Has Ronaldo won a trophy with Al Nassr
You’ve seen the headlines and the celebrations, but one question remains: Has Cristiano Ronaldo actually won a major trophy with Al Nassr? While the short answer is yes, the real story is understanding the giants of Saudi football he’s now trying to conquer. The crown jewel of Saudi domestic football is the Saudi Pro League (SPL), the country’s top-division league. Think of it as the equivalent of England’s Premier League or Spain’s La Liga; winning it means you are the undisputed best team in the nation.
Al Nassr’s status as a giant of Saudi football is best understood through its Saudi Pro League title history. The club has won the championship a total of 9 times, cementing its place as one of the most decorated teams in the country. Unlike a knockout cup, winning the league is a marathon, not a sprint, requiring consistency over a full season to finish at the top. With their most recent league title coming in the 2018-19 season, they have a modern history of reaching the pinnacle.
This legacy of success wasn’t built overnight. Al Nassr’s domestic honors are spread across decades, proving their long-term consistency as a powerhouse.
Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League Victories
- 1970s: 2
- 1980s: 2
- 1990s: 2
- 2010s: 3
What is the “King’s Cup” and Why Is It So Prestigious?
While winning the Saudi Pro League proves a team’s consistency over a long season, there’s another major domestic prize that offers a different kind of drama. This is the King’s Cup, officially known as The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Cup, and it’s Saudi Arabia’s most important knockout tournament. In this competition, teams from various divisions face off in high-stakes, single-elimination matches. The format is simple and thrilling: win and you advance, lose and your journey is over for the year.
For anyone familiar with European football, the easiest way to understand the King’s Cup is to think of it as Saudi Arabia’s version of England’s famous FA Cup. It carries a similar historical weight and prestige, representing a chance for clubs to claim a major piece of silverware outside of the grueling league campaign. Winning the King’s Cup is a massive achievement and a celebrated honor that every top club in the country desperately wants in their trophy cabinet.
This prestigious competition has been a significant source of success for Al Nassr over the decades. The club has proudly lifted the King’s Cup a total of six times, with these victories scattered throughout its history. Each win has helped to cement Al Nassr’s status as one of the nation’s traditional football powerhouses, proving they can perform under the immense pressure of a knockout format.
The Ultimate Goal: Has Al Nassr Ever Won the AFC Champions League?
While dominating within Saudi Arabia is a mark of a great club, the true test of a team’s power is how they perform on the international stage. Just as top European clubs battle for the UEFA Champions League, the best teams in Asia compete for their own continent-spanning, top-tier prize. This elevates the competition from a national affair to a massive international spectacle.
This ultimate prize is the AFC Champions League. It’s the most prestigious and difficult club competition in all of Asia, bringing together the champions and top teams from countries like Japan, South Korea, Qatar, and of course, Saudi Arabia. Winning the AFC Champions League means being crowned the undisputed best club team on the entire continent.
So, has Al Nassr ever conquered Asia? Despite their rich history of domestic success, the short answer is no. This coveted continental trophy has remained just out of their reach. The club’s best-ever performance in the competition came back in 1995, when they made an impressive run all the way to the final but ultimately finished as the runner-up.
For a club of Al Nassr’s stature, capturing the AFC Champions League is not just a dream—it’s the final frontier and their biggest remaining ambition. The arrival of a proven winner like Cristiano Ronaldo has only intensified this focus. While that top continental trophy has eluded them, Ronaldo did quickly help the club secure a different kind of international silverware.
The Trophy Ronaldo Delivered: What is the Arab Club Champions Cup?
Almost immediately after his arrival, Cristiano Ronaldo helped Al Nassr lift a trophy that spanned borders: the Arab Club Champions Cup. This isn’t a domestic cup or the continent-wide AFC Champions League; instead, it’s a major regional tournament. It brings together top clubs from across the Arab world—from countries in the Middle East and North Africa—to compete for the title of the region’s best team. This unique format creates exciting matchups between clubs that wouldn’t normally meet.
Winning the cup is a significant achievement, especially given the high-caliber teams involved. However, it’s generally considered a step below winning the domestic Saudi Pro League or the ultimate prize, the AFC Champions League. Think of it as a prestigious invitational showcase that proves a team’s strength against its closest regional rivals, but not the main event of the season. For Al Nassr, winning it was a major boost and a sign of their international ambition.
That 2023 victory was particularly sweet, and it was all thanks to their superstar. In a dramatic final against their fierce rivals, Al Hilal, Al Nassr found themselves a goal down and playing with only ten men. Just when it looked like the trophy was slipping away, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up, scoring two incredible goals to snatch a 2-1 victory. It was his first piece of silverware with the club and a clear demonstration of the impact he was signed to make.
What Else Is in Al Nassr’s Trophy Cabinet?
A truly dominant club doesn’t just win the major titles; they collect all the silverware available. In addition to the grueling league campaign and the prestigious King’s Cup, Saudi football also features special “super cups” that pit the season’s best teams against each other in high-stakes showdowns. These trophies are the mark of a consistent winner.
The most notable of these is the Saudi Super Cup. If you follow European football, this format will feel familiar—it’s a single match that pits the winner of the Saudi Pro League against the champion of the King’s Cup. Winning this match grants ultimate bragging rights as the undisputed “champion of champions” for that year.
These one-off trophies, along with other now-defunct but historically significant competitions, fill out Al Nassr’s impressive honors list. They showcase the club’s long-term pedigree and ability to win knockout matches when a trophy is on the line.
Other Notable Domestic Trophies:
- Saudi Super Cup: 2 wins
- Saudi Crown Prince’s Cup: 3 wins
How Does Al Nassr Stack Up? A Rivalry with Al Hilal in Trophies
Of course, a club’s success is always measured against its rivals. For Al Nassr, that eternal rival is Al Hilal, another giant from the capital city of Riyadh. Their clashes are the most anticipated matches in the country, much like the famous derbies between Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain. To truly understand Al Nassr’s place in Saudi football history, you have to look at how they compare to their biggest competitor.
When it comes to the sheer number of trophies, Al Hilal stands as the most decorated club not just in Saudi Arabia, but in all of Asia. They hold a significant lead in major honors, most notably boasting more Saudi Pro League titles than any other team. This historical dominance is the benchmark against which Al Nassr’s success is judged, fueling a fierce and passionate competition that has defined generations of Saudi football.
This trophy gap is precisely what drives Al Nassr’s modern ambitions. It’s not just about winning another cup for the cabinet; it’s about challenging a legacy and closing the distance on a historic rival. The arrival of global superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo signals a clear intent: to not only win but to shift the balance of power and ultimately overtake Al Hilal as the undisputed top club in the nation.
What’s Next for Al Nassr?: The Trophies They Are Chasing
Al Nassr is more than just “Cristiano Ronaldo’s new team”—it is a giant of Saudi football with a history written in domestic titles. The sea of yellow and blue flags in the stadium represents a proud legacy of winning, not just a home for a global superstar.
While the club’s past dominance is clear, all eyes are on two key ambitions: reclaiming the Saudi Pro League title and, more importantly, capturing the one major prize that has eluded them: the AFC Champions League.
The real story isn’t just about the titles Al Nassr has won, but about those they are still chasing. Ronaldo wasn’t just signed to elevate the league; he was brought in to be the final piece needed for that continental crown. As you watch them play, you’re not just watching a game—you’re watching a historic club fight to turn its biggest ambition into its next great memory.
