Cristiano Ronaldo’s Brace Keeps Al Nassr Rolling in the AFC Champions League

Man, Cristiano Ronaldo really doesn’t know how to slow down, does he? Forty years old, playing in Asia, and he’s still popping up with braces like it’s just another week at the office. In a recent AFC Champions League Elite match, Ronaldo scored twice to guide Al Nassr to a solid 3–1 win and keep them moving comfortably toward the knockout stages.

This one came away in Qatar against Al Gharafa, which on paper looked like one of those fixtures that could easily turn awkward. Away crowd, unfamiliar conditions, and a team with nothing to lose. For a while, it even looked like Ronaldo might be in for a frustrating night. The first half wasn’t his sharpest. He missed a couple of chances and seemed just half a step off, the kind of performance where people start whispering, “maybe tonight’s not his night.”

Then the second half started, and that talk disappeared instantly.

Just minutes after the restart, Sultan Al Ghannam swings in a dangerous cross from the right. Ronaldo reads it early, times his run flawlessly, and rises above everyone to power a header home. It was classic Ronaldo. No tricks, no drama, just elite movement and aerial timing. That goal broke the game open and reminded everyone why he’s still such a threat inside the box.

Not long after, Al Nassr doubled their lead through Angelo Gabriel. The young winger, on loan and growing in confidence with every match, finished a slick move and then went from scorer to provider. Minutes later, he slipped Ronaldo through, and CR7 made no mistake. Simple finish, calm execution, and suddenly it was 2–0 to Al Nassr with Ronaldo once again at the center of everything.

Al Gharafa did manage to pull one back late on through Joselu which had a funny bit of nostalgia to it, given his Real Madrid connection with Ronaldo but any hope of a comeback faded quickly. A red card didn’t help their cause either, and Al Nassr saw the game out comfortably to secure a 3 -1 victory.

That brace pushed Ronaldo’s season tally even higher and kept Al Nassr unbeaten in their group. At that point, they were sitting second in the standings and only needed a couple more points to book their place in the knockout rounds officially. Saudi clubs have dominated the Western zone, and Al Nassr’s consistency has been a big part of that story.

What’s wild is how Ronaldo has adapted his game. Sprints, dribbles, all that is no longer there. It’s positioning, anticipation, finishing now. He saves his energy, picks his spots, but gets the job done regardless. It’s instinct, which has not disappeared yet.

Even to this day, coming into late 2025, performances such as this are what cause you to remember why he is the all-time leading goal scorer in football. Every goal feels like a bonus at this stage of his career, yet he keeps stacking them. He’s already past the 950 mark, and that 1,000-goal milestone once considered pure fantasy suddenly doesn’t feel impossible.

And of course, no Ronaldo moment is complete without the celebration. The familiar “Siuuu,” the leap, the spin, the roar toward the fans. Away or home, Europe or Asia, that part never changes vintage stuff.

This wasn’t even his first big night in the competition this season. Earlier in the campaign, he grabbed another brace against Al Wasl, scoring once from the spot and once with his head. The AFC Champions League has suited him ideally, and Al Nassr looks like a genuine contender if they keep this momentum going.

For the fans in yellow, it’s been a joy to watch. Seeing a global icon still leading from the front, still deciding matches, still delivering under pressure that’s not something you get to experience often.

At this point, the question isn’t whether Ronaldo can still perform. He’s answered that repeatedly. The question is how far Al Nassr can go with him spearheading the attack.

Knockout football is coming. Pressure ramps up. And if history tells us anything, that’s precisely when Cristiano Ronaldo usually shows up.

Al Nassr supporters, how far do you reckon they go this year? Can they actually lift the AFC Champions League trophy?