Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old Al Nassr forward, missed his second straight Saudi Pro League match on Friday, February 6, 2026. This time it was a big 2-0 win over Al Ittihad. The absence of Ronaldo comes from an ongoing dispute with the league and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) over transfer support for his club. It’s a messy situation, making big waves in Saudi football.
The Transfer Tangle Deepens
The whole thing started because of the January transfer window. The PIF, which owns Al Nassr rivals Al Hilal, helped move Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal. Benzema, a huge name, even scored a hat-trick on his debut for Al Hilal. But Al Nassr didn’t get any similar high-profile players. This left Ronaldo, still chasing his 1,000th career goal after hitting 961 on January 30 against Al-Kholood, feeling pretty unhappy about the playing field not being level.
Ronaldo also sat out Al Nassr’s win against Al Riyadh on Monday. Sources told ESPN he’s boycotting because there wasn’t a PIF guarantee about management changes, and he didn’t like the winter transfer help. The Saudi Pro League, though, isn’t taking kindly to it. They issued a warning statement on Thursday, saying, “Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al Nassr 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 — however significant — determines decisions beyond their own club.”
And Sky Sports sources say league officials are losing patience. They see his protest as bad for the league’s image. Fans, though, still back him. In the 7th minute during the Al Ittihad game, supporters at Al-Awwal Park held up yellow signs with Ronaldo’s name and number 7. It was a clear show of support for their star.
Al Nassr Finds Form Without Their Icon
But here’s a twist: Al Nassr seems to be doing fine without him. They beat Al Ittihad 2-0. Sadio Mané and Angelo Gabriel scored the goals. This win pushed Al Nassr into second place in the league, just one point behind leaders Al Hilal. It’s close at the top, making every point count.
The team also won against Al Riyadh earlier in the week. Coach Jorge Jesus didn’t name Ronaldo in the matchday squad for Al Ittihad, even though he had trained with the team. The squad still had plenty of firepower with Mané, Gabriel, Marcelo Brozović, and João Félix. It shows Al Nassr isn’t totally reliant on one player, even if that player is Cristiano Ronaldo.
They’ve won both games Ronaldo’s missed. That’s a good sign for the club. But it also raises questions about Ronaldo’s leverage in this whole dispute. If the team keeps winning, does he still hold all the cards? It’s a tricky spot for everyone involved.
What’s Next for CR7 and the Saudi League?
Ronaldo is still training with Al Nassr. He’s not just sitting at home. But the protest continues, and that means he’s missing games. The league made it clear in their statement that “no player influences beyond own team,” a message perhaps aimed straight at the Portuguese captain. The PIF’s involvement in other teams, especially rival Al Hilal getting Benzema, is a point of contention that won’t just disappear.
There’s talk, unconfirmed of course, about what happens if this doesn’t get sorted. Reports suggest Al Nassr might eye players like Mohamed Salah or Bruno Fernandes if Ronaldo leaves in the summer of 2026. That would be a huge change for the club. For now, the Saudi Pro League is competitive, with the top four teams separated by very few points. This makes every game important.
This whole situation harms the league’s image, sources suggest. You don’t want your biggest star boycotting games. The next few weeks will be interesting. Will Ronaldo return? Can Al Nassr keep winning without him and catch Al Hilal? And what does this mean for the balance of power in Saudi football?
Ishaan Singh 
Govind Singh