Al-Nassr ended their pre-season camp in Lisbon with a 2-0 defeat by Spanish side Almeria, with captain Cristiano Ronaldo watching from the stands as the Saudi club suffered their third loss in four friendly matches.
The match, played on Tuesday, was Al-Nassr’s fourth and final fixture during their preparation in Portugal for the 2026-27 football season. The result meant the club’s only victory at the camp came against Merida, who play in Spain’s third division.
Al-Nassr and Almeria were level at half-time after a goalless opening 45 minutes, but the Andalusian side took control after the interval. They scored twice in a period of about 15 minutes to secure victory.
Almeria opened the scoring in the 51st minute after a player was allowed a clear run through on goal against Brazilian goalkeeper Bento. The Spanish side doubled their advantage only 10 minutes later, converting a penalty.
Ange Postecoglou, Al-Nassr’s Australian head coach, began the game with a team made up of a mixture of first-choice and reserve players. He made further changes during the second half after his side fell behind, but Al-Nassr were unable to find a response.
Ronaldo’s presence was one of the main talking points before kick-off. It was the first time the Portugal forward had been seen since the end of his involvement with the national team at the 2026 World Cup. However, he did not take part in the match and watched from the stands instead.
The defeat followed three other friendlies during Al-Nassr’s stay in Portugal. Their campaign began with a 2-1 loss to Benfica’s reserve team, before they were beaten 4-2 by Portuguese club Estrela Amadora.
Al-Nassr then claimed their only win of the camp against Merida, recording a 2-0 victory. That result was followed by Tuesday’s defeat by Almeria, leaving the Saudi club with one win and three defeats from their four matches.
The team will now turn their attention to the start of the new domestic campaign. Al-Nassr are due to begin the 2026-27 season on 15 August, when they face Al-Fateh in the opening round of the Roshn Saudi League.
