Al Ain Thrash Al Nassr 4-0 as Rahimi Brothers Score Hat-Trick Against Ronaldo

Moroccan brothers Houssine and Soufiane Rahimi scored three of the four goals that powered UAE club Al Ain to a 4-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, in the opening matchday of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite.

A Family Hat-Trick

Houssine Rahimi, 24, opened the scoring in the 25th minute after capitalizing on an Al Nassr defensive error, then added his second goal in the 63rd minute. His older brother Soufiane Rahimi scored the third goal in the 73rd minute, before Greek forward Giorgos Giakoumakis wrapped up the rout late in the match. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, failed to get on the scoresheet, with a late free-kick saved by Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa.

Who Are the Rahimi Brothers?

Houssine Rahimi joined Al Ain from Raja Casablanca in 2025 after finishing as top scorer of Morocco's Botola Pro league in the 2024-2025 season. He came into the match in good form, having scored twice in three UAE league appearances this season. His older brother Soufiane Rahimi is a familiar face in Asian competition, having previously been involved in eliminating Al Nassr from the AFC Champions League in a run that led Al Ain to the continental title.

Why It Matters

The defeat marks a difficult start for Al Nassr in the revamped AFC Champions League Elite, a competition the Saudi club is banking heavily on Cristiano Ronaldo's presence to shine in. For Morocco, the Rahimi brothers' performance reinforces the growing presence of Moroccan players on the Asian stage, at a time when other Moroccan stars are also making their mark continentally, such as the Ballon d'Or 2026 nominations of Achraf Hakimi and Yassine Bounou.