Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Silence After Ending Al Nassr Strike in Perfect Way

Ronaldo’s behavior has been addressed by Portugal national team manager Roberto Martínez.

Cristiano Ronaldo sat out three matches for Al Nassr. | Mohammed Saad/Anadolu/Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo looked to the future with his social media message after scoring upon his return to Al Nassr’s first team on Saturday.

The 41-year-old veteran had missed three successive games for the club funding his world-leading salary before finding the net 18 minutes into this weekend’s trip to Al Fateh. The first two fixtures—which Al Nassr won—were skipped by Ronaldo as part of a protest against the club’s supposed lack of transfer ambition.

Ronaldo brought an end to this strike in the week reportedly because Al Nassr had agreed to pay a series of overdue salaries for other staff members. Two of the Portuguese forward’s closest allies on the board also happened to have their powers reinstated ahead of what many expect to be a more active summer transfer window.

“Another step forward,” Ronaldo wrote on X after he opened the scoring in a 2–0 win for Al Nassr following the conclusion of his strike. “Let’s keep going.”

After the unseemly fallout from his very public tantrum, it’s understandable why Ronaldo would want to shift the focus forward rather than look back at his most recent actions.

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Ronaldo Faces Fight for Saudi Pro League Top Scorer Title

Ivan Toney has been in fine form for Al Ahli. | Getty/Yasser Bakhsh

Ronaldo’s crisp side-foot into the far corner may have been the 962nd goal of his senior career for club and country, taking his tally to 18 in 19 Saudi Pro League games this season. However, he is not the most prolific scorer in the Kingdom’s top flight.

That distinction currently belongs to former Brentford forward Ivan Toney. The England international has rattled in 20 goals across as many league outings this season for Al Ahli, who sit just two points behind Al Nassr in third place.

Toney owes his lofty standing to a post-Christmas burst. Since the turn of the year, the 29-year-old has racked up 14 goals in just 10 games. Ronaldo can only boast five strikes in 2026, with his ratio not particularly aided by self-imposed exile.

Ronaldo isn’t even alone with his tally of 18 goals—28-year-old Mexico international Julián Quiñones has also amassed the same haul for Al Qadsiah this season.

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Ronaldo’s Behavior Defended by Portugal Manager

The decision over Cristiano Ronaldo's (right) international career is a huge call for Portugal manager Roberto Martínez. | MAURICE VAN STEEN/ANP/Getty Images

While some have questioned quite how Ronaldo has the nerve to refuse to play for a side which pays him more than $700,000 per day Portugal national team manager Roberto Martínez has been quick to leap to his player’s defense.

The international coach was asked by BBC Sport what it was like managing a character with the ego and global renown of Ronaldo. “Very easy,” Martínez smiled, “because of his high standards, his expectations of how the work should be done and his commitment to the game. He truly is an example of what you should do to represent Portugal and the national team.

“And now he’s adapted, obviously, after 21 years in the national team—he’s adjusted. He’s a goalscorer, he’s an important player for us, and it’s the player that he is now that is important for me. As a national team coach, a player that has scored 25 goals in the last 30 international games... it’s not that he’s playing because of what he’s done in the past, it’s what he’s done now.”

Ronaldo turned 41 in February and will become the second-oldest outfield player in men’s World Cup history should he be picked for this summer’s tournament. There is little doubt in Martínez’s mind that his increasingly immobile center forward is up to the task.

“We got all the stats,” the manager insisted. “If you were going to analyse a player that is dropping at physical level, that’s not the case. His physical stats are of a player that could go on and on and on. I think it’s more a question of when he’ll feel that is the right time. I think he’s a player that is very critical with himself. When he doesn’t see that he can help the team, he’ll be the one that will decide when to stop.”

As Al Nassr found out, Ronaldo decides when he stops and when he starts again.

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