After Al-Nassr's 3-2 defeat to Japanese outfit Kawasaki Frontale in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, Cristiano Ronaldo could be seen talking to himself in the centre circle. He also made several gestures with his hands and feet, perhaps agonising over the golden chance to equalise that he spurned in stoppage time, and looked up to the sky as if wondering to himself: 'Why me?'
This was not a case of luck going against Ronaldo, though. Al-Nassr would be in the final if the 40-year-old had been more clinical; he also powered a header against the bar in the first half and wasted two free-kicks in good areas in the second.
In his prime, Ronaldo thrived when the stakes were high, but he has been unable to live up to his reputation as the ultimate difference-maker in Saudi Arabia. There is even an argument that the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar has made Al-Nassr worse, given that they were top of the Saudi Pro League when he joined the club in January 2023.
Ronaldo has undoubtedly raised the profile of Saudi Arabian football, but he's failed to lead Al-Nassr into a glorious new era. There have been no major trophies to celebrate at Al-Awwal Park since his arrival, and barring a miracle in the final five games of the league season, that barren run will continue.
It seems that Ronaldo's adventure in the Middle East is becoming little more than a stat-padding exercise. He's still delivering plenty of goals, and a few more records could tumble in the process, but if the biggest prizes continue to elude Al-Nassr, the final chapter of Ronaldo's storied career will add nothing to his overall legacy.
