Ronaldo’s Al Nassr can’t even win Asia’s second-tier competition; this is humiliation

This is a brutal defeat for Al Nassr and there is no sugarcoating it. Cristiano Ronaldo’s wait for a major trophy since arriving in Saudi Arabia will continue for at least another week after Al Nassr suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat against Gamba Osaka in the 2025/26 AFC Champions League Two final in Riyadh.

Yes, football can always produce surprises and no opponent should ever be underestimated, but considering the amount of money Al Nassr have spent since launching their superstar project with Ronaldo, failing to win even Asia’s second tier competition feels completely unacceptable for many fans.

Saudi rivals Al Ahli have already won the elite AFC Champions League this season, while Al Nassr could not even qualify for that competition and instead had to compete in the AFC Champions League Two.

That is what makes this defeat even more damaging.

This tournament is viewed as the equivalent of the Europa League or even the Conference League in Europe, and despite all their star power and spending, Al Nassr still failed to win it. That's the reality.

Al Nassr had the home advantage, the bigger budget, the global superstars and all the financial power in the world behind them. On paper, everything pointed towards Ronaldo and Al Nassr lifting the trophy in Riyadh.

But football can be poetic sometimes, and Gamba Osaka made the story beautiful with a fearless and disciplined performance on the biggest stage.

A disciplined and fearless Gamba Osaka side stunned the Saudi giants at Al Awwal Park, with Deniz Hümmet’s 30th minute header ultimately deciding the continental final.

The most frustrating part for Al Nassr supporters will probably be the stats.

Jorge Jesus’ side had 20 shots compared to Gamba Osaka’s four. They also managed six shots on target and won nine corners, but when the big moments arrived, nobody could stay clinical. Nobody could come clutch as well.

Even Cristiano Ronaldo missed opportunities that fans would normally expect him to bury.

Gamba Osaka, meanwhile, defended with incredible discipline throughout the match. Goalkeeper Rui Araki produced several important saves while the Japanese side stayed compact and calm under relentless pressure.

Joao Felix came closest for the hosts in the second half when his effort smashed against the post in the 75th minute. Kingsley Coman and Ayred Abdulkareem were later thrown on as Al Nassr desperately chased the equaliser, but nothing worked.

For Ronaldo, this was another painful missed opportunity.

The Portuguese superstar looked visibly emotional after the final whistle as his wait for a major official trophy with Al Nassr continued. Despite all the star power assembled at the Saudi club, the project still lacks the one thing fans expected most: silverware.

And that is exactly why this defeat will hurt so much.

The defeat also puts even more pressure on the final Saudi Pro League matchday.

Al Nassr now have no time to recover emotionally as they prepare for a massive clash against Damac on May 21. Jorge Jesus’ side must win to secure the Saudi Pro League title. If they drop points and rivals Al Hilal win their final game, the trophy will slip away to Hilal once again.

This was Cristiano Ronaldo’s 14th attempt to win a trophy since arriving in Saudi Arabia and he has now fallen short in all 14 attempts, something very few would have imagined when he first joined the club and changed the global attention around Saudi football.

Now, a win against Damac could still hand Al Nassr the Saudi Pro League title, which would be a massive relief for Ronaldo and the club. Al Nassr last won the league back in 2019, before Ronaldo’s arrival, and ending that drought would at least soften the pain of this heartbreaking continental defeat.

But after this final, the pressure around the project has only become bigger.