Ronaldo overlooked for Saudi Pro League Player of the Month as Jorge Jesus and Bento pick/
Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals in four wins for Al Nassr in April but was not chosen as Saudi Pro League Player of the Month; Valentin Vada took the player prize while Jorge...
What happened and why it matters?
Cristiano Ronaldo produced four goals in four matches across April as Al Nassr won each game, but the Saudi Pro League’s end-of-month awards did not name him Player of the Month. Instead the Player of the Month award went to Damac’s Argentine midfielder Valentin Vada, while Al Nassr’s head coach Jorge Jesus was voted Manager of the Month and goalkeeper Bento claimed Goalkeeper of the Month honours. The announcements were posted via the Saudi Pro League’s official social accounts on May 1.
April form and the awards
According to the league’s social-media announcement, Valentin Vada earned the Player of the Month award after registering six goal contributions for Damac across the assessment period. The choice raised eyebrows given Damac’s position near the relegation zone — the club sits 15th in the table — while Ronaldo’s four goals in April came in matches that all ended in wins for Al Nassr.
Al Nassr did receive recognition elsewhere in the monthly prizes. The Saudi Pro League highlighted Jorge Jesus for a perfect run between matchweeks 25 and 30, recording a 100% win rate that secured him the Manager of the Month award for April. Bento was named Goalkeeper of the Month after conceding only once in four April matches, keeping clean sheets in three of those games.
Context: title race and continental fixtures
Al Nassr are reported to hold an eight-point lead over Al Hilal with four Saudi Pro League matches remaining, a margin that places them in a strong position to claim the domestic title. The side also face a significant continental match on May 16, when they are due to meet Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final. Those fixtures will shape whether the reward decisions for April become footnotes or a talking point in a trophy-winning season.
- Valentin Vada named Saudi Pro League Player of the Month for April with six goal contributions for Damac (source: SPL social announcement).
- Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals in four matches for Al Nassr in April; those matches were all wins (source: World Soccer Talk).
- Jorge Jesus won Manager of the Month after a 100% win record from matchweeks 25–30 (source: SPL announcement cited).
- Bento secured Goalkeeper of the Month having conceded once across four April matches and keeping three clean sheets (source: World Soccer League social announcement via World Soccer Talk).
- Damac sit 15th in the league; Al Nassr reportedly lead Al Hilal by eight points with four matches remaining (source: World Soccer Talk).
- Al Nassr are scheduled to play Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final on May 16 (source: World Soccer Talk).
- Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez must submit a preliminary World Cup list by May 11 and a final 26-man squad by June 1; Ronaldo is expected to be included barring setbacks (source: World Soccer Talk).
What happens next
May shapes up as a decisive month: Al Nassr will attempt to close out the Saudi Pro League title with four league matches left while also preparing for the AFC Champions League Two final on May 16. Portugal’s preliminary and final World Cup squad deadlines in May and June add another layer of interest to Ronaldo’s immediate future. The awards decision leaves room for debate but does not change the fixtures and stakes that will determine outcomes this month.