Cristiano Ronaldo set to boycott second-successive Saudi Pro League game due to frustrations with PIF, could leave Al Nassr by June

RIYADH: Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo is set to boycott his second straight Saudi Pro League match amid frustrations with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) regarding the management and investment in the club, sources told ESPN.

The Al-Nassr star had not featured in the club’s 1-0 win over Al Riyadh on Monday, in protest of PIF’s alleged lack of investment in Al Nassr and to give their arch-rivals, Al Hilal, an advantage and greater effort.

Sources have revealed to ESPN that if no changes take place in the coming weeks, Ronaldo could be saying goodbye to the club as early as June this year, without completing his new deal, which is in effect till 2027.

Ronaldo tried to block the transfer of French football icon Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal on Monday, believing the move was unfair and that PIF wanted to pave the way for an Al Hilal title win, sources told ESPN.

Ronaldo trained with his team this week and posted pictures on social media on Wednesday wearing Al Nassr colours. But on the club’s official X, there were only pictures of coach Jorge Jesus and other teammates training, not of Cristiano.

Back on the pitch pic.twitter.com/4Dy8n0iUed

— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) February 4, 2026

The football legend has made it clear that his return depends on the quick reactivation of the powers of the team’s management and, naturally, that the interference it suffered in the recently closed transfer window does not happen again in the middle of the year.

Al Nassr, which sits at second place below Al Hilal, trailing by one point with 46 points, faces Al Ittihad, the sixth-placed side on Friday. In recent months, the sporting director of Al Nassr, Simao Coutinho and the CEO Jose Semedo were suspended from their posts by PIF. This move triggered Cristiano’s anger and hampered the arrival of top players for the team, and there was also a cut in the club’s expenses.

But as sources told ESPN, Al Hilal, on the other hand, got a massive financial booster from Saudi prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, a businessman who is also one of the club’s major benefactors, to boost their squad. Sources have also told ESPN that all of Al Hilal’s signings in this window, including Benzema, were funded by Waleed, who is a part of the group with 25 per cent ownership of the club, with the rest owned by PIF.

According to sources, Cristiano is frustrated with the situation in Saudi Arabia and has yet to win a major title with the club. He has offers from clubs across Europe and the USA, but he does not want to accept them to avoid any effect on his FIFA World Cup prep.

As per sources, with the Saudi Pro League not keen to lose one of their biggest superstars, Al Nassr and PIF have promised Cristiano big investments coming in the summer, with his Portugal teammate and Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes as one of these. (ANI)