Cristiano Ronaldo Faces Uncertain Future at Al-Nassr Amid Squad Exclusion

Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved an impressive tally of 91 goals in 95 appearances for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

However, the football icon has been excluded from the squad for two consecutive matches, stirring speculation regarding his future at the Saudi Arabian club. The 41-year-old notably missed Al-Nassr’s recent 1-0 victory against Al-Riyadh.

According to the Portuguese outlet A Bola, Ronaldo’s absence from the squad is attributed to his dissatisfaction with the club’s management under Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which oversees Al-Nassr.

In response to the situation, the Saudi Pro League acknowledged Ronaldo’s significant contributions to the club’s growth and ambitions but emphasized that no single individual, regardless of their status, influences decisions beyond their own club.

Al-Nassr is set to face Al-Ittihad at 17:30 GMT.

Since joining Al-Nassr after departing Manchester United in December 2022, Ronaldo has become the highest-paid player in football history, earning an annual salary of £177 million. Although the club, which has claimed 10 Saudi Pro League titles, heralded his signing as “history in the making,” Ronaldo has only secured the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 since his arrival.

In June 2025, Ronaldo signed a new two-year contract, further extending his tenure at the club. Both Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, which boasts 19 league titles and is the most successful club in the country, are managed by the PIF, which also supports Newcastle United.

Recent developments have indicated that Ronaldo’s frustration may have been exacerbated by former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema’s transfer to Al-Hilal from Al-Ittihad earlier this week. Benzema, who is 38 years old, made an immediate impact by scoring a hat-trick in his debut match against Al-Okhdood, contributing to a resounding 6-0 victory.

Currently, Al-Nassr sits third in the league standings, four points behind leaders Al-Hilal.