-
News
- 7 Feb 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo makes final decision on Saudi strike as new demands revealed
Tom Weber
- Updated: 9 Feb 2026 19:03 GMT
- 4 min read
News
Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to end his strike, and he will be available for Al-Nassr again at the weekend, according to Portuguese media.
The 41-year-old went AWOL last week when it became clear that his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema would join Al-Hilal after a contract dispute with Al-Ittihad.
Ronaldo took exception to what he believed was preferential treatment by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Al-Nassr's Riyadh rivals and main competitors for the Pro League title.
Current ETV
Cristiano Ronaldo
F (C)
Al-Nassr
Cristiano Ronaldo
F (C)
Al-Nassr
ETV Range
€9.4M - €11.5M
He was also upset that Al-Hilal were able to spend big in January, while Al-Nassr only signed two minor reinforcements. This prompted the Pro League to release a strong statement insisting that all clubs are treated equally.
The signing of Benzema, for example, was funded privately and not with the allocated PIF budget. Al-Nassr could also have tried to sign the Frenchman with private backing.
Ronaldo ends Saudi strike
The Portuguese declared himself unavailable for Al-Nassr's two games last week, which included a crunch clash against Al-Ittihad, but he continued to train with his teammates.
Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano repeatedly insisted that Ronaldo was angry at the PIF and not Al-Nassr. However, A Bola has now provided an update on the situation and revealed that there were internal issues as well.
The report claims that the 41-year-old was also frustrated with Al-Nassr for failing to pay employees on time. Additionally, Ronaldo was frustrated that directors Jose Semedo and Simao Coutinho, whom he had a hand in hiring, had their influence curtailed by the club in December.
Both issues, the Portuguese outlet writes, have now been cleared up. All outstanding payments have been made, and Semedo and Coutinho have regained their previous powers. As a result, Ronaldo has agreed to end his strike.
However, the striker will not be available for Wednesday's Champions League clash against Turkmen side Arkadag. Instead, he will make his comeback against Al-Fateh in the Pro League on Saturday.
The report states that "the showdown ended with a complete victory for the Portuguese player," but Ronaldo's misgivings with the PIF have yet to be resolved. His future will therefore continue to be the subject of speculation.
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