Al Nassr Legend Highlights Cristiano Ronaldo's Early 2026 Performance Dip
Source: Antara/YouTube Globe Soccer Awards
The performance of Cristiano Ronaldo with Al Nassr in early 2026 has drawn attention from club legend Majed Abdullah. Amid a series of poor results, the Saudi icon believes Ronaldo's playing level is no longer at its highest standard.
Al Nassr began 2026 negatively with three consecutive defeats. Most recently, The Global Club surrendered 1-3 to Al Hilal on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, early morning Western Indonesian Time.
Prior to that, Al Nassr fell 1-2 to Al Qadsiyah and 2-3 to Al Ahli.
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These three defeats dethroned Jorge Jesus' squad from the top of the Saudi Pro League Standings. Al Nassr remains stuck at 31 points, overtaken by Al Hilal with 38 points.
Cristiano Ronaldo started in all three matches. The 40-year-old scored two goals, one from a penalty.
This situation prompted comments from Majed Abdullah. The 66-year-old legend cited several factors affecting Al Nassr's poor performance, including key player absences and Ronaldo's declining contribution.
Abdullah stated that losing Sadio Mane – defending Senegal's National Team at the Africa Cup since December 2025 – severely impacted Al Nassr's attacking effectiveness.
"This is due to Sadio Mane's absence, who formed a dangerous partnership with him. I believe Ronaldo's level has dropped," Majed Abdullah told Arabic-language media Eram News.
He added that defeats to two other teams were directly linked to missing key players.
"Al Nassr's losses to Al Ahli and Al Qadsiyah occurred without players like Sadio Mane and (Mohamed) Simakan," he said.
These remarks carry weight given Abdullah's status at Al Nassr.
He holds the club's History scoring record with 189 goals and delivered 11 trophies, including four Saudi Arabian League titles.
The legend's spotlight intensifies pressure on Ronaldo and Al Nassr. Amid fierce Saudi Pro League competition and massive expectations for the megastar, early 2026 becomes a crucial period.
Can Al Nassr rebound, or must they confront reality that their era of dominance is fading?
