Ronaldo marks return with brilliant goal, earns Postecoglou praise

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Roshn Saudi League action concluded with the Al Nassr captain grabbing the headlines.

As. Invariably, he always does.

That’s what tends to happen when the five-time Ballon d’Or takes to the pitch, although, after sitting out Al Nassr’s opening two matches this season, Ronaldo was undoubtedly eager to make an impression.

Introduced at Al Riyadh on 62 minutes with the RSL champions already 3-0 up, Ronaldo received Ayman Yahya’s pass inside the hosts’ penalty area with seven minutes remaining, rolled his marker brilliantly and swept the ball past Milan Borjan in the opposition net.

He wheeled away and supplied the first trademark “SIU!” celebration of the 2026-27 RSL. 

The sentiment was clear: Ronaldo’s back. And, after being given an extended break for professional and personal reasons, his availability once more makes Al Nassr even stronger.

In three matches - including the 4-1, midweek win in the King’s Cup - to begin the campaign, the title-holders have scored 11 goals and conceded once. The Ange Postecoglou Era is shaping up rather nicely.

“I said after last game that it was important for Cris to take his time to come back, because he was very, very busy obviously in the off-season,” Postecoglou said.

“His mentality is he always wants to play, but he made sure he did all the right things - at training he worked hard - and it was fantastic for him to get 30 minutes today.

“And he scores a goal, which just shows you the measure of the man.”

Al Nassr’s next match should be of particular resonance to Postecoglou, when he travels to Al Ettifaq on Tuesday to face fellow Australian, and former assistant, Arthur Papas.