Cristiano Ronaldo is a well-known footballer, holding five Ballon d’Or awards and boasting 671 million Instagram followers.
When someone like him goes on strike, it grabs attention.
The former Manchester United player stopped training two weeks ago before Al-Nassr’s match against Al-Riyadh.
This led to him missing that game and the following one against Al-Ittihad.
Ronaldo’s strike is reportedly linked to concerns over Al-Nassr’s treatment by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which also owns Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad.
There’s a belief that Al-Hilal received significant signings while Al-Nassr’s transfer activities were overlooked.
In response, the Saudi Pro League stated, “The Saudi Pro League is based on a straightforward principle: each club operates independently under the same rules.”
They added, “Clubs have their own boards, executives, and leadership.”
“Decisions on recruitment, spending, and strategy are made by the clubs, adhering to a financial framework for sustainability and competitive balance that applies evenly across the league.”
“Cristiano has been engaged with Al-Nassr since his arrival and plays a key role in the club’s growth. Like any top competitor, he wants to win, but no one – no matter how important – can influence decisions beyond their club.”
“Recent transfer actions highlight this independence. One club strengthened in a specific way, while another took a different path. These were club decisions made within the approved financial limits.”
Despite these statements, reports from A Bola indicate that Ronaldo is likely to resume play soon.
The Portugal forward is expected to return for the match against Al-Fateh next weekend as part of the resolution to his protest.
Aside from transfer issues, another concern for Ronaldo was delays in payments due to Al-Nassr’s staff. The club is reportedly taking steps to resolve these payment delays, prompting Ronaldo to end his strike.