Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at Al-Nassr has been thrown into uncertainty after the Portuguese forward was left out of the squad for Monday’s Saudi Pro League fixture against Al-Riyadh, fuelling fresh speculation about tensions behind the scenes.
Portuguese newspaper A Bola reported that the 40-year-old has grown increasingly dissatisfied with the club’s management under Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which controls several top clubs in the kingdom, including Al-Hilal. Sources close to the situation said Ronaldo is frustrated by what he perceives as an imbalance in sporting ambition and investment.
Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in December 2022 after leaving Manchester United, signing a contract that made him the highest-paid player in football history, reportedly earning around £177 million per year. Despite his prolific goal-scoring record, his only silverware with the club remains the Arab Club Champions Cup won in 2023. He signed a new two-year deal in June 2025, extending his stay until 2027.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has continued to deliver on the pitch. He finished as the Saudi Pro League’s top scorer in each of the past two seasons and recently reached 961 career goals, edging closer to his stated target of 1,000. Yet team success has proved elusive. Al-Nassr finished runners-up in the league twice before dropping to third place last season, 13 points behind champions Al-Ittihad, and also lost the 2023-24 King’s Cup final on penalties to Al-Hilal.
Ronaldo’s frustrations have reportedly been compounded by the success of rival clubs. Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli have all lifted major trophies since PIF’s takeover of Saudi football in 2023, while Al-Nassr have fallen short in domestic and continental competitions, including elimination in the Asian Champions League Elite semi-finals last season.
Investment patterns have also shifted. While Saudi clubs spent heavily in 2023, new financial regulations introduced in mid-2025 have pushed teams toward a more restrained model. Al-Nassr, though still competitive, have reportedly lagged behind rivals and even newly promoted sides in transfer spending in recent windows, adding to perceptions that they are losing ground at the top.
For now, neither Ronaldo nor Al-Nassr have publicly commented on the reasons behind his omission. But his absence, coupled with reports of internal dissatisfaction, has reignited debate over whether one of football’s most decorated players will see out his contract in Riyadh — or whether another high-profile chapter in his career is approaching a dramatic turning point.
