As another summer transfer window approaches, Cristiano Ronaldo’s future has once again taken center stage in world soccer. Amid growing speculation that the Portuguese icon may be on the brink of a dramatic exit from Saudi Arabia, his current club, Al-Nassr, has delivered an unexpected response that could alter the course of the ongoing saga.
While fans and pundits were bracing for a farewell, the club’s leadership appears to be pulling in the opposite direction. The outcome could reshape not only Ronaldo’s immediate future but also the broader plans of teams eyeing him for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
After another individually brilliant but collectively frustrating season, Cristiano Ronaldo seemed ready to move on. Despite racking up an astonishing 99 goals in 111 games since his arrival in early 2023, Ronaldo has yet to win a major trophy with Al-Nassr. The club finished third in the Saudi Pro League and suffered disappointment in the AFC Champions League semi-finals, leaving the five-time Ballon d’Or winner with an incomplete legacy in the Middle East.
Following the final match of the season, the 40-year-old stirred speculation with a cryptic social media post, writing “this chapter is over.” That message sparked headlines across the soccer world and led many to believe that the veteran forward had made his decision to leave.
Al-Nassr delivers stunning response
But when Fernando Hierro, Al-Nassr’s sporting director and former Real Madrid captain, addressed the press this week, the tone was anything but farewell.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has a contract until June 30th and we hope he will continue with us,” the Spaniard declared, according to Asharq Al-Awsat. “We are negotiating with Cristiano Ronaldo to renew his contract. God willing, we will find a solution.”
Hierro also addressed the rumor mill head-on: “Every now and then, a team appears in the media ‘wanting’ Cristiano, and currently there are 30 teams wanting Ronaldo!”
The message was clear: Al-Nassr does not consider Ronaldo gone—at least not yet. In fact, the club appears committed to not only keeping him until the end of June but also pursuing an extension that would take him beyond the 2026 World Cup, a tournament the Portuguese has previously stated he hopes to participate in.
National icon, league builder
Hierro emphasized the broader importance of Ronaldo’s presence in Saudi Arabia, calling him a key piece in a larger vision. “Ronaldo’s presence from the beginning is a national project,” he said. “He is a huge phenomenon in the history of soccer and has helped the league grow.”
Even amid squad overhauls—“there will be changes to the team, including some foreign players,” Hierro confirmed—Ronaldo remains central to Al-Nassr’s ambitions, both on and off the pitch.
