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RONALDO MISSES SECOND SAUDI PRO LEAGUE GAME DUE TO ONGOING STRIKES

Published: 2026-02-07 13:28:08 Last Updated: 2026-02-09 08:54:43

After missing Friday's Saudi Pro League match against Al Ittihad, Cristiano Ronaldo has missed two consecutive Al Nassr games. Ronaldo rejoined his Al Nassr teammates for training this week, but he was left off of manager Jorge Jesus' matchday roster.
Following reports that Saudi Arabian football officials are growing impatient with the 41-year-old, the Portuguese attacker has continued his one-man protest. Officials persuaded Ronaldo to return to the pitch, hoping that his absence from Monday's match against Al Nassr against Al Riyadh had made his point and that Friday's match would be too important for him to miss.
They think Ronaldo's protest is hurting the Kingdom's sovereign wealth funds and the Saudi Pro League's reputation. Before Friday's match, the player received a public warning from the SPL. However, Sadio Mané and Angelo Gabriel's goals helped Al Nassr defeat Al Ittihad 2-0, winning for the second straight game without Ronaldo.
They now sit one point behind leaders Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, having risen back to second place as a consequence. Ronaldo believes that his team, Al Nassr, does not receive the same level of financial support as its title rivals, Al Hilal. The Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia's national wealth fund, owns the majority of both clubs.
The attacker believes that Al Hilal is receiving preferential treatment, and he was especially upset that they bolstered their team by adding players like Karim Benzema in the January transfer window. With everything up for grabs this season, the SPL thinks its league is a fair battle. All PIF clubs get equitable and transparent league funding. The reason behind Al Nassr's lack of activity in January was that they had already spent £100 million this season.
The Player Acquisition Centre of Excellence provides league finance and financial restrictions that are intended to uphold integrity and ensure the league and teams are competitive and long-lasting.
Al Hilal defeated Al Akhdoud 6-0 on Thursday, extending their advantage over third-place Al Nassr to four points in the SPL thanks to Benzema's hat-trick on his debut. Ronaldo reportedly makes £500,000 a day, and Saudi officials are shocked that he is unhappy. Even though he turned 41 on Thursday, he still has 18 months left on his contract, which does include a £43 million (€50 million) summer release clause.
What did Ronaldo hear from the SPL? Although Ronaldo is the face of the Saudi Premier League, the league responded to the Portuguese player on Thursday night by reiterating that he does not influence events at clubs other than his own. "The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules," per a league spokesperson.

"Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league. Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club's growth and ambition. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win. But no individual - however significant - determines decisions beyond their own club. Recent transfer activity demonstrates that independence clearly. One club strengthened in a particular way. Another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions, taken within approved financial parameters.

"The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, the title race is very much alive. That level of balance reflects a system that is working as intended. The focus remains on football - on the pitch, where it belongs - and on maintaining a credible, competitive competition for players and fans."

Article Tags: Sport SPL Saudi Pro League Saudi Arabian Strike Soccer Al Nassr Cristiano Ronaldo