The Saudi Pro League has sent a clear and pointed message to Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that “no individual determines decisions beyond their own club” as speculation mounts over the 41-year-old forward’s future at Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo was surprisingly omitted from Al-Nassr’s squad for Monday’s Saudi Pro League fixture against Al-Riyadh. Portuguese outlet A Bola reported that the Portugal captain refused to play, citing growing dissatisfaction with the way the club is being managed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns Al-Nassr.
Sources speaking to BBC Sport indicated that Ronaldo’s frustration was primarily triggered by the recent high-profile transfer of his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema. The 38-year-old French striker moved from Al-Ittihad to league leaders Al-Hilal earlier this week and marked his debut with a hat-trick in Al-Hilal’s emphatic 6-0 victory over Al-Okhdood on Thursday.
Both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal are controlled by the PIF, the sovereign wealth fund that also backs English Premier League side Newcastle United. Al-Hilal, the most successful club in Saudi football history with 19 league titles, currently sit top of the table with 50 points from 20 games, remaining unbeaten this season. Al-Nassr trail in third place, four points behind, but with a game in hand.
In an official statement issued to BBC Sport, a Saudi Pro League spokesperson emphasised the league’s governance structure:
“The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules. Clubs have their own boards, their own executives, and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending, and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.”
The spokesperson acknowledged Ronaldo’s significant contribution since joining Al-Nassr in December 2022:
“Crisitiano has been fully engaged with Al-Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club’s growth and ambition. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win. But no individual – however significant – determines decisions beyond their own club.”
The statement further pointed to recent transfer activity as evidence of club autonomy:
“Recent transfer activity demonstrates that independence clearly. One club strengthened in a particular way. Another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions, taken within approved financial parameters.”
Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, signed a lucrative two-year contract extension with Al-Nassr in June 2025, reportedly maintaining his status as the highest-paid footballer in history with an annual salary of around £177 million. Despite his prolific goal-scoring form, his only trophy with the club so far is the Arab Club Champions Cup.
In the January 2026 transfer window, Al-Nassr made only one notable addition—Iraq Under-23 midfielder Hayder Abdulkareem—while rivals Al-Hilal secured the high-profile signing of Benzema.
Ronaldo posted a photo of himself back in training on Wednesday, but Saudi Pro League officials remain uncertain whether he will feature in Al-Nassr’s crucial upcoming match against Al-Ittihad on Friday.
The episode highlights growing tension between one of football’s biggest global stars and the club’s ownership structure. Ronaldo’s arrival in Saudi Arabia in 2022 was seen as a landmark moment for the league’s ambition to become a major global destination, but his influence appears to have limits when it comes to transfer and strategic decisions.
As Al-Nassr chase the league title and aim to close the gap on the unbeaten Al-Hilal, all eyes will be on whether Ronaldo returns to action and how the club navigates the current uncertainty surrounding its talisman.
