Saudi Pro League warns Cristiano Ronaldo no player determines decisions beyond their club
The league issued a statement after Ronaldo skipped Al Nassr's match, citing disputes over transfer strategy and the Public Investment Fund's control.
7 hrs ago
The Saudi Pro League issued a formal statement Friday warning Cristiano Ronaldo that "no individual — however significant — determines decisions beyond their own club," following the Portugal forward's absence from Al Nassr's squad.
Ronaldo, 41, did not play in Al Nassr's 1-0 victory over Al Riyadh on Monday night. Reports indicated he refused to participate in protest over how the club is being run. Doubts also surround whether he will feature in a scheduled match against Al Ittihad on Friday.
The league's statement addressed the structure and governance of Saudi clubs. "The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: each club operates independently under the same rules. Clubs have their own boards of directors, their own executives and their own football direction," the league said. "Decisions regarding recruitment, spending and strategy fall to them, within a financial framework designed to ensure financial sustainability and competitive balance."
Ronaldo's frustration stems from transfer activity during the January window. According to reports, the primary source of his dissatisfaction was the move of French striker Karim Benzema, 38, from Al-Ittihad to league leaders Al-Hilal earlier this week. Benzema scored a hat-trick on his debut for Al-Hilal in a 6-0 win over Al-Okhdood on Thursday. Ronaldo believed Al Nassr's hierarchy did not adequately strengthen the squad during the transfer period.
Al Nassr's only significant signing in January was Abdullah Al-Hamdan, a Saudi Arabia international centre-forward. The club is controlled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which owns 75 percent of Al Nassr. The PIF also holds the same stakes in Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli, the country's four major clubs.
The league's statement acknowledged this structure while emphasizing club independence. "Although the PIF is in command of financial management of the four main teams in the country, each club operates independently according to the same rules. Decisions regarding recruitment, spending and strategy are the responsibility of these clubs, in a financial system designed to ensure financial sustainability and competitive balance," the statement said.
Ronaldo, who earns more than £175 million annually at Al Nassr, signed a two-year contract extension in June that included a €50 million release clause. The 41-year-old, a former Manchester United and Real Madrid player, posted a picture of himself training on Wednesday following his absence from the Al Riyadh match.