Cristiano Ronaldo wins Al-Nassr power struggle as Saudi strike comes to an end
Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to end his strike at Al-Nassr and will return to the starting line-up this weekend, although his long-term future at the club remains in doubt
Cristiano Ronaldo will return to the Al-Nassr starting line-up this weekend after ending his strike. Ronaldo has sat out of the last two matches for his club in protest at their lack of signings in the January transfer window, but has now won his power struggle.
The 41-year-old forward shocked his employers after refusing to take to the field last week. He is annoyed at Al-Nassr’s owners, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), over a lack of transfer activity at the club.
PIF owns a handful of Saudi Pro League clubs and Ronaldo watched enviously as the purse strings were loosened for Al-Ittihad to sign Karim Benzema last month. Ronaldo made his feelings clear on the subject, taking issue with Al-Nassr, the Pro League and PIF – institutions which are all intricately linked.
He sat out out matches against Al-Ittihad and Al-Riyadh, but The Times reports that he has now made himself available once again for Saturday’s game against Al-Fateh, and for the rest of the season. It comes after Al-Nassr resolved two of the issues Ronaldo had raised.
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First of all, chief executive Jose Semedo and the director of football Simão Coutinho – both close allies and Portuguese compatriots of Ronaldo – have seen their powers re-established, while club staff who had gone without pay and now also been paid.
While the situation has been resolved in the short term, Ronaldo’s long-term future in Saudi Arabia has been thrown into doubt by the argument. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United star is under contract with Al-Nassr until the end of next season, but does have a £43million release clause that will become active this summer.
He has attracted interest from Europe and the MLS, although his current wages – worth around £488,000 per day – is an obvious barrier for other clubs which don’t have the backing of an oil-rich country’s sovereign wealth fund.
While Ronaldo has ultimately emerged as the victor, a statement from a SPL spokesperson last week made it clear where the power really lies in Saudi Arabia. “The [league] is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules,” they said.
“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.”
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