Cristiano Ronaldo Returns to Training—But Al Nassr Row Is Far From Over

A summer departure from Saudi Arabia is increasingly feasible.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains unhappy at Al Nassr. | Mohammed Saad/Anadolu/Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo may have returned to training with Al Nassr, but reports claim his row over the direction of the club is by no means close to a resolution.

Ronaldo refused to play for his club earlier this week amid frustrations over a perceived lack of investment from the Public Investment Fund (PIF) during the January transfer window, which featured no significant signings to counter ongoing investment by title favorites Al Hilal, including the acquisition of Karim Benzema from defending champions Al Ittihad.

A social media post confirmed Ronaldo’s return to training, but ESPN state he is not expected to end his matchday boycott and could sit out Friday’s meeting with Al Ittihad in a continued display of frustration.

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What Is Ronaldo Frustrated About?

Karim Benzema’s move to Al Hilal was the final straw. | Lampson Yip/Clicks Images/Getty Images

Al Nassr are one of four clubs owned by the Saudi PIF, alongside Al Hilal, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli. All four clubs have spent heavily in recent years and have offered immense wages to lure players away from Europe, but Ronaldo’s belief is that Al Nassr have not received the same level of financial backing as their rivals.

Indeed, in January, Ronaldo wanted reinforcements to help boost his side’s pursuit of the league title, but the only arrivals were Saudi striker Abdullah Al-Hamdan and 21-year-old Iraqi midfielder Haydeer Abdulkareem.

Al Hilal, meanwhile, spent €30 million ($35.4 million) on striker Mohamed Kader Meïté to operate as cover for the newly acquired Benzema, with a further €40 million spent on Saïmon Bouabré, Pablo Marí, Murad Al-Hawsawi, Rayan Al-Dossary and Sultan Mandash.

It was Benzema’s €25 million transfer which truly irked Ronaldo. The Portugal star tried to block the move, which was bankrolled by Al Hilal’s separate private benefactor Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, a Saudi prince and billionaire businessman, but was unsuccessful.

Ronaldo is arguing that Al Nassr, who are permitted to take on their own private investment, have not fulfiled their promises of spending on the squad compared to those teams around him.

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Could Ronaldo Leave Al Nassr?

Ronaldo is considering his future with Al Nassr. | Khalid Alhaj/MB Media/Getty Images

Under contract until the summer of 2027, it stands to reason that Al Nassr do not have to worry about losing Ronaldo against their will, although the exact nature of the balance of power in Saudi Arabia is unclear.

Reports state Ronaldo is now seriously considering leaving at the end of the season, staying for the next few months solely to avoid complicating his preparations for the World Cup this summer.

Informal approaches have already been received but, even if Ronaldo chooses to pursue an exit, Al Nassr will have to give their approval in negotiations with any interested clubs.

Intriguingly, Ronaldo’s contract is understood to include a release clause of €50 million to force Al Nassr’s hand, but whether any team would commit to such a significant outlay for a 41-year-old is up for debate.

Understandably, Saudi officials are incredibly reluctant to lose their headline player—one who attracts more attention than any other on the planet—but they will be reluctant to upset someone of Ronaldo’s immense influence while still fighting the battle to convince the world of their legitimacy as a sporting superpower.

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