Is Cristiano Ronaldo Still On ‘Strike’ As Saudi Soccer Thrown Into Chaos?

Cristiano Ronaldo has broken his silence following reports he has gone on strike at Al-Nassr. The Portugal superstar did not feature in Al-Nassr’s last league fixture against Al-Riyadh on Monday amid speculation he had refused to play after being left unhappy at the PIF’s lack of transfer activity at his club compared to others owned by the fund. Ronaldo posts Al-Nassr update Ronaldo has now posted a picture of himself in training at Al-Nassr and has added a couple of heart emojis in the club’s colors which appear to show his commitment to the club. The team are currently preparing for their next match against Al-Ittihad on Friday in the Saudi Pro League. Al-Ittihad have just waved goodbye to star striker Karim Benzema, who has completed a move to Al-Hilal, a transfer which is thought to have angered Ronaldo. The Portugal superstar has reportedly been left frustrated at seeing one of his team’s key title rivals strengthened this winter, while Al-Nassr have overseen a quiet January window, signing only under-23 midfielder Haydeer Abdulkareem. Chaos in Saudi Pro League Ronaldo’s absence from Al-Nassr’s last fixture, and Benzema’s subsequent move to Al-Hilal, has thrown the Saudi Pro League into chaos in the middle of the season. Benzema has joined the league leaders, who currently sit one point clear of Ronaldo’s Nassr after 19 games played, and will be hoping to finish the season on top of the pile. Benzema won the Saudi Pro League previously in 2024-25, while Ronaldo has famously yet to win a trophy since moving to the Middle East. Benzema has explained his decision to make the move, telling the club’s media: “Clear message — you know my mentality — I have a lot of ambition. I will work; I will give everything on the pitch. I will help this team and, Inshallah, bring trophies, because for me it’s more important to bring trophies. And we have a good team, good fans, so together, Inshallah, we will do it. I feel good. I’m happy to be here after my first training with the team and the coach. I’m so happy and glad to be part of this team. It’s a great team with a great history; they won a lot of trophies. It’s like Real Madrid here in Asia, you know.” ‘Ask Ronaldo what’s wrong’ Al-Hilal CEO Esteve Calzado has been asked about the situation regarding Ronaldo amid talk of a strike. However, the club chief feels that’s a question that only the Portugal international can answer. He told Cadena SER: “You should ask him. We are focusing on ourselves. In the end, it’s not like they [Al-Nassr] had a bad summer transfer window with Joao Felix [and Kingsley] Coman arriving. There’s a rivalry and a passion in this country that I never would have imagined; I thought I’d seen it all. People have gone crazy with the [Benzema] signing. We were looking to sign a striker, and a unique opportunity came up. A Ballon d’Or winner, with a spectacular talent-the statistics speak for themselves. On top of that, he doesn’t have to adapt to our league. It all fell into place, it was made possible. We’re absolutely thrilled. I’m not surprised Benzema chose us, because ultimately Al-Hilal is the most popular and powerful club not only in Saudi Arabia, but also in Asia. We’re ready to compete for all the titles, and we’re in a good position to do so this season.” When will Ronaldo return? It still remains to be seen when Ronaldo will return to competitive action for Al-Nassr. His latest update suggests he may well be available for Friday’s match against Al-Ittihad, although there has been speculation he will once again miss out for Jorge Jesus’s side. All eyes will certainly be on the Al-Nassr team sheet on Friday to see if Ronaldo is back and ready to lead his team out once again.