Cristiano Ronaldo sat out of Monday’s game for his Saudi club in protest of its lack of spending in the transfer window.
Ronaldo is upset that another club in the Saudi Pro League—also owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund—made more moves during the winter transfer window than his Al Nassr, according to multiple reports.
Al Hilal recently announced it acquired star Frenchman Karim Benzema, the latest in a series of signings during the past month. Ronaldo’s Al Nassr is chasing Al Hilal in the standings and after Monday’s win is one point back of the league leaders.
The PIF took over 75% stakes in four Saudi Pro League teams in 2023, months after Ronaldo joined Al Nassr. The PIF, worth roughly a trillion dollars, is Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and the engine behind LIV Golf and the country’s myriad other sports investments.
While four clubs are owned by the PIF, not all of them have equal resources. Saudi royal family member and billionaire Al-Waleed bin Talal financed several of Al Hilal’s recent signings, as announced in several press releases from the club. The prince is a longtime investor in the team, and Semafor reported in December that he is close to buying the PIF’s 75% stake in the club. (The PIF also owns a stake in the prince’s Kingdom Holding Company.)
Ronaldo, days out from his 41st birthday, is signed with Al Nassr through 2027. He has yet to win a Saudi title since leaving Manchester United to take a contract worth $75 million per year with Al Nassr in the PIF in late 2022. (He signed a two-year extension in June.) Al Nassr has already spent roughly $125 million on transfers this season, but it was quieter than Al Hilal during the winter window.
Ronaldo’s apparent beef comes at a time when the PIF is losing major star power in golf. Last month, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed announced they would leave Saudi-backed LIV to rejoin the PGA Tour.
Some reports are suggesting Ronaldo is also weighing an exit from the Saudi Pro League. Should he choose to pursue a transfer, windows are still open in several leagues, including MLS. He also reportedly has a summer release clause in his contract. Ronaldo will spend his summer in the U.S. competing for Portugal in the FIFA men’s World Cup.
