Al-Nassr Crowned Saudi Pro League Champions Again

Riyadh has its champions again. Al-Nassr are Saudi Pro League winners for 2025-26, ending a seven-year wait and doing it the hard way – by edging arch-rivals Al-Hilal in a tense derby.

On a night loaded with history and noise, it was an unlikely name that carved itself into club folklore. Mohamed Simakan, the former Strasbourg defender, stepped up as the match-winner, his goal delivering a 1-0 victory and the title with it.

The stakes were clear before kick-off. Beat Al-Hilal and the trophy was theirs. Slip, and the door stayed open for Karim Benzema’s chasing side. Ninety minutes later, the equation was brutally simple: Al-Nassr eight points clear, two games left, and the rest of the league officially out of reach.

This was not just another title. It was their tenth Saudi league crown, a landmark triumph and the first of the Cristiano Ronaldo era. Since his arrival in 2022, every season has carried the same question: when would the domestic dominance follow the global spotlight he brought? The answer finally arrived under the floodlights of a derby.

Ronaldo did not need to score to shape the narrative. His presence, his movement, his demands on those around him – all of it fed into a performance built on control, resilience, and one decisive moment. The Portuguese forward now adds the Saudi Pro League to a personal roll of honor that already includes the Premier League with Manchester United, La Liga with Real Madrid, and Serie A with Juventus.

For Al-Nassr, this title closes one chapter and opens another. The “Big Yellow” have their crown back, their rivalry with Al-Hilal tilted in their favor, and their star man still chasing more.

And for Ronaldo, with another domestic league secured, the stage now tilts toward the summer. One more trophy for his club. Will the next one arrive in the colors of Portugal?