Key Takeaways:
- The Saudi Pro League issued a public reminder emphasising that no player, regardless of profile, can influence league-wide decisions after doubts emerged over Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at Al-Nassr
- Karim Benzema left Al-Ittihad and moved to Al-Ahli after a fall out with the club management
- Cristiano Ronaldo was omitted from Al-Nassr’s squad for their match against Al-Riyadh on Monday and league officials are uncertain if he will feature versus Al-Ittihad today
Pro League Issues Clear Statement on Independence
Amid increasing speculation surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s satisfaction at Al-Nassr, the Saudi Pro League has issued a pointed statement confirming that decisions regarding player transfers and club operations remain strictly within the jurisdiction of individual teams. The League management stressed, “no individual, no matter how significant, determines decisions outside of their own club,” targeting mounting rumours about the Portuguese star’s potential dissatisfaction and uncertain future.
🚨 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧:
"The Saudi Pro League is built on one simple principle: each club operates independently under the same rules. Clubs have their own boards, their own executives, and their own football directors."
"Decisions regarding recruitment,… pic.twitter.com/ga1NDL1vKa
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) February 5, 2026
Ronaldo’s Situation at Al-Nassr
The 41-year-old forward was notably left out of Al-Nassr’s line-up for their domestic league meeting with Al-Riyadh on Monday. Portuguese media source A Bola reported that Ronaldo declined to participate, reportedly due to growing frustrations with the management of the club under Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Meanwhile, the BBC Sport cited transfer activity, notably Karim Benzema’s recent move from Al-Ittihad to league leaders Al-Hilal, as a contributing factor to Ronaldo’s disappointment.
While Ronaldo recently shared a training session photograph on social media on Wednesday, league representatives revealed uncertainty regarding his involvement in the upcoming fixture against Al-Ittihad, scheduled for 19:30 today.
League Structure and Recent Developments
In a statement to BBC Sport, a spokesperson for the Saudi Pro League reaffirmed the league’s governance structure, underlining that each club “operates independently under the same rules” and that boards and directors at club level handle all operational and strategic decisions. This financial and regulatory framework is designed to ensure balance and sustainability within the competition.
The spokesperson commented: “Clubs have their own boards, their own directors, and their own football management. Decisions on player signings, expenditures, and strategy are made by those clubs within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. This framework is applied equally across the whole league.” They noted that while Ronaldo remains “fully committed” to Al-Nassr and has significantly contributed since his high-profile arrival in 2022, player influence is nonetheless limited to their respective clubs.
Since joining, Ronaldo became the world’s highest-paid footballer, earning approximately 204 million euros annually. His tenure has yielded the Arab Club Champions Cup, while he has committed his future to Al-Nassr until June 2025 after signing a new two-year contract. Prior to that agreement, speculation circulated regarding his potential exit and possible loan to Al-Hilal.
During the January window, Al-Nassr’s only signing was Iraq U23 midfielder Haider Abdulkarim.
Competitive Balance and the Road Ahead
The League spokesperson commented further: “The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. Only a few points separate the top four teams, so the title race is wide open. This balance reflects a system that works as intended. The focus remains on football – on the pitch, where it belongs – and on maintaining a reliable and competitive competition for players and fans.”
