Ronaldo misses Al-Nassr game amid reported discontent with Saudi club

Ronaldo was not part of Al-Nassr’s 2-0 win at home, the second game he’s missed in four days due to unspecified reasons.Published On 6 Feb 2026Cristiano Ronaldo has missed his second consecutive game for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) amid reports he is unhappy with the club’s majority owner over the lack of transfer activity.The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was not in the squad when Al-Nassr faced defending champions Al-Ittihad at home on Friday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Super Bowl 60: All to know before Patriots and Seahawks NFL showpiece eventlist 2 of 4Can Pakistan be banned for boycotting India at T20 World Cup?list 3 of 4ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 explained in maps and chartslist 4 of 4A long time coming: Italy to make World Cup cricket debut on February 9end of listThe Portuguese superstar also missed their 1-0 win over Al-Riyadh on Monday, which raised questions over his long-term future at the club.Ronaldo has been unhappy with how Al-Nassr is being managed by the country’s Public Investment Fund, Portuguese outlet A Bola reported this week.The 38-year-old was said to be upset with the club’s lack of action in the January transfer window while watching rivals Al-Hilal sign Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, a former Real Madrid teammate.Without naming Ronaldo, the SPL issued a statement on Thursday emphasising that no player was bigger than the league.“The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: Every club operates independently under the same rules,” the league said.“Clubs have their own boards, executives and football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy rest with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.”Meanwhile, Al-Nassr CEO Jose Semedo has declined to comment on Ronaldo’s absence.Ronaldo is not injured, ill or out of favour with manager Jorge Jesus, ESPN reported. Neither does ‌he intend to leave Al-Nassr, who signed him to a lucrative two-year contract extension in June 2025.