Cristiano Ronaldo omitted from Al Nassr’s pre-season game vs St. Johann — Here’s why Jorge Jesus left him out

As Al-Nassr launched its 2025-26 preseason with a commanding victory in Austria, the absence of the team’s talismanic forward Cristiano Ronaldo sparked immediate speculation. The Saudi side kicked off preparations under new head coach Jorge Jesus with a 5-2 win over St. Johann—but Ronaldo’s name was missing from both the starting lineup and the bench.

The omission of the 40-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner left fans around the globe asking the same question: Why?

Ronaldo absent — But not for the reason fans feared

While some feared a possible injury setback or disciplinary measure, the actual reason behind Ronaldo’s absence was far more calculated. As revealed later, the Portuguese superstar had only recently rejoined the squad after an extended post-season break due to his international commitments with the Selecao national team, where he helped it win the UEFA Nations League earlier this summer.

“It starts now. Eyes on the future. We are all in!” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram upon returning to training on Friday, July 25, just one day before the opening friendly.

Given the short turnaround between his arrival and the match, head coach Jorge Jesus—who is beginning his first preseason in charge—opted to rest Ronaldo rather than risk him unnecessarily in a low-stakes friendly.

According to Al-Riyadh, Ronaldo, along with several other senior players, including Nawaf Al-Aqidi and Ali Al-Hassan, took part in a separate evening fitness session to regain match sharpness. The plan is to gradually reintegrate him, with his preseason debut likely coming in the next friendly against Toulouse on July 30.

Despite Ronaldo’s absence, Al-Nassr put on an impressive display, defeating Austrian third-division side SK St. Johann 5-2. Goals from Sadio Mane, Abdulrahman Ghareeb, Mohamed Simakan, Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem, and a St. Johann own goal ensured a comfortable win in Jesus’ first match at the helm.

When will Ronaldo return?

With a few more training sessions under his belt, the 40-year-old veteran is expected to make his preseason debut against Toulouse at the Untersberg-Arena on July 30. Additional friendlies against Sheffield United (August 2) and Almeria (August 10) will follow, all building toward the season’s competitive start in the Saudi Super Cup semifinal against Al Ittihad.

For now, his absence is no cause for concern, just a part of the long-term plan to prepare him for another relentless season.