Cristiano Ronaldo’s season with Al-Nassr has been a mix of individual brilliance and collective disappointment. Despite scoring 33 goals across all competitions — including 23 in the league — the Portuguese superstar finds himself at the heart of uncertainty. His recent absence has fueled intense speculation, not just about his fitness, but also about his future, and whether he is eyeing a sensational switch before the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States next month.
Ronaldo sat out Al-Nassr’s emphatic 9-0 win over Al-Okhdood on Monday, a match in which Sadio Mane scored four goals. It was precisely the kind of game where Ronaldo typically thrives, especially as he continues to chase the 1,000 career goal milestone. But his absence — preceded by another against Damac and followed by an underwhelming return in the 3-2 loss to Al-Ittihad — has ignited wild rumors across Saudi and international media.
No official statement has come from Al-Nassr, and Ronaldo has now missed over a week of training. Fan accounts and even some media outlets have claimed that his absence is less about fitness and more about an alleged desire to jump ship to Al-Hilal, who are set to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.
“He’s skipping his team’s training and is pressuring and begging the Public Investment Fund just to play with Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup,” one speculative account posted on social media, echoing the sentiments of many fans caught in the whirlwind of talk.
Fatigue or something more?
While conspiracy theories swirl, multiple Saudi-based outlets, including Al-Jazirah, have reported that Ronaldo is currently sidelined due to an injury, although the specifics remain unclear. There are suggestions of physical fatigue, corroborated by Al-Nassr’s coaching staff, who say Ronaldo has been under medical observation and skipped several recent training sessions.
In a pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Al-Okhdood, head coach Stefano Pioli addressed Ronaldo’s absence in vague terms. “We needed to manage workloads carefully. Some players required rest after an intense run of fixtures,” he said, without directly confirming whether Ronaldo’s absence was tactical or injury-enforced.
Sports commentator Ali Alabdallah, via Al-Nassr Zone, also weighed in, saying: “Ronaldo was rested to manage his workload following a demanding schedule and subpar team performances.”
Will Ronaldo play against Al-Taawoun?
As the curtain rises for Al-Nassr’s critical match against Al-Taawoun on Friday, the big question lingers: Will Ronaldo return?
Reports confirm he will not. According to Al-Jazirah, the Portuguese veteran will miss the fixture and has not featured in the last five training sessions. This marks his second consecutive absence, and with no clarity from the club, speculation continues to mount.
Alongside Ronaldo, defender Mohamed Simakan is also expected to miss out as he continues rehabilitation. The timing of these absences is especially concerning for Al-Nassr, who are not only out of the Asian Champions League but are also at risk of missing international competition next season — a scenario that seemed improbable given the club’s heavy investment in recent transfer windows.
