A real shock has enveloped Saudi Arabian football as Al Nassr – the team that owns Cristiano Ronaldo with a salary of up to 250 million pounds – was officially eliminated from the Saudi Arabian King’s Cup after a 1-2 defeat to Al Ittihad. With this result, Al Nassr continued to extend their streak of empty seasons since Ronaldo arrived, causing the public to wonder: is the “Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia” project failing completely?

The quarter-final match took place in a tense and pressured atmosphere. Ronaldo – Al Nassr’s biggest hope – entered the field with great determination, but the performance of the whole team disappointed the fans. Al Ittihad, with reasonable tactics and coolness in front of goal, quickly took the lead. They opened the score early, forcing Al Nassr to attack with all their might.

Ronaldo had several dangerous chances, even scoring an equalizer from a free kick in the 63rd minute, but Al Nassr’s weak defense continued to make mistakes, allowing the opponent to increase the score to 2-1 just a few minutes later. Although CR7 tried to pull the whole team up to attack in the final minutes, it was all in vain. When the final whistle blew, Ronaldo’s face was sad, his eyes were dazed. He could not hide his anger, threw a water bottle and left the field without shaking hands with the referee or the opposing players.

What made this defeat even more bitter was that since Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in early 2023, the team has not won any major titles. They failed in the Saudi Pro League, AFC Champions League, Arab Club Champions Cup and now the King’s Cup. With a record salary of 250 million pounds in 2.5 years – an unprecedented amount in the history of world football – Ronaldo has yet to bring any trophy to the Middle Eastern team.

On social networks, a wave of criticism has exploded. Many people call this “the biggest failure in the history of Al Nassr”, not only because of the results, but also because of the huge expectations placed on Ronaldo’s shoulders. Some fans even sarcastically said: “They didn’t buy titles, they bought dreams… and now they wake up to a nightmare.”

However, there are also many people who speak up to defend CR7. They think the fault lies not with him, but with the weak system, conservative tactics and lack of cohesion of Al Nassr. Ronaldo is still a dedicated player, disciplined, and scores regularly – but he cannot carry a team lacking in quality alone.

In the post-match press conference, coach Luis Castro simply said: “We need a complete change. We cannot rely on one individual forever.” When asked about his feelings after the defeat, Ronaldo simply replied: “I came here to win. But sometimes, football is cruel.”

With this defeat, Al Nassr’s season is almost over. No titles, no memorable victories, and nothing but deep disappointment. The biggest question now: will Ronaldo stay to continue his unfinished journey, or will he soon close the final chapter of his great career in a place that once promised to be “the last paradise”?

One thing is for sure: tonight, Saudi football not only lost a championship candidate, but also witnessed one of the saddest chapters in Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary career.