Al Nassr are building momentum at exactly the right time. A 3-1 win over Al-Faisaly on October 23 lifted them to second place in the Saudi Pro League with 25 points from 10 games, level on points with Al Qadsiah and just two behind leaders Al Hilal. It is the kind of result that signals a team finding its footing after a difficult start to the season under Ange Postecoglou, who saw his side lose to Al Ittihad and suffer a heavy 4-0 defeat to Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite before the international break.

Ronaldo remains central to everything, and not always straightforwardly. His goal against Al-Faisaly, his 982nd in professional football, sparked a debate over whether it should have been credited to him or recorded as an own goal. The controversy was eventually settled in his favour, but it added another layer of noise around a player already dealing with a 30-day suspension from the Portuguese Football Federation following a fallout with national team coach Jorge Jesus. His contract at Al Nassr expires in June 2027, and reports linking him to a potential ownership stake in the club as it moves toward privatisation have kept speculation alive.

Next up is an AFC Champions League Elite home tie against Al-Wasl on October 26, a fixture now under threat after the UAE club cited security concerns related to Houthi conflict activity as a reason for not travelling to Riyadh.