The Saudi Football League warned player Cristiano Ronaldo today that no individual, no matter how important, makes decisions outside of their club, amid doubts over his future at Al Nasr.
Ronaldo was left out of the squad for Monday's match against Al Riyadh, with Portuguese outlet A Bola reporting that he refused to play because he was unhappy with the way the club was being run by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
A BBC source said that the main reason for Ronaldo's frustration was the transfer of his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema to rivals Al Hilal.
Benzema made his debut with a hat-trick in Al Hilal's 6-0 win over Al Uhdud.
The most successful Saudi clubs, Al Nasr and Al Hilal, are run by PIF, which also owns Newcastle.
Ronaldo posted a photo on Wednesday of himself returning to training, but the BBC reported that the Saudi league is not sure whether the Portuguese will play against Al Ittihad on Friday.
"The Saudi League is structured around a simple principle: each club operates independently under the same rules. The clubs have their own boards, their own CEOs and their own football management. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy lie with the clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance that applies equally to the entire league," the Saudi League said in a statement.
Ronaldo joined Al Nasr in 2022, after leaving Manchester United mid-season, and became the highest-paid player in football history with an annual salary of £177 million. He has since won just one trophy, the Arab Club Champions Cup.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner extended his contract for another two years in June 2025, following speculation that he could leave the club and move on loan to Al Hilal.
"Cristiano has been fully committed to Al Nasr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club's growth and ambition. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win. But no individual, no matter how important, makes decisions outside of his club," the statement said.
"Recent transfer activity clearly demonstrates this independence. One club has strengthened in a certain way. Another has chosen a different approach. These are club decisions, made within the approved financial parameters," the statement reads.
Al Nasr were not active in the January transfer window. Al Hilal are undefeated in the league and are first with 50 points after 20 matches, while Al Nasr are four points and a game in hand in third place.
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