Ronaldo Chases Asian Glory as Saudi Clubs Dominate Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo will have another opportunity to pursue his first major Asian club title when the AFC Champions League Elite begins on Monday, with Saudi Arabian clubs set to play a prominent role in the competition.

Al-Nassr will be among five Saudi clubs competing in this season’s tournament, alongside Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Qadsiah.

Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022, has yet to win the continent’s premier club competition. His latest opportunity comes after Al-Nassr’s success in the AFC Champions League Two last season.

The Portuguese forward helped Al-Nassr reach the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two final, where the Saudi club defeated Gamba Osaka to claim the continental trophy.

However, the AFC Champions League Elite remains the major prize missing from Ronaldo’s collection in Saudi Arabia. Al-Nassr reached the semi-finals of the 2024–25 edition but were eliminated by Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale.

Saudi clubs enter the new campaign with considerable continental pedigree. Al-Hilal have won the top Asian club competition four times, while Al-Ittihad have two titles. Al-Ahli are the reigning champions after winning the 2025–26 final against Japan’s Machida Zelvia.

The concentration of Saudi clubs among the contenders reflects the country’s growing investment in football and its ambition to establish its domestic teams as a dominant force in Asian club competition.

For Ronaldo and Al-Nassr, however, the immediate objective will be to convert their domestic strength into success at the highest level of Asian football and finally secure the continental title that has eluded them.