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Nieuws
- 1 hour ago
£500,000-a-day Cristiano Ronaldo back for Al-Nassr after going on strike
Martin Macdonald
- 14 Feb 2026 07:30 CST
- 6 min read
Nieuws
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to return to action for Al-Nassr on Saturday after going on strike for the club's last three games.
He is currently unhappy that the club is apparently not receiving as much backing from the Saudi Public Investment Fund as other clubs in the league and was particularly perturbed when former Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema left Al-Ittihad to sign for rivals Al-Hilal.
In Ronaldo's opinion, that deal skewed the competitiveness of the league. There are rumours that he may return to his first club, Sporting CP, in the near future - possibly this summer.
He went on to miss the games against Al-Riyadh, Al-Ittihad and Arkadag. Al-Nassr won them all and didn't concede a goal.
After his demands to the PIF were made public, the Saudi Pro League released a strong statement stating that no player is bigger than the competition.
"The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules," the statement read.
"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."
When will Ronaldo retire?
Back in November, Ronaldo said he will retire "soon" but didn't give a specific timeframe.
When asked in an interview with Piers Morgan what age he thinks he will retire, he responded:
"Soon, but I think I will be prepared.
"It will be tough, it will be difficult. Probably I will cry. Yes. I’m an easy guy to cry, I don’t keep my feelings [inside]. I’m honest.
"I’m an open person.
"It will be very, very difficult. But, Piers, I prepared my future since I was 25, 26, 27.
"So, I think I will be capable to support that pressure."
Football is all Ronaldo has known since a young age and everyone knows how serious he takes competition as well as his own physical conditioning. His entire life for the past 20 years has been focused on him becoming one of the greatest players in history.
And, he doesn't think there's anything that can fill the void of playing football after retiring.
When asked the question by Morgan, he replied:
"Nothing. Nothing, I think.
"The adrenaline that we have for football, to score a goal, will be gone.
"But, everything has a beginning and an end. So, I think I will be prepared.
"But, I have other passions, I’m going to have more time for me. I’m going to have more time for my family, to raise my kids.
"I want to be more of a family person, more present."
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