Cristiano Ronaldo has affirmed his commitment to Al Nassr, dismissing speculation about a potential departure despite a recent period of reported discontent. Speaking after scoring twice in Al Nassr’s 2-1 victory over Al-Hazm on Saturday, Ronaldo stated, “I am very happy. As I say so often, I belong to Saudi Arabia. It is a country that has welcomed me, my family and my friends very well. I am happy here. I want to stay here. And most importantly, we continue to move forward. We are at the top. Our goal is to win, to put pressure on our rivals for the title, and we’ll see. We are on the right track. We are back, we are fit, we are confident. We go there game after game. We are in good shape. We’ll see what happens.”
Ronaldo’s public declaration comes after a period of reported tension stemming from the transfer of Karim Benzema to Al-Hilal earlier this month. Sources indicated that Ronaldo was frustrated by the lack of significant investment in Al Nassr’s squad during the January transfer window, particularly following Benzema’s move to a rival club. This dissatisfaction reportedly led to a brief strike, with Ronaldo initially refusing to participate in team training and matches.
The situation escalated following Benzema’s transfer from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal, a deal reportedly worth a record fee for a player over 36 years old – exceeding the amount Manchester United previously paid Juventus for Ronaldo himself. Reports from Portuguese newspaper A Bola, and subsequently echoed by German publication Spiegel, suggested Ronaldo was angered by the perceived lack of ambition from Al-Nassr’s management, which shares ties to the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF).
While Ronaldo sat out Al Nassr’s match against Al-Riyadh during the height of the dispute, he has since returned to the field, scoring in consecutive matches. Despite having spent over €400 million on player acquisitions since Ronaldo’s arrival in Riyadh, Al-Nassr has yet to secure a domestic league title. The club currently trails Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League standings, intensifying the pressure to strengthen the squad.
The transfer of Benzema, a former Real Madrid teammate of Ronaldo, was particularly sensitive. According to a report from Goal.com, Benzema allegedly provoked Ronaldo with a joke about winning the Saudi Pro League title after completing his move to Al-Hilal. This exchange reportedly exacerbated Ronaldo’s frustration with the club’s transfer policy. The incident highlights the competitive dynamic between the two star players and their respective clubs within the Saudi Pro League.
Despite the recent turmoil, Ronaldo’s comments signal a renewed commitment to Al Nassr and a determination to compete for the league title. The club’s next match is scheduled against Al-Ittihad, offering Ronaldo an immediate opportunity to demonstrate his continued ambition on the pitch.
