Cristiano Ronaldo insists 'we know what we need to do' after Al-Nassr held to costly draw by Al-Ettifaq despite CR7 scoring with his back

Al-Nassr appeared to suffer a huge blow inside five minutes when left-back Saad Fahad was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Madallah Alolayan. The referee initially wasted little time in dismissing the defender, but a lengthy VAR review dramatically altered the narrative. The decision was overturned, Fahad escaping with only a yellow card and Al-Nassr were spared the prospect of playing almost the entire match with 10 men. Despite that reprieve, it was Al-Ettifaq who struck first, doing so in style and against the run of play. Wijnaldum latched on to a swift counter-attack, surged forward with purpose and unleashed a ferocious effort from distance that flew beyond the Al-Nassr goalkeeper. 

Stung by the setback, Al-Nassr poured forward in search of an equaliser. Possession was monopolised, territory was controlled and Ronaldo worked tirelessly at the head of the attack. Yet for all their pressure, the league leaders struggled to translate dominance into clear openings. Ronaldo, closely marshalled by Al-Ettifaq’s defence, failed to register a shot on target before the interval. The final pass was repeatedly missing, and promising moves fizzled out before they could truly test the opposition goalkeeper. 

Whatever was said in the dressing room had an immediate effect. Al-Nassr emerged from the interval with renewed tempo and purpose, levelling the score within a minute of the restart. Angelo Gomes drove in from the left flank before sliding a precise pass to Joao Felix on the edge of the area. The Portuguese forward then guided a low, accurate shot into the corner to restore parity and ignite belief inside the stadium. Just over an hour had been played when Al-Nassr finally took the lead. Felix again proved influential, his effort from close range ricocheting off Ronaldo’s back and looping into the net. Al-Nassr’s celebrations, however, were short-lived. Al-Ettifaq refused to retreat and were rewarded for their resilience when Wijnaldum struck again. Timing his run perfectly, the Dutch midfielder finished clinically to complete his brace and snatch a point that felt like a victory for the visitors.

In the aftermath, the 40-year-old Ronaldo struck an optimistic tone, insisting that Al-Nassr remain in good shape for success. On Instagram, he wrote: "We are on the right path and we know what we need to do in 2026! 🟡🔵".

Ronaldo reiterated his enduring hunger for success at the Globe Soccer Awards, saying: "It's demanding to keep playing, but I still have the passion and I'm motivated to continue. It doesn't matter if I play in the Middle East or Europe; I want to keep winning titles and reach the milestone everyone knows. I'm confident I'll get there (1000 goals) if there are no injuries. Enjoy the night and Happy New Year."

That mindset continues to define Ronaldo’s role at the club and international level. He remains central to Al-Nassr’s ambition of lifting the Saudi Pro League trophy, something he has yet to achieve since his move in 2023, with the Arab Club Champions Cup still his only silverware in Riyadh.

Ronaldo is widely expected to lead Portugal at the 2026 World Cup. A damaging defeat to the Republic of Ireland, which saw Ronaldo sent off, briefly cast doubt over the team’s direction. But he will be back for the first group stage match of the Selecao in the United States after being granted a reprieve by FIFA. With the World Cup looming and Al-Nassr preparing to open 2026 against Al-Ahli, led by Ivan Toney, Ronaldo’s focus remains fixed firmly on trophies. If the forward can win his first major trophy in Saudi Arabia and lead Portugal to global glory on the world’s biggest stage, the GOAT debate might be reopened.