Cristiano Ronaldo is believed to have called time on his protest strike at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr after the club are thought to have yielded to a number of his demands, according to reports in Portugal.
The footballing behemoth has missed two games in a row for his Riyadh-based team, despite raking in an immense £448,000-per-week salary.
The 40-year-old is said to have been incensed by a lack of action and ambition in the transfer window, after Ronaldo watched league rival – and fellow Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) club – Al-Hilal tempt his former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad.
As per A Bola, Al-Nassr is thought to have reinstated certain powers to directors Jose Semedo and Simao Coutinho, both of whom are alleged to have had their wings clipped preventing the club from making moves during the January window.
Semedo was appointed chief executive at the club in July, and is a close friend of Ronaldo, while sporting director Coutinho was similarly appointed over the summer.
However, 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.
Cristiano Ronaldo is believed to have ended his strike at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr
His fury is believed to have stemmed from his perception that the club lacks the ambition of their rivals in the transfer window
Al-Nassr is thought to have settled outstanding payments in an additional attempt to see Ronaldo back on the pitch.
The former Manchester United man will now prepare for his return to action not with the squad in their AFC Cup away tie against Turkmenistan side Arkadag in midweek, but when the Saudi Pro League resumes on Saturday against Al-Fateh.
Ronaldo had been training since Friday amid his protest at the club, but opted not to feature against Al-Ittihad that evening.
Regardless, the hosts ran out the 2-0 winners on the night, and they won 1-0 without him the previous Monday against Al-Riyadh too.
The source of Ronaldo’s ire – Benzema’s transfer to Al-Hilal – may have been inflamed by the French international immediately getting off the mark for his new club with two goals scored on his debut.
Ronaldo is thought to have been unimpressed by his club’s own approach to the transfer window, which saw them only introduce one player – a young midfielder – into their ranks this winter.
But last week, a statement shared with Daily Mail Sport from the league suggested his claims were unfounded.
‘The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules,’ they said.
Although Ronaldo was not present for his club’s last two matches his presence was deeply felt
Ronaldo and his family are settled in the Gulf State, where he has become the world’s highest paid professional footballer
‘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’.
‘One club strengthened in a particular way,’ they said. ‘Another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions, taken within approved financial parameters.
‘The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, the title race is very much alive. That level of balance reflects a system that is working as intended.
‘The focus remains on football – on the pitch, where it belongs – and on maintaining a credible, competitive competition for players and fans.’
Since arriving at the Saudi side in January 2023, Ronaldo has failed to win major silverware, and missed on league success to rivals including Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal.
