Saudi Pro League issue statement amid Cristiano Ronaldo saga | OneFootball

The Saudi Pro League have issued a statement following reports of Cristiano Ronaldo’s dissatisfaction with his club Al Nassr.

Ronaldo decided to miss Al Nassr’s game against Al Riyadh, even though he was completely fit and had been training.

He is said to feel that the club have not invested enough on trying to compete for silverware, whilst Al Hilal bought Karim Benzema recently, who scored a hat-trick on his debut.

Both Al Nassr and Al Hilal are majority-owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

But the league released a statement on Thursday, stressing that each club is independent from one another.

“The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules,” they said.

“Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.

“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.

“Recent transfer activity demonstrates that independence clearly. One club strengthened in a particular way. Another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions, taken within approved financial parameters.

“The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, the title race is very much alive. That level of balance reflects a system that is working as intended.

“The focus remains on football – on the pitch, where it belongs – and on maintaining a credible, competitive competition for players and fans.”

Ronaldo is reportedly considering missing a second game, against Al Ittihad.