Al Nassr visits Al Ittihad on Matchday 5 of the 2026-27 Saudi Pro League season. Ange Postecoglou’s side enters the match with the clear objective of drawing level with Al Hilal on points.
Al Hilal has played one more game than them and sits first with 15 points after five matches. Al Nassr, for its part, has 12 points, having won all four of its league matches so far this season.
They most recently defeated Al Taawoun 2-1, with goals from Samu Costa and Cristiano Ronaldo. Naturally, the attention is on Ronaldo, as fans are eager to know whether the Portuguese star will feature in today’s match.
Well, the answer is yes. Everything indicates that Ronaldo will play, even as a starter, as he is available, not injured, and included in the squad.
Cristiano Ronaldo Set to Shine Against Al-Ittihad
Standing in their way is an Al Ittihad side that currently sits eighth in the league with eight points after four matches, having recorded two wins and two draws to start the season. In their most recent match, they played to a scoreless draw against Al Fateh.
Al Ittihad has undergone significant changes in recent months, losing manager Sergio Conceicao and key players such as Moussa Diaby and, previously, Karim Benzema. The team’s current stars include Houssem Aouar, Youssef En-Nesyri, Steven Bergwijn, Dion Lopy, Danilo Pereira and goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic.
To be fair, they have one of the most competitive squads in the league, but they are facing what is perhaps the team that, alongside Al Hilal, is the favorite year after year to win the title.
Postecoglou could line up an attack featuring Coman, Joao Felix, and Cristiano Ronaldo, with Sadio Mané as an option, while the midfield could consist of Angelo and Samu Costa.
Returning to Ronaldo, this is likely to be his final season as a professional, as he has indicated that his retirement is approaching.
At 41 years old, Ronaldo has already made three appearances and scored two goals this season. During the 2025-26 season, Cristiano played 37 matches for Al Nassr, scoring 30 goals and providing four assists. That means 34 goal contributions in 37 appearances. An incredible player considering his age.
The season before that, he played 41 matches in total, scoring 35 goals and providing four assists. Throughout his career with the Saudi club, he has made 151 appearances and scored 131 goals, according to FotMob data.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo Playing Today for Al-Ittihad vs. Al-Nassr?