The reason behind Al-Nassr's three consecutive defeats has been identified: Cristiano Ronaldo is not the key player, Mane has become the strongest creator in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Al-Nassr recently hit a rough patch with three consecutive losses in the Saudi Pro League and only one draw in the last four matches, losing 11 points. They went from being 4 points ahead of Al-Hilal to 7 points behind, which means Ronaldo’s team has already lost the league title this season prematurely. Why did Al-Nassr drop from a 10-match winning streak to failing to win in the last four games? The answer is simple: Ronaldo is just a false star, while the real key player of Al-Nassr is away playing in the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Africa Cup of Nations has reached the semifinals, where Mane’s Senegal faces his former Liverpool teammate Salah’s Egypt, competing for a spot in the final. According to the well-known data agency Squawka, they compiled statistics on Senegal’s top star Mane’s performance in this tournament before the semifinal match.

Statistics show that since the start of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Mane has created 14 chances from open play. Since data recording began in 2010, the only players to create more open-play chances in a single Africa Cup tournament are Mane himself and his semifinal opponent Salah, both with 15 chances. If Mane creates more chances in the remaining matches of this tournament, he will equal or break the record held by himself and Salah.

Without Mane, the key creator of open-play chances, Al-Nassr’s attack struggles. Although Ronaldo appears to be scoring frequently, it is actually Mane who is driving Al-Nassr’s performance on the field. Al-Nassr’s three consecutive league defeats show that whoever is missing is crucial to the team.