AFC Champions League Two

AFC Champions League Two news

كريستيانو رونالدو قائد النصر - الهلال

After just three months in the Saudi Arabian spotlight, Cristiano Ronaldo’s latest performances are already casting a shadow over Lionel Messi and Al-Hilal’s domestic supremacy. Th

Will the Portuguese star leave through the front door? The question echoes around the stadium and beyond. Cristiano Ronaldo’s potential departure from Manchester United is the talking point of the football world. Having arrived in 2003 as a raw teenager with a mohawk and departed a decade later as a Ballon d’Or winner, he returned in 2021 eager to add more silverware to his collection. Yet here we are, less than two years on, with rumours swirling that he could once again walk out of Old Trafford. So what does it mean to “leave through the front door”? In football parlance, it is a phrase that suggests departing on good terms, head held high, reputation intact. It implies gratitude for the memories, respect for the club and its supporters, and a clear path to the next challenge. For a player of Ronaldo’s stature, it also means acknowledging his own legacy while leaving room for the next generation to flourish. The alternative—slinking out the back way—is unthinkable for a man who has b

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Al Nassr v Al Taawoun: Saudi Pro League

Ronaldo misses another game as Al-Nassr reach quarter-finals

Cristiano Ronaldo missed another Al-Nassr game on Wednesday as the Portugal international was left out of the squad for the 1-0 win in the AFC Champions League Two against Turkmenistan side Arkadag. The victory ensured the Saudi giants reached the quarter-finals of the competition, having won the first leg by the same scoreline. Manager Jorge Jesus named a weakened starting XI, with none of his big hitters playing from the beginning.

C. RonaldoAl Nassr FC
Damac v Al Nassr: Saudi Pro League

Ronaldo to return! Al-Nassr pencil in comeback date after strike

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly ready to end his strike at Al-Nassr as he prepares to return for the Saudi Arabian club. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United superstar had refused to play for his side in protest at their transfer dealings in January, missing the team's last two matches, but Al-Nassr have now pencilled in the date for their superstar's return.

C. RonaldoAl Nassr FC
Coman Ronaldo

Coman outshines Ronaldo as Al-Nassr thump Al-Zawraa in ACL 2

Al-Nassr thrashed Iraqi side Al-Zawraa 5-1 to end the group stage of the AFC Champions League Two with a 100 per cent record. After skipping the first five group games, Cristiano Ronaldo finally played a continental match as he provided an assist in the game. However, it was Kingsley Coman who stole the limelight as his brace helped Al-Nassr bulldoze past their opponents.

C. RonaldoAl Nassr FC
Al-Nassr v Al-Ahli - Saudi Super Cup Final

Why Ronaldo was left at home for Al-Nassr Champions League clash

Cristiano Ronaldo was left out from Al-Nassr's matchday squad for the trip to Istiklol in Wednesday's AFC Champions League Two encounter, with fans served a reminder that the Portuguese icon is unlikely to play much part in Asia's second-tier continental competition. In Ronaldo's absence, Joao Felix led the charge and starred in an emphatic 4-0 win, continuing Al-Nassr's brilliant start to the season.

C. RonaldoJ. Felix
Al Nassr v Al Riyadh - Saudi Pro League

No Ronaldo, no problem! Ex-Chelsea man fires Al-Nassr past Goa

Al-Nassr edged out FC Goa 2-1 in their third AFC Champions League Two clash in India on Wednesday. Former Chelsea man Angelo Gabriel and Haroune Camara were on target as the Saudi giants picked up a comfortable victory without their star forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal legend, along with Marcelo Brozovic, did not make the away trip to remain fresh for their upcoming Pro League clashes.

Al Nassr FCFC Goa

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Al Ittihad v Al Nassr - Saudi Pro League

Why Ronaldo is out of Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League clash

Al-Nassr manager Jorge Jesus has explained why Cristiano Ronaldo has not travelled with the rest of the squad for Wednesday's AFC Champions League Two clash against Goa. The Portugal superstar has been in great form in the early weeks of the campaign for club and country but will play no part in his team's fixture as Al-Nassr keep a careful eye on the 40-year-old's fitness.

C. RonaldoAl Nassr FC
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Ronaldo absent but Felix scores in Al-Nassr win

Joao Felix stepped up in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence as the Portuguese forward scored a stunning goal towards the end of the game to seal a 2-0 win for Al-Nassr over Al-Zawraa in their second match of the AFC Champions League Two on Wednesday. 'Super sub' Abdullah Al-Khaibari had earlier handed the Saudi Pro League giants the lead with a world-class finish at the start of the second half.

Al Nassr FCAl Zawraa vs Al Nassr FC
FBL-HKG-KSA-SUPER CUP-NASSR-ITTIHAD

Ronaldo takes AFC Champions League opening night off

Cristiano Ronaldo may have sat this one out, but Al-Nassr showed they are far more than just a one-man show. On opening night of the AFC Champions League, the Saudi powerhouse dismantled Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol with a ruthless 5-0 win at Al Awwal Park. The absence of their talismanic forward barely registered, as Jorge Jesus’ side showcased their attacking firepower with five different players getting on the scoresheet.

C. RonaldoAl Nassr FC

Frequently asked questions

Al-Hilal are the most successful Saudi Pro League side ever, having won an astonishing 19 league titles. Their first-ever league title came at the end of the 1976-77 campaign. Currently, they are also the defending champions, having gone all the way in the 2023-24 season.

Currently, there are 18 teams in the Saudi Pro League. In the first season ever, which took place in 1976-77, there were just eight teams. The number increased to 10 in the following season. Ahead of the 1981-82, Saudi Premier League and Saudi First Division merged to form one single league for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification process. However, from the 1984-85 season, the number teams reverted to 12.

Legendary Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Mohamed Al-Deayea holds the record for most appearances in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Deayea played for Al-Taee and Al-Hilal and managed 406 appearances inthe league.

Majed Abdullah, also known as the Arabian Pele, is the league's all-time leading topscorer with 189 goals in 194 league games, all of them coming with Al-Nassr in a 21-year span. He is Al-Nassr's record goalscorer, with 259 goals in just 266 games.

Former Syrian midfielder Jehad Al-Hussain has registered the most assists in Saudi Pro League history, setting up 50 goals for his teammates in 208 games.

Former Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary is the oldest player to ever feature in Saudi Pro League. El Hadary was 45 years and 81 days old when he featured for Al-Taawoun in April 2018.

Teenage sensation Talal Haji, who plays for Al-Ittihad, is the youngest player to ever play in Saudi Pro League. Haji achieved this feat at the age of 16 years and five days when he came on as a substitute for Romarinho in Al-Ittihad's 2-1 win over Al-Fateh in September 2023.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez, Karim Benzema, Roberto Firmino, N'Golo Kante, Sadio Mane, Yassine Bounou, Nacho, Aymeric Laporte, and Fabinho are among the most famous players to have played in the Saudi Pro League.

Steven Gerrard, Laurent Blanc, and Stefano Pioli are some of Saudi Pro League's most prominent managers in history.

The King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, which is home to Al-Shabab and Al-Riyadh, is the biggest stadium in Saudi Pro League. It has a capacity of 68,752.

Neymar is the most expensive player in Saudi Pro League history, costing a whopping £77.6 million when Al-Hilal bought him from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.

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