Cristiano Ronaldo was in a giving mood during Al Nassr’s Saudi Super Cup clash with Al Ittihad.
Fresh from his recent engagement to Georgina Rodriguez earlier this month where he splashed out a reported £5million on the ring, Ronaldo continued his generous streak with new teammate Joao Felix the beneficiary.
The pair lined up for Al Nassr on Tuesday in a clash against reigning Saudi Pro League champions Al Ittihad in Hong Kong.
The score was locked at 1-1 after Sadio Mane had cancelled out former Tottenham star Steven Bergwijn’s opener.
But Al Nassr regained the lead in the 77th minute thanks to some unselfish play from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
With Ronaldo bearing down on goal, the 40-year-old thought better than to shoot, instead squaring the ball for the onrushing Felix to slot home the winner.
It was a scene rarely associated with the prolific forward who has taken the Saudi Pro League by storm since his arrival in 2023.
Who will Al Nassr face in the final?
The win for Ronaldo and co sees them advance to the Sunday’s final where they will face either Al Qadisiyah or Al Ahli.
But they will have to do so without Mane, who was given his marching orders for a late challenge in the first half.
It will be the sixth time that Al Nassr will contest the Saudi Super Cup final, having won it twice in 2019 and 2020, and finished as runner-up in 2014, 2015, and 2024.
Ronaldo has finished as the league’s top scorer in both seasons in Saudi Arabia and few would bet against a similar outcome this season.
The win for Al Nassr has left a marker ahead of the league season that kicks off on August 29.
The Saudi Pro League title remains the prize possession to escape Ronaldo’s grasp since his arrival in the Middle East.
This season, Jorge Jesus’ side feel they have the squad equipped to get over the line and win the title for the first time since 2019.
But to do that, they must break the duopoly of Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, who have shared the last six league titles.
Ronaldo does have one minor title to his name in Al Nassr’s colours – the Arab Champions Club club, a trophy he landed in 2023.
But the Portuguese star will be aiming higher this season and his hopes will be buoyed by the recent arrival of Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich.
Major improvement on last season’s exploits will be the focus this time around following Ronaldo’s decision to sign a new bumper two-year deal worth a jaw-dropping £178m-a-year, in June.
Last season, Al‑Nassr finished third in the Pro League but were dumped out of the King’s Cup at the round of 16 stage.
They reached the semi‑finals of the AFC Champions League but failed to land the ever-elusive major trophy.