Cristiano Ronaldo ‘goes on strike and refuses to play’ for his Saudi club
Cristiano Ronaldo has sent shockwaves through the Saudi Pro League by reportedly refusing to play for Al-Nassr in today’s clash against Al-Riyadh. The 40-year-old superstar, who earns an estimated £488,000 per day, is said to be on strike in a high-stakes protest against the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
According to reports from Portuguese outlet A Bola and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Ronaldo’s absence is not due to injury or fitness management but is a calculated move to express his fury over the club’s recent transfer activity. The captain believes Al-Nassr is being treated unfairly by the PIF, which also controls rivals Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli.
“Ronaldo is unhappy with the way the PIF is managing the club he has represented for three years, especially compared to the treatment given to rival clubs,” a source at the club reportedly told A Bola. His frustration stems from a quiet January window for Al-Nassr—whose only major signing was 21-year-old Haydeer Abdulkareem—while Al-Hilal continues to spend heavily on players like Kader Meite.
The timing of the strike is particularly damaging as Al-Nassr sits just three points behind league leaders Al-Hilal. Ronaldo, who has scored 18 goals in 22 games this season, reportedly feels that manager Jorge Jesus has been denied the reinforcements necessary to secure his first domestic trophy in Saudi Arabia.
Further complicating the crisis are internal power shifts at the club. Recent reports suggest that two of Ronaldo’s closest allies—CEO José Semedo and Sporting Director Simão Coutinho—have seen their influences frozen by the board, leaving the Portuguese icon feeling increasingly isolated in Riyadh.
With Al-Nassr desperate to reclaim the top spot, the absence of their talisman against Al-Riyadh could have dire consequences for their title ambitions. The standoff now puts the PIF in a difficult position: address the demands of the world’s most famous athlete or risk a permanent rift with the face of the Saudi football project.
