In the 14th round of the Saudi League, Al Nassr secured a 3-1 comeback victory over Al Kawkab at home. At first glance, this match seemed to be a heroic stage for Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane, with a penalty kick, a series of assists, and goals that were enough to get the blood pumping.
However, if we look beyond the excitement of the game, was this victory as perfect as the score suggests? The initial setback of conceding a goal and the reliance on individual star power may have masked deeper issues within the team.
Speaking of this match, Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the biggest focal points. He continued to write his legend with a steady penalty kick, once again刷新ing his career statistics: 60 goals in 60 Saudi League matches, 782 club goals in his career, and a total of 917 goals.
Just these numbers alone are enough to make people marvel: Ronaldo's career is like having a cheat code. Especially considering his age—38 years old—at this stage, he can still maintain such a competitive state, which is truly astonishing.
This penalty kick not only equalized the score for the team but also reaffirmed his status as the undisputed spiritual leader of Al Nassr.
What's even more interesting is that Ronaldo's career has another feature that commands respect—the ability to score in 24 consecutive calendar years. From 2001 to 2024, he has managed to leave his mark on the field every year, a level of consistency that is rare in professional football.
If you're a seasoned fan, you know that most players experience a noticeable decline in form after their prime. But Ronaldo is like an unrusting gear, extending his career to an incredible length.
However, at the end of the day, football is a team sport, not a one-man show for Ronaldo. Behind his brilliance lies the team's heavy reliance on individual star power.
Besides Ronaldo, another MVP of this match was undoubtedly Sadio Mane. This Senegalese star put on a near-textbook performance in the game: a rebound shot, a penalty kick, and a header into the net.
In just 90 minutes, he single-handedly created three goals, almost locking in the victory for Al Nassr.
But Mane's story is even more worth savoring. When he transferred from Bayern Munich to the Saudi League at the start of the season, many doubted his form—“Can he maintain his peak after leaving Europe's top league?” Yet in just a few months, he has responded to these doubts with one outstanding performance after another.
Unlike Ronaldo, Mane's impact is more evident in the details and rhythm of the game. He not only scores goals but also creates opportunities for the team through his agile positioning and pressing, tearing open the opponent's defense. In the front line, he's like an engine, always creating chances.
However, much like Ronaldo, while Mane's performance is commendable, the team seems overly reliant on his individual abilities. In other words, could Al Nassr deliver such a performance without their stars on the field?
Although the final score looks quite impressive, the start of the match was not as desired. Just six minutes into the game, Al Nassr's defense made a mistake, allowing Al Kawkab to take the lead.
This conceded goal was not surprising, as defensive issues have been a persistent problem for Al Nassr this season. Despite bringing in top-class central defenders like Laporte at the beginning of the season, the stability of their defense remains concerning.
Looking back at Al Nassr's matches this season, such mistakes are not uncommon. Hesitant play in the back and lack of coordination in the defense have repeatedly held them back in key games.
Compared to the attacking line, their defense is like tofu. Without a solid defense, even the strongest offense is hard to rely on.
Now let's talk about Al Kawkab. Although this team is relatively unknown and has long been hovering at the lower end of the standings, they showed great fighting spirit in this match. In the opening stages, Al Kawkab capitalized on Al Nassr's defensive blunder, quickly scoring a goal and putting their opponents on the back foot.
It's worth noting that several core players of Al Kawkab, such as Bassogog and Godwin, demonstrated their individual abilities in the game.
Especially Bassogog, this Cameroonian forward, who created threats several times on the flank, almost caused Al Nassr's defense to collapse completely. For a mid-to-lower table team, being able to cause such trouble at a strong team's home ground is already a significant achievement.
From Al Kawkab's performance, it's clear that although their overall strength is limited, the team's resilience and determination are impressive. This also reminds us that while the Saudi League is filled with superstars, "weaker teams" are not without the means to fight back.
This season, the Saudi League has garnered attention due to the influx of numerous world-class superstars. Players like Ronaldo and Mane have undoubtedly enhanced the league's commercial value and global influence. However, this "buying stars with money" approach has also brought some problems that cannot be ignored.
Firstly, there is the exacerbation of polarization in the league. Teams like Al Nassr, with multiple world-class players, have far surpassed most of their opponents in terms of strength.
On the other hand, mid-to-lower table teams like Al Kawkab clearly cannot compete with the giants in terms of squad quality. Over time, this gap will only grow larger, potentially reducing the competitiveness of the league.
Secondly, the concentrated joining of high-paid superstars has also somewhat compressed the development space for local players. For young players, it has become increasingly difficult to secure starting opportunities within the team lineup, which is obviously not conducive to the long-term development of Saudi football.
In summary, this match provided temporary relief for Al Nassr, but their problems are far from resolved. While Ronaldo and Mane's outstanding performances are exciting, the team will need more than just individual star power if they want to lift the championship trophy at the end of the season. They must address defensive vulnerabilities and improve the continuity of their attack and defense; otherwise, the road ahead remains bumpy.
Victory is not the end; it's just a reminder that they still need to keep working hard.