If you haven’t been following the ongoing saga surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo and the Saudi Pro League, now’s a good time to get on board.
Ronaldo missed his second-straight game over the weekend and it was, reportedly, a decision entirely of his own choosing, sitting out the clash with Al Ittihad following his boycott of a match against Al Riyadh.
Why would a 41-year-old who remains as obsessed with winning as my six-year-old son choose to sit out two games for his club at a crucial stage of the season?
As it turns out, it’s to prove a point – namely, that he feels his club, Al Nassr, haven’t been getting treated as well (and by that, we mean they haven’t had as much money to spend) as some of the other clubs in the Pro League that are also majority-owned by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Reports speculate that it was the move of his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal that triggered the Portuguese’s frustration
The PIF has a stake in four teams in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo’s Al Nassr being one of them, but the league insisted in a statement that all of those clubs are independent and make their own choices surrounding matters such as transfer strategies.
In a rare slapdown for Ronaldo, who has generally been very positive about his experience in the Saudi kingdom, the league went on to issue a direct rebuke of the Portuguese superstar.
“The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: Every club operates independently under the same rules,” the league said.
“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.”
The statement continued: “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.”
Al Nassr are currently second, a point behind Al Hilal.
“The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself,” the league said. “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.”
While the PIF ownes those four clubs, funds for transfers comes from a “player acquisition fund” which is overseen by the Saudi Pro League. ESPN reports that the ‘big four’ of Al Nassr, Al HIlal, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli are received similar amounts before the transfer window.
Sitting out games won’t help his quest for the mythical mark of 1,000 career goals. Although, if Ronaldo listens to the advice of his former club teammate Roberto Carlos, he’ll have eternity to reach that target.
“Cristiano can’t stop, ever. If he ever decides to stop playing, I’ll call him and tell him not to stop,” he quipped to O Jogo.
“He’s one of those players who represent a lot, both for clubs and for the national team, for children, for younger players. He should never stop playing football, even if it’s just with one leg or crawling. He transmits a lot of strength and energy to any boy who wants to start.”