Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The Saudi Professional League has warned Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo that “no one, no matter how important, can make decisions outside the purview of his club.” This comes amid growing speculation about his dissatisfaction with the way transfers are handled within clubs owned by the Public Investment Fund.
This came after Ronaldo was left out of Al-Nassr’s squad for the team’s match against Al-Riyadh. The match was held on Monday as part of the Saudi Professional League.
The Portuguese newspaper A Bola reported that Ronaldo refused to participate in the match due to his growing dissatisfaction with the way the club is being managed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Meanwhile, BBC Sport stated that the transfer of Frenchman Karim Benzema to Al-Hilal from Al-Ittihad was one of the main reasons behind the Al-Nassr captain’s frustration.
A spokesperson for the Saudi Professional League explained to BBC Sport that each club operates independently within a unified organizational and financial framework. He added, “The Saudi Professional League is based on a clear principle: each club has its own board of directors, executive management, and sporting leadership. Decisions regarding contracts, spending, and strategy are made within the club itself, within a financial framework that ensures sustainability and competitive balance”.
He added: “No one, no matter how important, controls decisions outside of his club, and recent transfer moves clearly reflect this independence”.
The report indicated that Ronaldo posted a picture of himself returning to training. However, league officials remain uncertain about his participation in Al-Nassr’s upcoming match against Al-Ittihad.
The spokesperson for the Saudi Professional League confirmed that the title race remains fierce, noting that the close points standings among the leading teams reflect the strength and balance of the competition. He emphasized that the title race will ultimately be decided on the pitch.
Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in 2022 after leaving Manchester United. He signed a new two-year contract in June 2025, despite his only title with the club being the Arab Champions League.
