41-year-old’s absence follows warning issued by the Saudi Pro League on Thursday
Cristiano Ronaldo has missed a second consecutive game at Al-Nassr after being dropped for the match against Al Ittihad.
Ronaldo boycotted a league game on Monday in protest over Al-Nassr’s lack of recruitment in the January transfer window. The Portuguese star’s former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema left Al Ittihad and joined Al-Nassr’s rivals Al-Hilal, who are currently the Saudi Pro League’s most successful team.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo is yet to win a major trophy with the Saudi Pro League side he joined in 2022. He won the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023, but it is not recognised as a major trophy.
The Saudi Pro League issued a warning to the 41-year-old on Thursday that no individual “determines decisions beyond their own club”.
“Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al-Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club’s growth and ambition,” a statement from a spokesperson read. “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.”
Al-Nassr won 2-0 against Al Ittihad with goals from Sadio Mane and Angelo Gabriel, but fans backed Ronaldo, holding up placards with his name and jersey number.
No. 7️⃣🐐 pic.twitter.com/5wBeRychyT
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 6, 2026
Given the current state of events, it is now unclear what the future holds for Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. The Portuguese signed a two-year contract in 2025 worth £175m per year, making him the highest paid player in football. His contract runs out in 2027 but he has a release clause of £44m.
