Cristiano Ronaldo ended his protest and returned to Al Nassr's starting lineup, scoring just 18 minutes into Saturday's match against Al Fateh. The Portuguese captain had boycotted the club's previous two Saudi Pro League matches over financial concerns that threatened to derail his season at the Saudi club.

Ronaldo's protest stemmed from the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund failing to support Al Nassr while funding rival Al Hilal's acquisition of his former teammate Benzema. The PIF resolved the issue by paying overdue salaries and restoring management autonomy, allowing Ronaldo to rejoin his teammates for this crucial league fixture.

Al Nassr secured a 2-0 victory with Ronaldo's goal and a late strike from Ayman Yahya. The win moved Al Nassr to second place in the league, one point behind leaders Al Hilal. Ronaldo's goal was his 18th of the season, tying him for second in the Golden Boot race but still two behind Al Ahli's Ivan Toney.