Cristiano Ronaldo had the last laugh in his burgeoning rivalry with Ivan Toney, letting the England striker know it after a fiery encounter on Wednesday night. The Portuguese forward scored the opening goal in Al-Nassr's 2-0 victory over Al-Ahli, a result that extended their lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League.
Earlier this month, Toney launched a scathing attack on the integrity of officiating in the Saudi Pro League. After a 1-1 draw with Al-Fayha, he claimed his side were denied several penalties and alleged that the referee told him to 'focus on the AFC Champions League' instead. Toney also hinted that the league's title race was being influenced in favour of Ronaldo's Al-Nassr.
The match itself was tense from the outset. Al-Ahli's Merih Demiral brought his recently won Asian Champions League medal to the stadium, captioning a social media post: "For the first time, there's a Champions League medal in their stadium." During the game, Al-Ahli fans taunted Ronaldo about his lack of domestic silverware in Saudi Arabia, but he responded: "I have five," referencing his UEFA Champions League titles.
Ronaldo broke the deadlock in the 76th minute, but it was Kingsley Coman's 90th-minute goal that sparked wild celebrations. Coman celebrated directly in Toney's face, and footage showed Ronaldo yelling provocatively towards the former Brentford striker. The match ended in chaos as Coman clattered into Demiral, sparking a melee involving multiple players. Objects were thrown from the stands, and Coman received a booking.
Al-Nassr's victory leaves them eight points clear at the top with four games remaining, though second-placed Al-Hilal have a game in hand. For Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022, this would be his first Saudi Pro League title. Al-Ahli, meanwhile, sit third, 13 points adrift.
Toney's frustrations boiled over after the match. He had earlier doubled down on social media, sharing videos of three penalty appeals and claiming: "It's clear what is being influenced here." His team-mate Galeno added: "Hand over the trophy, that's what they want... they want to hand the trophy to one person." Al-Ahli also released a statement expressing "deep dissatisfaction" with the refereeing, demanding access to recordings and explanations for the decisions.
The rivalry between Ronaldo and Toney now looks set to continue as the season reaches its climax.
