Cristiano Ronaldo’s strike from Al-Nassr has ended as he has been included in Al-Nassr’s squad to take on Al-Fateh on Saturday.
The 41-year-old, who is paid £488,000 per day, was pictured with his team-mates ahead of their flight.
Ronaldo missed three matches on his strike after reportedly being furious at their lack of spending on transfers compared to their rivals.
That frustration only grew deeper when Al-Nassr’s title rivals Al-Hilal were allowed to sign his old Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad.
The key context in all of this is that all three clubs, as well as Al-Ahli, are majority controlled by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Ronaldo has reportedly been aggrieved that Al-Hilal have a net spend £180million higher than that of his own team since the 2022-23 season, when he arrived.
And then, a light-hearted text from Benzema only intensified his exasperation, according to The Telegraph.
Benzema was reported to have jokingly told Ronaldo that he had received a pay-rise by moving from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal, before adding that he was going to win the Saudi Pro League again.
The French forward won the league last year with Al-Ittihad, with Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr languishing 13 points off the pace in third.
Benzema’s new side are top of the Saudi Pro League and four points clear of Ronaldo’s outfit, who sit third. Ronaldo is still searching for his first major trophy since joining in 2023.
Re-integrating Ronaldo is certainly a boost for Al-Nassr and also the Saudi Arabian football authorities, who want their league to appear as appealing as possible.
The worst-case scenario for them is that Ronaldo leaves before his contract expires in 2027.
In December, he hinted that he could finish his career elsewhere, saying: ‘my passion is high and I want to continue.
‘It doesn’t matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe.’
A recent statement shared with Daily Mail Sport from the league suggested that Ronaldo’s grievances were unfounded.
‘The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules,’ they said.
‘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.
‘Cristiano 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 spokesperson added that recent transfer activity had ‘demonstrated that independence clearly’.
A few days ago, a report by Portuguese outlet A Bola suggested that Ronaldo is also said to have been incensed over unequal treatment within the club itself, taking issue with a number of delays to salaries of staff.
Al-Nassr are thought to have settled outstanding payments in an additional attempt to see Ronaldo back on the pitch.
More to follow.
