The Saudi Pro League has warned Cristiano Ronaldo that no single player can make decisions beyond their club, amid uncertainty over his future at Al-Nassr. The 41-year-old was left out of Monday’s squad against Al-Riyadh after reportedly refusing to play due to frustration over how the club is run.
Ronaldo’s frustration was reportedly linked to former teammate Karim Benzema joining rivals Al-Hilal, who then thrashed Al-Okhdood 6-0 with a debut hat-trick. Both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal are backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which also owns Newcastle United.
The league stressed that each club operates independently, with decisions on transfers and strategy made internally. Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in 2022 and signed a new two-year deal in June 2025, has only won the Arab Club Champions Cup with them so far. His participation in Friday’s game against Al-Ittihad remains uncertain.
