Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has missed the second game in a row for Saudi Arabia's Al Nasr because he is reportedly unhappy with the influence of the club's majority owner.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was not in the squad against Al Riyadh on Monday, with Portuguese outlet A Bola reporting that he refused to play because he was unhappy with the way the club was run by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Ronaldo was reportedly frustrated by the club's lack of ambition in the January transfer window, with Karim Benzema's move to rivals Al Hilal as the main reason for his frustration. The Saudi Pro League issued a statement stressing that no player is above the league.
"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 statement said.
Ronaldo joined Al Nasr in 2022, after leaving Manchester United mid-season, and then became the highest-paid player in football history with an annual salary of £177 million.
He has won only one trophy so far, the Arab Club Champions Cup.
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