Cristiano Ronaldo was notably absent from Al Nassr's lineup as they secured a 2-0 victory against Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League on Friday. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who turned 41 on Thursday, resumed training with his teammates earlier in the week but was omitted from the matchday squad by manager Jorge Jesus.
Ronaldo's continued absence comes as Saudi football authorities express growing frustration with the Portuguese forward's actions. They had hoped that his message would be conveyed after he missed the previous game against Al Riyadh, and expected him to return for the crucial match against Al Ittihad. Officials believe Ronaldo's protest is detrimental to the image of the Saudi Pro League and the country's sovereign wealth fund, The Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Despite Ronaldo's absence, Al Nassr emerged victorious thanks to goals from Sadio Mané and Angelo Gabriel. The win propelled them back up to second place in the league standings, trailing leaders Al Hilal by just one point.
Ronaldo's grievance stems from his belief that Al Nassr is not receiving the same financial backing as their title rivals, Al Hilal. Both clubs are majority-owned by PIF, but Ronaldo is convinced that Al Hilal is favored, particularly after they signed high-profile players like Karim Benzema during the January transfer window.
The Saudi Pro League maintains that the competition is fair and that all PIF-owned clubs receive equal funding. They argue that Al Nassr's inactivity in the January transfer window was due to their significant spending earlier in the season, amounting to £100 million. The league's financial regulations aim to ensure sustainability and competitiveness.
Benzema, who joined Al Hilal from Real Madrid, made an immediate impact by scoring a hat-trick in his debut match against Al Akhdoud, helping his new team extend their lead over third-placed Al Nassr to four points.
Saudi officials are baffled by Ronaldo's dissatisfaction, given his reportedly substantial daily earnings of £500,000. The forward has 18 months remaining on his contract, which includes a £43 million release clause this summer.
The Saudi Pro League reaffirmed that individual players do not influence decisions made by other clubs. A league spokesperson emphasized that each club operates independently under the same rules and financial framework, designed to maintain sustainability and competitive balance.
"Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club's growth and ambition," the spokesperson said. "But no individual – however significant – determines decisions beyond their own club."
The league insists that the recent transfer activity demonstrates the independence of clubs and that the title race remains competitive, with only a few points separating the top four teams.
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