Ronaldo’s delayed start threatens his Saudi Pro League Golden Boot bid

Cristiano Ronaldo’s pursuit of a third Saudi Pro League Golden Boot is already an uphill battle, as the Al Nassr captain opened his season’s scoring tally far behind the early leaders. A delayed debut and limited minutes have left him trailing the race’s pace‑setters.

Delayed start hampers Ronaldo's goal chase

Ronaldo missed Al Nassr’s first two fixtures of the 2026‑27 campaign, having skipped preseason training entirely due to an extended break away from the squad. The absence pushed back his season debut and left Ange Postecoglou managing his return cautiously rather than slotting him straight into the starting eleven.

Postecoglou chose to introduce the Portuguese forward as a substitute, preferring to monitor his fitness before committing him to full‑time duties. This measured approach reflects concerns over the captain’s conditioning after the prolonged preseason hiatus. His limited minutes also mean he has yet to complete a full 90‑minute match this season.

Debut goal insufficient to close gap

Ronaldo finally entered the field in Al Nassr’s 4‑0 victory over Al Riyadh, coming on in the 62nd minute and playing the final half hour. Within 21 minutes he latched onto a low cross from Ayman Yahya to net his 977th career goal, his first Saudi Pro League strike of the season.

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Despite the quick impact, the solitary goal left him well off the Golden Boot leaderboard, where Moussa Dembele and Ivan Toney each sit on three goals after two matchdays. Ronaldo’s tally of one goal reflects the limited minutes he has accumulated so far.

The current standings show Dembele (Al‑Ettifaq) and Toney (Al‑Ahli) leading with three goals, followed by Ruben Neves, Alexandre Lacazette (Neom SC), Abderrazak Hamdallah and two Al‑Nassr players – Angelo and Joao Felix – each with two. Karim Benzema has one, matching Ronaldo’s single goal.

Ronaldo finished third in the Golden Boot race last season, behind Julian Quinones, and the slow start driven by his delayed preseason makes an early surge unlikely. He remains outside the top positions as the campaign progresses.

Nassr‘s next test comes on the road against Al Ettifaq on Tuesday, where Ronaldo is expected to earn his first start of the season. How Ange Postecoglou manages his minutes will be closely watched as the captain builds toward a full 90‑minute effort.