Cristiano Ronaldo missed Persepolis vs Al-Nassr, but his impact on Saudi football remains undeniable.
Two years after leaving Europe, he's gone from written off to rewriting history.
Saudi records, goals, and a footballing revolution
Doubts surrounded his Saudi move due to his controversial Manchester United exit, but Ronaldo wasted no time shutting them down.
He made his Al-Nassr debut in January 2023, scored in his second game, then smashed four past Al Wehda.
Fast forward, and he’s the Saudi Pro League’s all-time single-season top scorer with 35 goals, the first player to lead scoring charts in four different leagues, and the undisputed face of a football revolution in the region.
Has he proven critics wrong again?
Two years on from the messy split with Manchester United and zero serious offers from Europe, critics claimed Ronaldo’s career was fizzling out.
Instead, he lit up Saudi Arabia, bagged 54 goals in 2023—the most worldwide out of any top league—and led Al-Nassr to Arab Club Champions Cup glory.
His influence stretched beyond the pitch, potentially luring global stars like Mohamed Salah to a league once seen as an afterthought.
Current superstars at the Roshn Saudi League include Ronaldo's old partner Karim Benzema playing for Al-Ittihad.
Still making headlines
At 40, Ronaldo isn’t slowing down.
Even after missing the Persepolis vs Al-Nassr clash, he remains football’s most talked-about star.
Earlier this month, he celebrated his birthday.
In vintage Ronaldo fashion, he wasted no time finding the net, scoring his first goal as a 40 year old.
Love him or hate him, one thing is clear—Saudi football has never been the same since he arrived.
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