Ronaldo delusional about his role at Al Nassr, says Saudi football expert

Cristiano Ronaldo takes a penalty during the Al Nassr vs Al Fayah match in the Saudi Pro League at the Al Awwal Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Nov. 1, 2025. Photo by Reuters

Al-Faraj, an influential sports commentator in Saudi Arabia, offered his critique on the MBC Action program "Action ma’a Walid," addressing Ronaldo's reported strike before Al Nassr's match against Al Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League on Feb. 2.

"Ronaldo is a world-class player who came here as an ambassador for the football project of Saudi Arabia," Al-Faraj said. "But he has mistaken being an ambassador for an executive."

The 56-year-old analyst noted that while the club attempted to control the narrative by citing rest as the reason for the captain's absence, rumors quickly emerged from the media. Speculation swirled regarding the possibility of Ronaldo leaving Saudi Arabia to return to Portugal, contact Manchester United, or consider a move to the U.S.

According to Al-Faraj, these leaks were "a form of media and psychological warfare" from Ronaldo's crew.

"Everything was blown out of proportion as if a major crisis was about to happen, when in reality it was just personal frustration," Al-Faraj added. "Such behavior is inappropriate for an Al Nassr player."

He further claimed that while Ronaldo was frustrated, the primary reason was not Karim Benzema's move from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal. Al-Faraj argued that the dissatisfaction has been building for a long time due to Al Nassr's performance compared to other major teams within the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) ecosystem.

Since Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in early 2023, Al Hilal have won the domestic league, the King Cup and two Super Cup titles, while Al Ittihad won a domestic double last season and Al Ahli triumphed in the AFC Champions League Elite and the Super Cup.

Al Nassr only won the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup, which is not considered an official title, alongside two runner-up finishes in the Saudi Pro League and the 2024 King Cup.

This expert warned that if Ronaldo continues to refuse to play against Al Ittihad on Feb. 6, the relationship between him, Al Nassr and Saudi Arabian football could enter a completely different phase.

However, Portuguese media reported that Ronaldo is showing signs of calming down.

According to Record, Ronaldo did not leave Riyadh, or miss any team training sessions, contrary to earlier speculation.

Several Saudi Arabian journalists have also confirmed the likelihood of Ronaldo returning to training. Despite this, Record said that the superstar's return does not necessarily imply a long-term commitment, noting that Ronaldo is still considering leaving Al Nassr after the 2025-2026 season for options in Europe or the MLS, rather than Portugal.

Ronaldo's performance in Saudi Arabia remains undeniable. He has scored 18 goals and provided three assists in 22 matches across all competitions this season.

The Portuguese striker currently sits second in the Saudi Pro League top scorer race with 17 goals, one behind Al Ahli's Ivan Toney.