Cristiano Ronaldo has reaffirmed his commitment to Saudi Arabia, stating that he is happy playing in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr despite recent tensions that led to him missing two league matches.
The 41-year-old Portuguese star was absent from Al-Nassr’s 1-0 victory over Al-Riyadh on February 2 and their 2-0 win against Al-Ittihad on February 6. Reports indicated that Ronaldo was dissatisfied with the club’s lack of transfer market investment.
Sources suggested that Ronaldo was frustrated that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns Al-Nassr, did not strengthen the squad during the transfer window. Meanwhile, rivals Al-Hilal—also backed by PIF—moved to sign his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema.
Ronaldo returned to action on February 14, scoring against Al-Fateh before netting twice in a dominant 4-0 victory over Al-Nazem, a win that lifted Al-Nassr to the top of the league standings.
In an interview with Thmanyah, Ronaldo expressed his satisfaction with life in the Kingdom.
“I’m very happy. As I’ve said many times, I belong to Saudi Arabia. It’s a country that warmly welcomes me, my family, and my friends. I’m happy here and I want to continue here.”
He emphasized the team’s focus on maintaining their position at the top of the table and pushing for the Saudi Pro League title this season.
Reports indicate that Ronaldo ended his brief boycott after key demands were addressed by PIF, including restoring management authority to club executives Simão Coutinho and José Semedo and settling overdue salary payments.
Having signed a two-year contract extension last June, Ronaldo is now set to remain with Al-Nassr until the summer of 2027.
