Portuguese star refused to play for Jorge Jesus’ Al-Nassr, who remains silent. Ronaldo could leave Saudi as early as June without a single trophy.
It all started with the transfer of Ronaldo’s former teammate and the player who assisted the Portuguese star the most, Karim Benzemafor rival Al-Hilal, coming from Al-Ittihad coached by Sérgio Conceição.
With no official explanation or apparent injury, Ronaldo boycotted the game against Al-Riyadh, counting for the Saudi Professional League, on Monday — the same day that Benzema’s transfer was confirmed.
The Portuguese club won by 1-0 without him, and in the end there were no statements or press conferences. Just silence (including from coach Jorge Jesus, who can leave at the end of the seasonthey say in Saudi Arabia, according to ).
The Portuguese, who turns 41 this month, will be dissatisfied with the way the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) controls the finances of Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, according to the sports press. The signing of Benzema by the rival club was what triggered the “strike”.
Still at the origin of the “strike” will be the progressive removal of Ronaldo’s friends, José Semedo (club CEO) and Simão Coutinho (sporting director).
It is therefore assumed that Ronaldo will want more players on the team. However, according to the former colleague and ex-Benfica Anderson Taliscasomeone at Al-Nassr will not want any more goalscorers in the squad.
The striker — who scored almost as many goals per game as Ronaldo for Al-Nassr — recently commented on Instagram why he left the Saudi club, where he shared the attack with CR7: “they kicked me out because I was scoring too many goals and was getting in the way. They even forced me to ask to leave”. It remains to be seen who Talisca was disturbing.
Since Ronaldo’s arrival in Riyadh in 2022, Al Nassr will have invested 419.4 million euros in transfers, while Al-Hilal will have reached 672 million in the same period, winning five trophies, while Ronaldo and company have won, so far… zero trophies.
Remember that Ronaldo renewed his contract last June until 2027 with . THE clause is 50 million eurosbut according to there are already interested parties targeting the forward for the next summer market, in the MLS (main North American league) and in European football. He adds that “interest in Cristiano Ronaldo is already growing” in these two markets, “with the Manchester United showing interest”.
The PIF currently has stakes in five football clubs: the English club Newcastle United (around 85%) and the Arab clubs Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli Saudi, all controlled 75% by the fund.
