Cristiano Ronaldo was absent from Al Nassr’s squad for a second straight game, sitting out Friday’s Saudi Pro League meeting with Al Ittihad despite having returned to training earlier in the week. Manager Jorge Jesus left the 41-year-old forward out as Ronaldo maintains a solitary protest over perceived unequal support at the club.
Saudi football authorities have reportedly grown impatient with Ronaldo’s stance. They had hoped his non-appearance in Monday’s fixture against Al Riyadh would be a sufficient statement and publicly urged him to rejoin the team for the higher-profile clash against Al Ittihad. Ahead of the game the SPL warned that Ronaldo’s absence was damaging the league’s image and could reflect poorly on the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund.
Al Nassr proceeded to win without him, defeating Al Ittihad 2-0 courtesy of goals from Sadio Mané and Angelo Gabriel. The result lifted Al Nassr back to second place in the table, a single point behind leaders Al Hilal.
Ronaldo’s protest is rooted in his belief that Al Nassr have not received the same level of financial backing as title rivals Al Hilal. Both clubs are majority-owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Ronaldo has been vocal about his frustration after Al Hilal strengthened their squad in January — most notably by signing Karim Benzema. Benzema scored a hat-trick on his debut as Al Hilal routed Al Akhdoud 6-0, extending their lead over third-placed Al Nassr.
The Saudi Pro League has defended the system, saying funding is transparent and applied equally across PIF-owned clubs. The league pointed to financial controls run through the Player Acquisition Center of Excellence to promote sustainability and competitive balance. The SPL also noted that Al Nassr’s relatively quieter January window reflected substantial prior spending by the club — reportedly around £100m this season.
League officials have expressed surprise at Ronaldo’s complaints given reports of his earnings, which are said to be roughly £500,000 a day. He still has about 18 months remaining on his contract, which is believed to include a summer release clause near £43m (€50m).
When asked directly, the SPL reiterated that each club operates independently within the same regulatory framework. The league said clubs have their own boards, executives and sporting leadership, and that recruitment, spending and strategy are decisions made by individual clubs within an approved financial framework. The statement acknowledged Ronaldo’s engagement with Al Nassr since his arrival and his competitive ambition, but stressed that no single person controls decisions at other clubs.
The SPL closed by urging focus on the tight title race and on preserving a credible, competitive competition for players and fans as the season continues.