Statement made! Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix both score braces as Al-Nassr put FIVE past Al-Riyadh in thumping Saudi Pro League win

Just six minutes were on the clock when Kingsley Coman darted down the left flank and whipped in a wicked low cross. Felix, calm as ice, stroked the ball past the keeper to break the deadlock. Al-Riyadh looked shell-shocked, struggling to find rhythm as Al-Nassr bossed possession. And when the visitors tried to play out from the back, disaster struck. A wayward pass dropped straight into Coman’s path just past the centre circle. The Frenchman didn’t hesitate. He sprinted forward with devastating pace before slotting the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper. From a gift-wrapped error to a world-class finish, Coman made it 2-0, and the home crowd erupted.

By now, Al-Nassr smelled blood. Felix, buzzing with confidence, slid a delicious through ball that cut Al-Riyadh’s defence to ribbons. Waiting on the other end was Cristiano Ronaldo. One touch, one strike, and one inevitable roar: 3-0. With half-time looming, Al-Riyadh already looked like a side praying for the whistle.

Any hopes of a fightback evaporated almost instantly after the restart. Within three minutes, Ronaldo turned provider with a delicate chipped pass over the top. Felix latched on to the ball, controlled, and dispatched with ruthless composure. It was his second of the evening and Al-Nassr’s fourth. The Felix-Ronaldo double act was pulling Al-Riyadh apart. 

Against the run of play, Al-Riyadh finally had something to cheer. Teddy Okou swung in a pinpoint cross from the right, and Mamadou Sylla rose above his marker to glance a header beyond the goalkeeper. It was 4-1, and for a brief moment the away side thought they had a way back. But the joy lasted barely a heartbeat, because the hosts weren’t finished.

The final nail was hammered in on the 76th minute. A drop-ball situation led to Felix launching a direct pass toward Coman, who cushioned it with elegance before squaring across goal. Ronaldo was waiting, unmarked and hungry, and smashed it home with trademark ruthlessness. That made it his 29th goal of the calendar year, a staggering tally for a man many thought was winding down.

While Ronaldo’s brace naturally drew headlines, Felix was the heartbeat of the performance. Two goals, one assist, and countless moments of flair marked him out as the clear MVP. Once derided as a misfit at Chelsea, Felix is relishing his rebirth in Riyadh, where his chemistry with Ronaldo looks frightening. 

Not everyone in yellow had a night to remember. Sadio Mane, usually so clinical, endured a frustrating evening. The Senegalese forward found himself in promising positions but lacked composure when it mattered most. His wastefulness was masked by the brilliance of Ronaldo and Felix, but the fans will expect sharper edges from him going forward.

This emphatic 5-1 triumph marked Al-Nassr’s fourth consecutive league win, keeping their perfect start intact as they chase down Saudi Pro League glory. Attention now swings to the King Cup of Champions, with Jeddah arriving on Tuesday. Momentum is firmly with Al-Nassr, who will aim to carry this five-star swagger into knockout football.