Unhappy Cristiano Ronaldo could leave Al Nassr for Al Hilal ahead of Club World Cup – report | OneFootball

There is little doubt that Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabian side has been a mixed story of continued personal achievement, allied to a disappointing struggle for the team in challenging for silverware.

Ronaldo’s goalscoring record for the Riyadh club is exceptional, with the Portugal captain netting 97 times from just 107 appearances. However, Al Nassr have been unsuccessful of their pursuit of the Pro League title and the Asian Champions League during Ronaldo’s two-and-a-half years at the club.

According to a report published by Maisfutebol on Tuesday, the situation has left Ronaldo frustrated and uncertain about extending his contract with Al Nassr. Ronaldo is described as being “uncomfortable with the sporting project” at Al Nassr – a concern which the outlet says has been ongoing since the end of 2024.

Ronaldo feels the squad should be stronger and is thought to have pushed for a new manager, leading to an attempt to convince his old Real Madrid boss to spurn the Brazilian national team to join him in the Middle East. Ancelotti has accepted the Brazil job, but Italian boss Stefano Pioli is expected to lose his job in the summer having failed to challenge for the league and only making the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League.

Al Hilal switch?

The most intriguing aspect of the story is the potential for Ronaldo to switch to outgoing champions Al Hilal in the very near future.  The sovereign weal fund of Saudi Arabia, Public Investment Fund, owns 75% of the nation’s top clubs and is set to discuss the possibility of Ronaldo moving to Al Hilal, if only to represent the country at this summer’s Club World Cup.

Al Hilal are Saudi Arabia’s only representatives at the tournament in the United States, where they will play Real Madrid in their opening match. Maisfutebol reports that political issues between the countries are a factor, but United States president Donald Trump is keen for Ronaldo to feature at the tournament.