The script was written, the fans were ready, but fate had other plans. On Tuesday, May 12, 2026, during the 33rd matchday of the Saudi Pro League, Al-Nassr missed a golden opportunity to clinch the title against their eternal rivals, Al-Hilal. In an electrifying derby, Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates saw the title slip through their fingers in the 98th minute .

A deserved but fragile advantage

From the opening whistle, the tension was palpable. Shaken and nearly conceding in the 4th minute, the Al-Nassr players managed to weather the storm. Finally, in the 37th minute , the stadium erupted: from a perfectly delivered corner by Kingsley Coman , defender Mohamed Simakan rose to head home the opening goal.

Despite several opportunities to break away, notably through a lively but clumsy Coman and a few unsuccessful attempts by CR7, Al-Nassr never managed to secure the win.

The final twist

Just when the title seemed finally within reach, fate took a dramatic turn in stoppage time. Cristiano Ronaldo, already substituted and ready to celebrate on the bench, watched helplessly as a surreal scene unfolded. On a final, desperate shot from Al-Hilal, a terrible misunderstanding between Al-Nassr's Brazilian goalkeeper and defender Inigo Martinez sent the ball into his own net.

Final score: 1-1. A crushing blow for the home supporters and a huge relief for Al-Hilal, who deprive their rival of an immediate celebration.

The suspense remains high for day 34.

Al-Nassr still holds the current lead, but the title is no longer guaranteed:

1. Al-Nassr: 83 points (33 matches played)
2. Al-Hilal: 78 points (32 matches played)

With Al-Hilal having a game in hand, everything could come down to the final matchday on May 19th . If Karim Benzema's teammates (Benzema was substituted during the match) manage to close the gap, the championship final is already shaping up to be historic. Will Al-Nassr's drought end, or will we witness a heroic comeback from the defending champions? We'll find out in a few days.