If you haven’t been keeping up with the developing situation involving Cristiano Ronaldo and the Saudi Pro League, now is a good moment to catch up.
Ronaldo missed his second consecutive match over the weekend, and reports suggest it was entirely his own decision. He chose not to feature against Al Ittihad after previously sitting out a game versus Al Riyadh.
Why would a 41-year-old who remains fiercely driven to win decide to skip two crucial fixtures for his club at such an important point in the season?
The answer appears to be that he wanted to make a statement — specifically, that he believes his club Al Nassr has not been supported in the same way (financially, in terms of transfers) as some other Saudi Pro League teams that are also majority owned by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Reports indicate that the move of his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal was a key factor in triggering Ronaldo’s frustration.
The PIF holds stakes in four Saudi clubs, including Al Nassr, but the league stressed in an official statement that each club operates independently and makes its own decisions regarding issues such as transfer policy.
In an unusually firm response to Ronaldo — who has largely spoken positively about his time in Saudi Arabia — the league issued a direct rebuttal to the Portuguese star.
“The Saudi Pro League is built on one clear principle: every club functions independently under the same regulations,” the league said.
“Each club has its own board, management and football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and long-term strategy are made by those clubs within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally to all teams.”
The statement went on: “Cristiano has been fully committed to Al Nassr since his arrival and has played a key role in the club’s progress and ambitions.
“Like any top-level competitor, he wants to win. But no single individual — regardless of their status — controls decisions beyond their own club.
“Recent transfer business clearly shows that independence. One club strengthened in a certain way, while another took a different path. These were club decisions made within approved financial limits.”
Al Nassr currently sit in second place, just one point behind leaders Al Hilal.
“The league’s competitiveness speaks for itself,” the statement added. “With only a small gap separating the top four teams, the title race remains wide open. This balance reflects a system that is working as intended.
“The priority remains football — on the pitch where it belongs — and maintaining a credible and competitive league for both players and supporters.”
Although the PIF owns stakes in the four clubs, transfer funding comes from a centralized “player acquisition fund” managed by the Saudi Pro League. ESPN reports that the so-called ‘big four’ — Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli — receive similar allocations before each transfer window.
Missing matches will not help Ronaldo in his pursuit of the legendary milestone of 1,000 career goals. However, if he follows the advice of former teammate Roberto Carlos, time will always be on his side.
“Cristiano can never stop,” Roberto Carlos joked to *O Jogo*. “If he ever thinks about retiring, I’ll call him and tell him not to.
“He’s one of those players who means so much — to clubs, to the national team, to children and young players. He should never stop playing football, even if it’s with one leg or crawling. He passes on strength and energy to every kid who dreams of starting out.”
