TITLE HOPES VANISH: CRISTIANO RONALDO SCORES BUT AL NASSR COLLAPSE IN 3-1 DERBY DEFEAT
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 16th goal of the season was cancelled out by a disastrous second half as 10-man Al Nassr lost 3-1 to Al Hilal.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s time in Saudi Arabia just keeps getting tougher. Al Nassr blew a one-goal lead and lost 3-1 to Al Hilal, which probably kills off any lingering hope they had of winning the league this season. Ronaldo did his part—he scored right before halftime—but the second half was a disaster. It’s been three years since Ronaldo moved to the Middle East, and he still hasn’t picked up any major trophies. Now, after 14 games, Al Nassr trails Al Hilal by seven points.
Things just keep getting worse for Al Nassr. Not long after a rough home defeat to Al Qadsiah, they faced Al Hilal, who sit atop the table. In the first half, Al Nassr actually looked sharp, creating six chances to Al Hilal’s single shot. Kingsley Coman and Ronaldo both looked lively, and it was the 40-year-old who struck first, lashing in his 16th goal of the season after a slick pass from Coman in the 42nd minute.
But then it all unravelled almost instantly after the break. Mohamed Simakan tripped Malcom in the box, and Salem Al Dawsari smashed home the penalty in the 57th minute. Moments later, chaos—Al Hilal’s Ruben Neves went down holding his face after clashing with keeper Nawaf Al Aqidi. The referee showed Al Aqidi a yellow, but VAR changed it to red for violent conduct, which left Al Nassr a man down for the last half hour.
With nine minutes left, Mohamed Kanno pounced and finished from close range, piling on the misery. Just to make things worse, Neves slotted home a penalty in stoppage time after Ali Al Hassan fouled Al Dawsari. That’s three straight losses for Al Nassr now. Their last win? Way back on December 27.
As for the standout, Ruben Neves was everywhere. He set up Kanno’s goal, drew the red card that changed the game, and then scored the final penalty himself. Al-Dawsari and Kanno got the goals that mattered, but Neves was the difference.
And the biggest culprit? Keeper Nawaf Al Aqidi. Sure, Simakan and Al Hassan gave away penalties, but Al Aqidi’s reckless red card was the turning point. With mistakes like that, it’s hard to see Ronaldo and Al Nassr clawing their way back into the title race.
CR7 SPORTS TAKEOVER: INSIDE CRISTIANO RONALDO’S SHOCK 25% PURCHASE OF UD ALMERIA
Cristiano Ronaldo is now a club owner: Discover the details of his 25% stake in Almeria and his plans for a Man Utd takeover.
Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t just thinking about life after football; he’s already making moves. The Manchester United and Real Madrid legend just bought 25% of Spanish second-division club Almeria, using his CR7 Sports company. He’s now part of the ownership group led by SMC Group.
Almeria sit third in the Segunda Division, only two points behind Racing, and they’re fighting hard for promotion to LaLiga. At 41, Ronaldo has talked for years about owning a club as his playing days wind down, and now he’s finally doing it.
With a net worth close to £900 million, he’s got the firepower to change a club’s fortunes. Right now, Al Nassr pays him £178 million a year, so money isn’t exactly an issue. In a statement on Almeria’s X account, Ronaldo said, “It’s been my dream to give back to football, not just as a player but in other ways too. UD Almeria is a club with solid roots and real room to grow. I’m excited to team up with the leadership and help push the club into its next phase.”
Almeria’s president, Mohamed Al Khereiji, sounded thrilled. “We’re very happy Cristiano chose us. He’s arguably the greatest ever, knows Spanish football inside out, and sees what we’re building here, both with the team and the academy.”
This could be just the beginning for Ronaldo. Some fans are already wondering if this is his first step toward owning Manchester United one day. The club’s still a mess behind the scenes. Michael Carrick has things going well on the pitch, but the Glazer family, the main owners, are as unpopular as ever. Meanwhile, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group, who run the football side, have faced heavy criticism, especially after some harsh budget cuts.
Ronaldo didn’t hold back about the Glazers in his explosive 2022 interview with Piers Morgan, which basically ended his second stint at United. He’s kept talking about the club’s problems since then. At the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards in 2024, he even hinted he’d like to fix things as an owner. “The problem at Manchester United is the same,” he said. “It’s not always the coach. It’s much more than that. If I owned the club, I’d set things straight and fix what’s wrong.”
WORLD CUP UPDATE: GIANNI INFANTINO CONFIRMS NO CHANGES TO MEXICO’S 2026 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
World Cup 2026. Get the report on Infantino’s backing of Mexico and the "no risk" guarantee for fans.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino says he’s fully backing Mexico as one of the hosts for the 2026 World Cup, and he’s not worried about the country’s security issues getting in the way. FIFA’s keeping an eye on things, but right now, there are no plans to change the tournament schedule.
Everything’s still on track for the reopening of Estadio Azteca and the big intercontinental playoff matches next month. Infantino made it clear that FIFA is talking all the time with Mexico’s federal government and President Claudia Sheinbaum. He trusts them to pull off a great tournament.
“We’re watching what’s happening in Mexico,” Infantino said. “But right from the start, I want to say we believe in Mexico, in President Claudia Sheinbaum, and in the authorities. We’re sure everything will go as well as possible.”
So, with the playoff matches just around the corner and massive logistics in motion, nothing’s getting derailed. FIFA and Mexican officials are still working closely together on everything from operations to security. Infantino confirmed the matches and the Azteca reopening are both happening as planned.
“We’ve got matches coming up in Mexico for the World Cup Playoff, and the stadium’s reopening too,” he said. “Mexico’s a great football country. Every place has its situations.”
FIFA keeps saying Mexico is right at the heart of the 2026 World Cup, which Mexico is co-hosting with the United States and Canada. They’re sure the tournament will be safe and one big celebration.
“From my side, and for FIFA, we completely trust President Sheinbaum,” Infantino said. “We’re always in touch with the presidency and the authorities. We’re keeping up with everything. The World Cup’s going to be an incredible party.”
President Sheinbaum herself promised fans total security when the World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City.
“Every single guarantee,” she said when asked about safety. She brushed off any worries for visiting fans and added, “There’s no risk, none at all.”
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