Cristiano Ronaldo issues 'come back stronger' message as last-minute defeat to Karim Benzema's Al-Ittihad leaves Al-Nassr lagging behind in Saudi Pro League title race

Cristiano Ronaldo has sent a rallying cry to his team-mates and Al-Nassr's fans following their agonising 2-1 loss to high-flying Al-Ittihad.

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WHAT HAPPENED?
Al-Nassr looked like they were heading for a hard-fought point after Ronaldo cancelled out ex-Real Madrid co-star Karim Benzema's opener for Al-Ittihad, before Steven Bergwijn scored in second-half stoppage time to secure all three points for the hosts. Following that damaging loss, the 39-year-old vowed that his team will bounce back from this setback.

WHAT CRISTIANO RONALDO SAID
Alongside an Instagram photo of him and his team-mates huddled together on the pitch, he wrote on the social media platform: "We will come back stronger."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Al-Nassr are now 11 points behind Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Ittihad with just 13 games played. After finishing a distant second to Al-Hilal last season, they are currently down in fourth and their title hopes may already be over. Ronaldo's search for a trophy with the Saudi team may have to wait a while longer.

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WHAT NEXT?
Ronaldo's Al-Nassr will look to return to winning ways after the mid-season break when they host Al Akhdoud on January 9, 2025.

WHAT HAPPENED?