trophy just not the one wanted) but just campaigns that have promised much before ending into disappointment.
Going into the last four Champions League clash against Kawasaki Frontale of Japan, the Riyadh club were expected to get past the Japanese team and join Saudi rivals Al-Ahli in the final. After all, they did not just have Ronaldo but Jhon Duran, Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte, Marcelo Brozovic and others but home advantage, of sorts. The one-off match was in the Red Sea city of Jeddah - a relatively short trip to the west from Riyadh especially compared to the trek that the visitors from near Tokyo had to embark on.
In terms of budgets, there was also no comparison. Al-Nassr’s is many, many times bigger than the J.League outfit. "There were some big names playing here," Kawasaki forward Tatsuya Ito said. "Before we went on the pitch, they were next to me. It felt like it was a video game.”
It was a telling comment. Ronaldo is the icon surrounded by other stars but there is not much of a sense that this is a coherent team trying to play to a clearly defined philosophy.
Kawasaki did as they ran out 3-2 winners. No minnows these, with four Japanese titles in the past decade, but a team organised, hard-working and talented. There was also little pressure either. Al-Nassr tend to rely on their big-names to make a difference at key moments and in this game, the stars were there, the key moments were there but it just did not quite go as they wanted.
Taking a 1-0 and then 3-1 lead, Kawasaki always looked on course, despite the increasingly desperate attacks from the hosts. Ronaldo hit the bar, had a chance to equalise at the end, and there were other missed opportunities but the better team won.
There was much criticism of the decisive third goal when Erison dribbled past Aymeric Laporte as if the Spanish defender wasn’t there. “It was a disaster in every sense of the word, another mistake that those playing on the streets or at school would not make,” former Nassr star and TV pundit Khaled Al-Shenaif said. “It was a disaster in football terms, due to the lack of pressing and space between the lines and the Laporte letting the striker go past him. Al-Nassr are backed by billions, have many international names but were lacklustre and did not deserve to win.”
Coach Stefano Pioli didn’t disagree. The man who led AC Milan to the Serie A title three years ago arrived in Riyadh in September to replace Luis Castro but has struggled to get to grips with his new team. “We played with a difficult strategy and took risks in the second half; we had no options other than to take risks. I understand the feelings, sadness, and criticism. We are ready for these situations; we work in football, and losses are inevitable, but we did not falter. I take full responsibility today,” the Italian said.
"I was not surprised by the opponent; rather, our performance was the surprise. We lost many duels and battles on the field, and what is truly surprising is our poor level today. The problem is not with the coach or the players; today we were bad.”
It wasn’t just about the game but the season in general.
"We have been thinking about improving results since taking over the club, but the pressure of matches has affected us. We hope to continue in the league to achieve the best position, and when the season ends, we will review ourselves and prepare for the next season."
Next season. Ronaldo’s contract expires in a few weeks though most believe he will extend for another year, which will take him to the 2026 World Cup. What happens elsewhere in the club is more up in the air. Pioli may find himself out of a job. Some would say - have said - that his task is made harder by the presence of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Wednesday excepted, Ronaldo is still a top-class finisher but is 40, not as mobile or fast as he was but just as undroppable. That does not make it easy for a coach who is looking for more expansive attacking options.
In the Saudi Pro League, the Yellows are in third, eight points behind leaders Al-Ittihad with five games to go, so it’s probably not going to happen. Ittihad, with Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho and others have dropped plenty of points of late, winning just three of the last eight.
Al-Nassr have not been able to capitalise enough, they get themselves within sight of the summit before dropping away again. The two meet on Wednesday giving Al-Nassr a chance to bounce back from the Asian disappointment. It would not be a massive surprise if Nassr defeat Ittihad but given the way they have performed this season, a big victory to give a glimpse of glory then followed by slip-ups against lower opposition wouldn’t be a surprise.
In some ways, Al-Nassr’s trophyless time is good for the league, showing that paying massive amounts on transfer fees (£80/$105 or so million for Jhon Duran) and salaries (a reported quarter of a billion dollars for Ronaldo every year) does not guarantee success. For Ronaldo however, the Asian exit means that he faces a third season without a prize. He may have set a new goalscoring record last season with 35 and may top the standings this time, but team trophies are –or should be–the target.
The man himself posted on social media. "Sometimes the dream has to wait, I am proud of this team and everything we have achieved on the field." Will there be one more attempt at that dream? In Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has come quite close to glory, but not close enough.