The Saudi Pro League has released an official statement in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent protest. Ronaldo, who turned 41 on 5th February 2026, has been heavily in the news after missing Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League clash against Al Riyadh, with reports from Portugal claiming the forward has gone on strike.
Ronaldo was not included in the starting XI and was also absent from the substitutes’ bench, further fueling speculation about tensions behind the scenes. Despite his absence, Al Nassr secured a statement victory, maintaining their strong run of form in the league.
Away from the pitch, reports also emerged that people posted notices of Cristiano Ronaldo supposedly missing across certain streets in Saudi Arabia following his decision to absent himself from Al Nassr games and training.
In response, the Saudi Pro League released an official statement addressing the situation, this was there statement:
The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules. Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership.
Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.
Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club’s growth and ambition. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win. But no individual – however significant – determines decisions beyond their own club.
Recent transfer activity demonstrates that independence clearly. One club strengthened in a particular way. Another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions, taken within approved financial parameters.
The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, the title race is very much alive. That level of balance reflects a system that is working as intended.
The focus remains on football – on the pitch, where it belongs – and on maintaining a credible, competitive competition for players and fans.”
At this stage, Softfootball cannot confirm whether the statement will convince Ronaldo to remain with the Saudi giants Al Nassr, as the Portuguese star had threatened to leave the club not long ago.
