Cristiano Ronaldo returned to action for Al Nassr after ending his self-imposed strike, leading his team to a 2-0 victory over Al Fateh in the Saudi Pro League. Wearing the captain’s armband, the Portuguese forward scored just 18 minutes into his comeback match, marking his 18th goal of the season. Al Yahya added a second goal in the 78th minute, helping Al Nassr maintain second place in the league standings.

Ronaldo had missed two matches by choice amid frustration with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Reports indicated he was unhappy with PIF’s increasing investment in rival club Al Hilal, which he felt disadvantaged Al Nassr. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner also had concerns about his club’s management structure.

According to ESPN, PIF later accepted Ronaldo’s main demands, including settling Al Nassr’s outstanding payments and restoring management autonomy to the club’s top executives. The Saudi league authorities had earlier warned Ronaldo before his return to play.