In a dramatic showdown, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr team faced heartbreak as they lost the Saudi King’s Cup final to Al Hilal. The match, held in Jeddah, ended 1-1 in regulation time, and extra time failed to provide a winner. Ultimately, Al Hilal triumphed 5-4 on penalties, securing both the league and cup double.
The Emotional Turmoil
Following Al Nassr’s defeat, Ronaldo sank to the turf, tears streaming down his face. Teammates and coaching staff tried to console him, but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner remained inconsolable. As he sat on the sideline, emotions overwhelmed him, even after collecting his runners-up medal.
A Frustrating Season
This loss adds to Ronaldo’s frustration during the season. Al Nassr finished a distant second to Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League and suffered a quarterfinal exit in the Asian Champions League. In February, Ronaldo was also suspended for an obscene gesture directed at Al Shabab fans who had been chanting Lionel Messi’s name—Ronaldo’s longstanding rival.
The Tempestuous Encounter
The final itself was a tempestuous affair. Aleksandar Mitrovic headed Al Hilal ahead early in the match. Al Nassr faced adversity when goalkeeper David Ospina, formerly of Arsenal and Napoli, was sent off for handling the ball outside the area. Al Hilal also went down to 10 men after Ali Al-Bulaihi received a red card for an apparent headbutt on Sami Al-Najei. Ayman Yahya’s header leveled the score for Al Nassr.
The Shootout Drama
With no goals in extra time, the final went to a penalty shootout. Ruben Neves missed Hilal’s first attempt, while former Manchester United defender Alex Telles missed for Al Nassr. Ronaldo converted his penalty, but Moroccan goalkeeper Bounou denied Ali Al-Hassan and Al-Nemer. Hilal secured their 11th King’s Cup triumph, leaving Ronaldo and his team to wait for another season.
