Cristiano Ronaldo returned to action for Al-Nassr on Friday following a turbulent international break with Portugal, and immediately scored the opening goal in a 3-0 win over Diriyah in the Saudi Pro League.
The result left the reigning champions level on points with leaders Al-Qadsiah, trailing only on goal difference as round 8 concluded.
During the recent international window, the 41-year-old Ronaldo left the Portugal camp, the team for which he has scored 146 goals in 234 appearances.
In a lengthy statement posted on Tuesday, Ronaldo said Portugal coach Jorge Jesus had not kept his word about when he would be brought on in the Nations League.
In May, Ronaldo won the Saudi Arabian title with Al-Nassr under Jesus, and on Friday he broke the deadlock midway through the first half.
A shot from outside the box by Kingsley Coman was parried by goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah, and Ronaldo was on hand to tap in from close range, lifting his career goal tally to 980.
Samu Costa doubled Al-Nassr's lead, the club managed by former Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou, just before half-time, while Coman sealed the win with 13 minutes remaining.
Earlier, Al-Qadsiah thrashed Al-Kholood 5-0, with the Netherlands' Tijjani Reijnders opening the scoring, and Italy's Mateo Retegui and Mexico's Julian Quinones also on target.
