UPDATE: Ronaldo’s brace inspires Al Nassr to Arab Club Champions Cup victory

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace as 9-man Al Nassr secured a comeback 2-1 win over Al Hilal in the Arab Club Champions Cup final on Saturday.

The 5-time Ballon D’or winner has won his first silverware with the Saudi outfit as he lifted the trophy aloft as captain after he joined the side from Manchester United in January.

The Portuguese forward won the golden boot and inspired Al Nassr to glory at the King Fahd Stadium by forcing the game to extra time with a 74th-minute equalizer and an extra-time winner before leaving the pitch in tears, with an injury.

The 38-year-old is no stranger to delivering on the biggest stage as he helped his side win the Arab Club Champions Cup in what was his 35th overall trophy.

The King Salman Arab Club Champions Cup is the latest trophy in the superstar forward’s cabinet, having won league titles in England, Spain, and Italy as well as a record 5 Champions League titles and the European Championships with Portugal.

Summer signings Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic all featured for Al-Hilal, Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic and Alex Telles started for Al Nassr alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

Al-Hilal keeper Mohammed Alowais pulled off a superb save to deny Brozovic his first goal for Al Nassr following a fine cross by Mane.

Brazilian winger Michael opened the scoring for Al-Hilal with an impressive header in the 51st minute and imitated the famous ‘SIU’ celebration against Ronaldo in a ruthless moment who would later respond with a brace for his 24th goal in 2023 and his 21st final goal which earns him another Guinness World Record for the most goals scored in the final.

Al Nassr were reduced to 10 men for a last-man foul by Abdulelah Al-Amri in the 71st minute but Ronaldo equalized to cause a dramatic turnaround and keep the hope of sealing a first trophy for Al Nassr alive.

Ronaldo’s heroics was more impressive as he inspired 9-men Al Nassr to glory after Abdulelah Al-Amri was sent off in the 71st minute and Nawaf Boushal also received his marching orders in the 78th minute.

Al Nassr defied their numerical advantage to draw level almost immediately when Sultan Al-Ghannam’s low cross set up Ronaldo, who celebrated by waving his finger directly at Michael.

Ronaldo scored a few minutes later but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside.

However, Ronaldo responded in the eighth minute of extra time when he headed home from a rebound after Seko Fofana had rattled the crossbar from long range with Sadio Mane creating the goalscoring opportunity.

Ronaldo scored the winner and his 843rd senior career goal before he was forced off with an injury in the second half of extra time, which saw him leave the field on a medical buggy.

However, Al Nassr were resolute in defense despite the late pressure by Al-Hilal pressure to win their first trophy since 2020.

Ronaldo rushed back onto the field in excitement as he limped whilst celebrating with his teammates as he lifted his 35th overall trophy and first trophy since he lifted the Coppa Italia with Juventus in May 2021.

The 38-year-old had been in stellar form as he was instrumental for Al Nassr throughout their triumphant Arab Club Champions Cup campaign. He ended the tournament as the top scorer, winning the Golden Boot with six goals after scoring in the quarter-final and semi-final.

He netted the winner in a 1-0 victory over Iraqi champions Al-Shorta SC in the semi-finals, after scoring in a 3-1 win over Moroccan outfit Raja Club Athletic in the quarter-final as well as impressive goals in the group stage.

The Real Madrid and Manchester United legend had earlier scored his first goal of the season in a 4-1 win over Tunisian side Union Sportive Monastirienne and his 87th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Zamalek of Egypt. rescued Al Nassr from elimination in the group stage.