Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr has three more friendlies left after Benfica B setback, but will he feature?

Cristiano Ronaldo was absent as Al-Nassr began a new chapter under head coach Ange Postecoglou, but the biggest question surrounding the Saudi champion now is when its captain will finally make his preseason debut. After an unexpected defeat in the Australian manager’s first match, attention has quickly shifted to the club’s remaining friendly schedule and whether the Portuguese icon will feature before the new campaign begins.

Al-Nassr suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat to Benfica B in a behind-closed-doors friendly in Lisbon, giving Postecoglou a difficult start to life with the Riyadh club. While the result itself raised eyebrows, Ronaldo’s absence generated just as much discussion among supporters eager to see the veteran striker back in action.

The preseason opener was played in an unusual format, consisting of two 30-minute halves, allowing both coaching staffs to manage player workloads while evaluating different combinations. Al-Nassr looked sharp early, with Abdulmalik Al-Jaber scoring after just four minutes to hand the Saudi champion an early advantage.

The promising start quickly faded as Benfica’s reserve side responded with two unanswered goals to secure a 2-1 victory. The defeat handed Postecoglou an early reminder that there is plenty of work ahead before the competitive season begins.

According to Ariyadhiah, the Australian coach wasted little time reacting to the result, ordering an additional training session immediately after the match as preparations continued in Portugal.

Why Ronaldo did not play

The Portuguese captain is currently enjoying an extended recovery period following Portugal’s run at the 2026 World Cup, where the national team was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Spain.

Rather than rushing their biggest star back into action, Al-Nassr’s coaching staff and management have chosen to prioritize recovery before integrating him into preseason training.

No official return date has been confirmed, although reports indicate he is expected to rejoin training next week before gradually building his fitness for the upcoming season.

Three friendlies remain before the new campaign

Al-Nassr still has three preseason matches scheduled in Europe, providing valuable opportunities for Postecoglou to implement his tactical ideas before competitive football returns.

The remaining fixtures are:

• July 28: Mérida (Spain)
• August 1: Estrela Amadora (Portugal)
• August 4: Almería (Spain)

Based on current reports, Ronaldo is not expected to feature against Mérida, while his chances of playing against Estrela Amadora remain uncertain due to his conditioning program. The friendly against Almería on August 4 is widely viewed as the most likely date for his preseason debut, assuming his fitness progresses as planned.

For now, Al-Nassr’s remaining three friendlies will serve as the final testing ground before the season officially starts, and all signs suggest Ronaldo’s first appearance under Postecoglou will come only after he has completed his recovery program. If current timelines hold, the meeting with Almería on August 4 could finally offer supporters their first glimpse of the club’s biggest star under its new manager.