Cristiano Ronaldo's quest for a first Saudi Pro League title hit a dramatic and heartbreaking snag on Tuesday, as Al-Nassr was seconds away from clinching the championship before a bizarre own-goal changed everything.

The Portugal superstar, now 41, watched nervously from the bench after being substituted, with Al-Nassr leading fierce rivals Al-Hilal 1-0 in the eighth and final minute of stoppage time. Some fans could barely look as the tension mounted. Then, in a cruel twist, Al-Hilal launched a long throw-in into the box. Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento attempted to catch the ball but fumbled it backward, sending it into his own net.

The match ended 1-1, keeping the title race alive and leaving Ronaldo visibly distraught on the sideline, comforted by teammates. "The dream is close," Ronaldo wrote on X to his millions of followers. "Heads up, we have one more step to take!"

Al-Nassr hasn't won the Saudi league since 2019—more than three years before Ronaldo's blockbuster arrival, which helped transform the country into a major player in world soccer. Despite Tuesday's drama, that drought is still likely to end.

Al-Nassr leads Al-Hilal by five points with one game remaining. A win against relegation-threatened Damac on May 21 would secure the title. Al-Hilal, with two games left, must first beat Neom on Saturday to stay within striking distance.

For the five-time world player of the year, a first major trophy with Al-Nassr could come even sooner. The club faces Japan's Gamba Osaka in the Champions League Two final in Riyadh on Sunday. After the club season, Ronaldo heads to his sixth World Cup with Portugal—his last, he says—after FIFA controversially deferred part of a three-match ban for a red card in qualifying.

For now, the dream is still alive, but Tuesday's cruel ending is a reminder that even legends must wait for their moment.