Cristiano Ronaldo made his return to Al Nassr’s squad for Saturday’s clash against Al Fateh after sitting out the previous two Saudi Pro League fixtures and promptly found the net.
He started as captain alongside fellow forwards João Félix, Sadio Mané, and Kingsley Coman, needing only 18 minutes to score.
Al Nassr secured a 2-0 victory over Al Fateh, with Ayman Yahya contributing a late second goal. This win lifted Al Nassr to second place in the Saudi Pro League, just one point behind leaders Al Hilal.
According to ESPN, Ronaldo had skipped matches against Al Ittihad and Al Riyadh earlier this month due to dissatisfaction with the club’s financial support during the recent transfer window.
Ronaldo expressed frustration with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) for not investing in the team, especially while rivals Al Hilal—also 75% owned by the PIF—acquired his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad.
yet, sources informed ESPN earlier this week that Ronaldo opted to return for Saturday’s league match after the PIF addressed his key concerns, including settling Al Nassr’s overdue salaries and restoring management autonomy to the club’s executives.
Following his protest, the Saudi Pro League issued a statement affirming the independence of clubs in managing their finances as they see fit.
“Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al Nassr since his arrival and has played a significant role in the club’s growth and aspirations. Like any elite competitor, he is driven to win. yet, no individual—regardless of their stature—has the authority to make decisions beyond their own club,” the league commented.
Ronaldo’s goal on Saturday marked his 18th of the season, placing him level with Al Qadsiah’s Julián Quiñones in the Golden Boot race, but just two behind Al Ahli’s Ivan Toney.
