Cristiano Ronaldo’s wait for a major trophy with Al Nassr FC continued after the Saudi club suffered a 1-0 defeat to Japanese side Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final in Riyadh.
Danish striker Deniz Hummet scored the only goal of the match in the 30th minute to hand the J-League club a historic continental victory.
The final, played at Al-Awwal Park, saw Al Nassr dominate possession and create several scoring chances, but they were repeatedly denied by Gamba Osaka’s impressive 18-year-old goalkeeper Rui Araki.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Joao Felix all came close, with Felix striking the post late in the second half.
Despite heavy pressure from the Saudi side, Gamba Osaka defended resolutely and held on for their second continental title, their first since winning the AFC Champions League in 2008.
Defender Takeru Kishimoto also produced a crucial late block to stop what looked like a certain equaliser for Al Nassr.
The defeat added to the disappointment for Ronaldo, who has yet to win a major recognised trophy since joining Al Nassr in 2023 following his departure from Manchester United F.C..
The Portuguese star looked visibly emotional after the final whistle as Al Nassr’s continental hopes slipped away once again
