Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Pro League dispute doesn’t stop Al Nassr from sharing birthday message for Portugal star

Over the past few days, Cristiano Ronaldo has been under the spotlight, with his future in the Saudi Pro League in doubt. The Portuguese forward refused to play against Al Riyadh last Monday due to his disagreement with the Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) transfer policy for Al Nassr. In that context, the club sent a heartfelt message to CR7.

On Thursday, February 5, Ronaldo turned 41—coincidentally sharing his birthday with Neymar, who turned 34—and unsurprisingly received congratulatory messages of all kinds from around the world.

Al Nassr did not fall behind and shared a birthday greeting for their most important player on social media. “The legend only grows. Your commitment, mentality, and leadership drive our dreams forward. Happy Birthday, Cristiano,” read the message posted on X on Thursday, accompanied by a goat emoji.

It is not a minor detail that the Saudi club specifically highlighted Ronaldo’s “commitment” and “leadership” at a time when the player is refusing to take part in key Saudi Pro League matches with the team.

Criticism of Al Nassr’s birthday post for Cristiano Ronaldo

Although Al Nassr shared an optimistic message regarding Cristiano Ronaldo, the club was not immune to criticism. In particular, social media users expressed frustration over how late Al Nassr shared the birthday message for the Portuguese forward.

The post on X did not appear until 8:14 p.m. local time in Saudi Arabia, near the end of the day. “Al Nassr wishing the GOAT late birthday shows there are cracks in their relationship,” one user commented, echoing a sentiment shared by many other fans on social media.

Ronaldo’s remarkable longevity at 41

Beyond the current Saudi Pro League controversies that have dominated headlines, the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo has reached the age of 41 and remains one of the most relevant soccer players in the world deserves special recognition.

There are very few examples of players still competing at that age. In most cases, they are goalkeepers, who tend to have more physical leeway due to their position. Even fewer remain at the elite level of the global game, but Cristiano Ronaldo will compete this year in the sport’s most demanding tournament, the FIFA World Cup, as a key figure for one of the title favorites, Portugal.

In August, Ronaldo will mark 24 years as a professional player, dating back to his debut with Sporting CP in 2002. Much has happened since then, and he has left an indelible mark at giants such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. Still, there appears to be room for more achievements. The long-awaited 1,000th career goal is getting closer, and Cristiano seems determined to claim that record.