Cristiano Ronaldo's search for a major trophy with Al-Nassr continued to prove elusive as the Saudi club suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final. Despite playing in front of a passionate crowd of 26,000 at the King Saud University Stadium, Al-Nassr's chances of securing their first major trophy since Ronaldo's arrival in January 2023 were dashed.

In the 30th minute, Deniz Hummet scored the only goal of the match, capitalizing on a well-placed pass from Issam Jebali. Gamba Osaka held their ground in the second half, ultimately securing the title and becoming the first Japanese club to win the competition. Meanwhile, Al-Nassr missed the opportunity to become the first Saudi club to claim this honor.

This loss comes just days after Al-Nassr's 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, which kept the race for the title tight. Al-Nassr will clinch the league title for the 11th time if they secure a victory against Damac in their final match on Thursday. However, Al-Hilal, the 21-time champions, will also be playing their final game against Al-Fayha on the same day.

"We didn't get what we wanted here but there is one more final for us, the Saudi Pro League title, which is very important to us," said Al-Nassr's coach Jorge Jesus. "We have five days to recover and prepare, and there is no time for grieving. We have to get going again."