Cristiano Ronaldo scores abundantly, so why has his club failed to win any official titles in four years?

In the Saudi Super Cup final, Al Nassr was defeated by Al Ahli in penalties and missed the championship. This marked Ronaldo's nearest chance at a trophy since joining the Saudi league. Al Hilal, the strongest team in the Saudi Pro League, withdrew due to their participation in the Club World Cup knockout stage. Despite the double boost from signing Felix, Ronaldo's Al Nassr still failed to secure the title, delivering a heavy blow to both Ronaldo and the entire team.

According to statistics, despite Ronaldo’s prolific scoring, he has gone four consecutive years without winning an official club championship. The last time Ronaldo won a club trophy was in the 2020-21 season when Juventus claimed the Coppa Italia.

Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in the summer 2021 transfer window for €17 million but failed to win any trophies during his one and a half seasons there. He terminated his contract with Manchester United in November 2022 and then transferred to Al Nassr in the Saudi league during the winter window. At that time, Al Nassr was leading the league, but Ronaldo has yet to win any official titles with them, only securing the Arab Club Championship, which is considered a friendly tournament.

In the Saudi Super Cup final, Ronaldo scored a penalty, marking his 100th goal for Al Nassr. Ronaldo has scored at least 100 goals for four different clubs, so the question arises,why has Ronaldo, despite his abundant scoring, seen his clubs go trophyless for four years?

This is a question worthy of reflection. At 40 years old, Ronaldo appears to score frequently, but many of his goals come from penalties and easy chances, with very few decisive or game-changing goals. His playing style now heavily strains the team’s tactics. Although he seems prolific upfront, his presence often means the team effectively plays with one less player in attack. Many plays must go through him, making it easier for opponents to defend. The greatest enemy of any superstar is time; at 40, Ronaldo has lost his ability to dribble and break through defenses, often awkwardly switching feet. His preference to wait inside the box for easy chances has made the team’s tactics very predictable and one-dimensional.

Perhaps if we look back, Toni Kroos’s graceful retirement left the best memories for fans, which might also be seen as a form of elegance.