Ronaldo's Future at Al-Nassr in Question

Cristiano Ronaldo's position at Al-Nassr has come under scrutiny after he was excluded from the squad for the Saudi Pro League match against Al-Riyadh on Monday.

According to Portuguese media outlet A Bola, the 40-year-old forward is reportedly refusing to participate, expressing dissatisfaction with the management of the club by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).

PIF's Influence on Saudi Football

Both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, the latter being the most decorated club in Saudi Arabia with 19 league titles, are owned by the PIF, which also holds ownership of Newcastle United.

Ronaldo's Arrival and Contract Details

Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in 2022 after departing Manchester United mid-season, securing a record-breaking annual salary of £177 million, making him the highest-paid footballer in history. Despite this, his only trophy with the club remains the Arab Club Champions Cup.

In June 2025, Ronaldo signed a new two-year contract extension with Al-Nassr.

Before finalizing this deal, speculation circulated about a possible loan move to rivals Al-Hilal.

Recent Developments and Speculation

The recent exclusion of Ronaldo from the squad has intensified rumors regarding his future at the club.

Ronaldo's Performance in Saudi Pro League

Since joining Al-Nassr, Ronaldo has been a prolific scorer, netting 14 goals in the 2022-23 Saudi Pro League after his mid-season arrival.

He has been the league's top scorer in the last two seasons, with 35 and 25 goals respectively.

Following his recognition as the Best Middle East Player at the Globe Soccer Awards in December, Ronaldo stated:

"You know what my goal is.
I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number [1,000 goals] that you all know. I will reach the number for sure, if no injuries."

He scored his 17th goal of the current season against Al-Kholood on Friday, bringing his career total to 961 goals, 39 short of his target.

Trophy Drought and Club Performance

Despite his individual success, trophies have been elusive for Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.

The club finished as league runners-up in his first two seasons and third in the most recent campaign, trailing champions Al-Ittihad by 13 points.

They also lost the King's Cup final in the 2023-24 season to Al-Hilal on penalties.

In continental competition, Al-Nassr was eliminated in the Asian Champions League Elite semi-finals by Kawasaki Frontale from Japan last season and qualified only for the second-tier Asian Champions League Two this season.

Meanwhile, domestic rivals Al-Ahli secured the Asian championship last year with a squad including Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, and Ivan Toney.

Ronaldo's sole trophy with Al-Nassr remains the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup.

Adding to his frustrations, Ronaldo has observed former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema and Portugal teammate Ruben Neves winning league titles in Saudi Arabia during his tenure.

Saudi Arabia's 'Big Four' and Investment

Al-Nassr is part of Saudi Arabia's 'big four' clubs, alongside Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli, and Al-Ittihad, all of which have seen significant investment since the PIF's takeover in 2023.

During the 2023 summer transfer window, Saudi clubs collectively spent approximately £700 million, highlighted by Neymar's £77.6 million move to Al-Hilal.

Al-Hilal also acquired Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ruben Neves from Fulham and Wolves respectively, while Al-Nassr signed Alex Telles from Manchester United, Aymeric Laporte from Manchester City, Sadio Mane from Bayern Munich, and Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan.

Al-Ahli secured Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), and Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), whereas Al-Ittihad added N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), Fabinho (Liverpool), and Jota (Celtic).

Despite these acquisitions, Al-Nassr has not secured major silverware, unlike their rivals Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Hilal.

Spending Trends and Squad Changes

Following a general reduction in Saudi Arabia's spending in recent transfer windows, Al-Nassr's expenditure has fallen behind newly promoted clubs Neom SC and Al-Qadsiah since last summer.

Al-Qadsiah has signed Mateo Retegui from Atlanta and 20-year-old Ghanaian winger Christopher Bonsu Baah from Genk. Only Al-Hilal has outspent them since last summer.

Al-Nassr's summer signings included Joao Felix from Chelsea for £43.7 million and Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich, but the club has been inactive during the January transfer window despite competing in a three-way title race with Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli.

Al-Hilal, on the other hand, signed former Arsenal defender Pablo Mari and Rennes' promising French forward Mohamed Kader Meite, aged 18, during this window.

They have also been linked with a move for Karim Benz...