Why Has Cristiano Ronaldo Been Left Out of Al Nassr's Squad to Face Al Zawraa?

Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr have had a strong start to the new season, sitting top of the Saudi Pro League with four wins from four.

The recent win came against 2024-25 champions Al-Ittihad, with Ronaldo scoring the second goal in a 2-0 victory. The Knights of Najd have also advanced through the next round of the King's Cup and are top of their group in the AFC Cup.

This is Al Nassr! This is who we are! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uh5e9vRNbv
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) September 26, 2025

The second game of the competition is on October 1, as they face the Iraqi side Al-Zawraa in Matchday 2. The former Real Madrid man has not travelled with the squad, and head coach Jorge Jesus has revealed why in his press conference.

Head Coach Jorge Jesus Revals Why Cristiano Ronaldo is Not in the Squad

Cristiano Ronaldo will not feature in the AFC Cup against Al-Zawraa, having not travelled for the away game. Head coach Jorge Jesus revealed to the media why the Portuguese international has been left out of the squad.

I thought this was the best time to rest Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s currently 40 years old, and we fear he might suffer injuries, that’s why I decided to exclude him.”
Jorge Jesus

It's not the first time Ronaldo has been left out of the team by the new head coach; this happened in the King's Cup game against Jeddah Club on September 23. The forward this time was in the squad. However, he sat on the bench and watched his side book their place in the Round of 16 with a 4-0 win.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr — IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The rest was appreciated, as the next game was against last year's SPL champions, and Ronaldo had an excellent match. The club has brought in some added quality alongside the players they already had, which has allowed them to rest the 40-year-old in games they should win, without weakening the team too drastically.

The Al-Nassr captain signed a new contract with the club this past summer, keeping him there for two more seasons. The Saudi team also brought in a head coach with a history of winning, especially in the SPL. The Portuguese legend is desperate to win the league in the next two seasons, meaning he has won every league title he has played in.

If Ronado can achieve that and win the World Cup in 2025 with Portugal, it would be hard to deny him the 'greatest of all time' tag.

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