Benzema joins Al Hilal, fresh doubts over CR7’s future | OneFootball

The transfer of Karim Benzema to Al Hilal sparked a major crisis in the Saudi League, with Cristiano Ronaldo as the main protagonist. The Frenchman debuted with a hat trick and an assist in the 6-0 thrashing of Al-Akhdoud, while his new team leads the tournament with 50 points in 20 matches.

In contrast, Ronaldo refused to play Al Nassr’s last two matches, despite not being injured, as a protest against what he considers unfair treatment in the transfer market. The Portuguese star believes Al Hilal was favored in strengthening their squad, while his club only managed to sign one player.

League officials explained that all clubs have equal budgets, and that Al Nassr had already spent most of its funds in the previous transfer window. However, the conflict escalated: the Saudi League issued a statement setting boundaries, and CR7 missed another game, even in the derby against Al Ittihad.

With a contract until 2027 and a salary exceeding 200 million dollars per season, Ronaldo’s future in Saudi Arabia is now uncertain, and the scandal threatens to shake the flagship project of Arab football.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.