Toney, Quinones, Ronaldo, Martinez: Who will land Golden Boot?

With the Roshn Saudi League resuming this week, we’re looking at some of the main storylines set to play out across the final eight matches of the season.

While there are major twists and turns to come in the title race, the fight for AFC Champions League Elite qualification and the scrap against relegation, there’s plenty else on the line as the 2025-26 campaign reaches its crescendo.

One such battle is that for the golden boot, which goes to the RSL’s top scorer each season.

Cristiano Ronaldo, of course, has made that honour his own these past couple of years, with the Al Nassr captain capturing two golden boots: the first in record-breaking fashion, while he then pipped this season’s frontrunner, Ivan Toney, to the 2024-25 gong.

So, can Ronaldo etch his name into the RSL record books one more time? Or will Toney go one better and end the Portugal superstar’s stranglehold? Or could it be someone else?

Here’s which striker is still - realistically - in the running for one of the league’s lead individual honours.

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Ivan Toney - 25 goals

Having scored 23 goals in his debut campaign last time out, Toney is proving he’s no one-season wonder. In fact, the Al Ahli frontman has already trumped last term’s haul, with his 25 goals coming in as many matches.

Toney enjoyed an incredible run in front of goal from Matchweek 12-23, scoring 18 goals in 12 matches. The streak included three hat-tricks and also a double in the 3-2 win against title rivals Al Nassr.

Should Toney manage to net another three times this season, he will enter the Al Ahli history books for the most goals in a single campaign, surpassing RSL all-time legend Omar Al Somah.

Standout Stat: Among players with at least 10 RSL goals this season, Toney has the highest shot‑conversion rate, at 34 percent.

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Julian Quinones - 24 goals

Another debut RSL star to threaten Ronaldo’s march to a second successive golden boot last season - 20 goals scored - Quinones continues to shine in Saudi Arabia.

Like Toney, the Al Qadsiah striker has already bettered last season’s tally, Quinones hitting 24 goals in only 23 appearances thus far in 2025-26.

The Mexico international has been integral to Al Qadsiah’s late title charge; since the turn of the year, he has 18 goals in 16 RSL appearances, including hat-tricks against Al Fayha and Al Okhdood.

Indeed, Quinones’ fantastic forms has led to 11 Man of the Match awards, meaning he sits in pole position for the 2025-26 Fan’s Player of the Season.

Standout Stat: Quinones is much more than simply a goalscorer. He has made the most pressures in the opposition half among all players in the RSL and the most final‑third pressures.

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Cristiano Ronaldo - 21 goals

It would take a fool to write off the RSL superstar, even if he trails Toney by four; an endeavour not helped by Ronaldo sitting out four of the past eight rounds.

However, there is perhaps no one in world football more dedicated to success, so Ronaldo’s desire to fire Al Nassr to a first league title in eight years should catapult him back among the goals across the run-in.

In his first full season in Saudi, he netted 35 times to set a new single-season record for the competition, while he followed that up with 25 more goals last term to retain the golden boot.

This time around, Ronaldo has 21 goals in only 22 appearances, his best stretch comprising 12 goals in nine matches between September and December. What’s more, Ronaldo’s collection includes Goal of the Season contenders against Al Fateh and Al Khaleej.

Standout Stat: Ronaldo sits on 95 RSL goals overall; should he bring up his century before the season’s out, he will become only the third player in the Saudi Pro League era to break the 100-goal barrier - and the first European in history.

Ronaldo gunning for 3rd golden boot - and yet more RSL history

Al Nassr captain finished top scorer past 2 seasons

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Roger Martinez - 20 goals

While Martinez did not quite hit the heights of Toney and Quinones in his opening campaign in the Kingdom - five goals in 18 RSL matches - he has more than made up for it this season.

The Colombian has netted 20 goals in 25 league appearances to initially propel Al Taawoun into early title contention, while his recent record has enabled the Buraidah club to maintain their advantage in the race for a top-five finish.

However, Martinez really came to the fore between Matchweek 8-17, scoring 11 times in nine matches. That spell included hat-tricks at Al Fateh and Al Fayha as the Al Taawoun goal-getter sits second in the battle for Fan’s Player of the Season, with nine Man of the Match awards.

Standout Stat: Martinez is only one goal from equalling Al Taawoun’s record for most goals scored by a player in a single Pro League season (21, set by Leandre Tawamba in 2018-19).

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