MW22 Talking Points: Rocking Ronaldo, Al Najmah's history, all-timer Al Somah
· Yahoo Sports
Another captivating round of Roshn Saudi League has just concluded, with Cristiano Ronaldo back to fire Al Nassr’s title bid, the race for the championship remaining must-see viewing, and Al Najmah making history.
On that, a trio of new managerial appointments had debuts to build upon, while title-holders Al Ittihad have a new striking hero. So, check out some of our major narratives to come from Matchweek 22.
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Ronaldo returns with a bang
Having missed the past two RSL matches, Ronaldo came back into the Al Nassr fold and immediately showed what the title challengers had been missing. OK, they did win both games in his absence, but no one grabs the headlines quite like the Portuguese superstar.
So, 18 minutes into the round-concluding clash at Al Fateh, Ronaldo met Sadio Mane’s lovely cross to volley Al Nassr into the lead. It marked his 18th goal of the RSL season, pulling him joint-second in the race for the golden boot and to within two of leader Ivan Toney.
More importantly, it set Al Nassr on their way to a 2-0 victory, their seventh successive win in the RSL, and back into second, one point off leaders Al Hilal. With Ronaldo back, Al Nassr’s hopes of a first top-flight crown in seven seasons gets a considerable boost.
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Al Najmah make history - finally
Mark the date. Saturday, February 14, 2026, will forever be known at Al Najmah for the first time in history the club registered a win in the RSL, this coming via the 2-1 triumph at home to Al Kholood.
That it took Al Najmah all 21 rounds will only add to the jubilation in Unaizah; the promoted club held the unwanted distinction of being the only team ever in the RSL to fail to win their opening 20 games.
However, the victory maybe offers hope of a late-season run for the table’s bottom club, who are suddenly only seven points from safety.
Also, Al Najmah can point to instant reward for their decision to dispense last week with manager Mario Silva, meaning former Al Taawoun coach Nestor El Maestro corralled the club to a win on debut.
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“New manager” bounce is a thing
Clearly, the fabled instant reaction to a fresh voice in the dugout seems to ring true. For Nestor El Maestro wasn’t the only new manager to excel on his club bow in Matchweek 22.
Only days after replacing Armando Evangelista, Fabio Carille guided Damac to a first victory in 10 rounds with a 2-1 success at home to top-five side Al Taawoun.
That the side, sitting outside the drop zone only on goal difference, rebounded from a goal down in Khamis Mushait - Yakou Meite struck twice, the winner coming eight minutes from time - speaks perhaps of a belief Carille has instilled almost immediately.
Meanwhile, although not a victory to match their relegation rivals, Al Riyadh kicked off the Mauricio Dulac era with a potentially promising 1-1 draw at home to Al Khaleej.
Indeed, if it wasn’t for Konstantinos Fortounis’ late equaliser, Al Riyadh would’ve had a first victory in 16 rounds. Still, it’s something for the promoted Under-21 coach, who replaced RSL veteran Jose Daniel Carreno, to build on.
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It was all change right at the death in the winter transfer window for RSL champions Al Ittihad. Out went captain Karim Benzema and midfield dynamo N’Golo Kante, both title winners in Jeddah, with Youssef En Nesyri and George Ilenikhena coming in.
Obviously, both Frenchmen represent big boots to fill, particularly Ballon d’Or Benzema. However, in En Nesyri, maybe Al Ittihad have found someone to smooth the transition.
The Morocco international, one of the heroes of that historic run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, had already found the net for his new club in midweek, in the AFC Champions League Elite.
He then followed that by opening his RSL account, too. En Nesyri headed home Al Ittihad’s first in the 2-1 victory against Al Fayha, much to the delight of the majority in attendance at Alinma Stadium. The shiny new recruit is up and running.
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While En Nesyri is new to the RSL, the same can’t be said for Omar Al Somah. Of course, the Syrian plied his trade for the other half of Jeddah, Al Ahli, where he built a reputation as one of most feared strikers in Asia.
It’s where Al Somah fired the club to their most recent RSL title, in 2015-16, part of a period in which he clinched an unprecedented three successive golden boots.
At Al Ahli, across a nine-year spell, Al Somah strode unmatched to the top of the all-time RSL scoring charts, a position he has feathered since, at Al Orobah last season and Al Hazem this.
Proving age is simply a number, the 36-year-old has stretched his lead in the all-time stakes over second-placed Abderrazak Hamdallah to eight, when executed an excellent volley late on at home to Al Okhdood.
It represented his 159th goal in the RSL. A veritable legend.