Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo has issued a rallying cry to his teammates and supporters following a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Al-Qadisiyah in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday night. Despite the Portuguese superstar finding the net at Al-Awwal Park to record his first goal of 2026, clinical strikes from Julián Quiñones and Nahitan Nández secured all three points for the visiting side. The result complicates the title ambitions for the Riyadh-based club, as they now trail league leaders Al-Hilal by four points in the current standings.
Taking to his official X account shortly after the final whistle, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner maintained a defiant stance, refusing to let the defeat dampen the squad’s championship aspirations. Ronaldo emphasized that the season remains a long-distance race and expressed total confidence in the team’s ability to rectify their recent defensive errors and regain momentum in the coming weeks.
“This fight isn’t over,” Ronaldo wrote on X. “We keep working, and we will rise together.”
The match highlighted the growing competitiveness of the Saudi Pro League, as Al-Qadisiyah—led by former Real Madrid legend Nacho Fernández in defense—successfully neutralized much of Al-Nassr’s offensive threat. While Ronaldo converted a second-half penalty to mark his 14th league goal of the campaign, Al-Nassr struggled to find a decisive equalizer during a frantic ten minutes of stoppage time. This latest setback marks a difficult start to the new year for the “Knight of Najd,” following their recent unbeaten streak throughout the latter half of 2025.
Head coach Jorge Jesus now faces the task of regrouping his squad ahead of a critical schedule, as any further dropped points could allow Al-Hilal to pull further ahead in the race for the Saudi crown. With the January transfer window active, rumors suggest the club may look to bolster its midfield to provide better service for Ronaldo and João Félix. For now, the captain’s message serves as a reminder that Al-Nassr remains fully committed to its pursuit of domestic and continental silverware.
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