Three years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo shocked the global football community by signing with Al-Nassr. Within six months, the Portuguese legend was joined in the Saudi Pro League by several marquee names such as Karim Benzema, Neymar, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Aymeric Laporte. Though some of these stars were past their peak, their willingness to relocate to the Middle East represented a significant shift in football’s global landscape.

While most were already extremely wealthy, the salaries offered in the Pro League were described as ‘life-changing’. Even Jordan Henderson, previously known for his principles, couldn’t resist the lucrative offers available.

As a result, Saudi Arabia came to be viewed as football’s major disruptor — a genuine challenge to Europe’s long-standing dominance in the transfer market, driven by the Kingdom’s vast oil wealth and ambition to reshape the sport’s power dynamics.

However, the disruption now seems to have turned inward. On Monday, it wasn’t an international signing but an internal transfer that captured global attention.

No longer playing ball

Ronaldo has been the public face of Saudi Arabia’s entire sporting initiative since his first day in the country. He has served as a de facto ambassador, not only for Al-Nassr and the Pro League but also for the nation itself.

After signing a contract extension with Al-Nassr last summer, he said, “I am happy because I know that the league is very competitive. Only those who have never played in Saudi Arabia, who don’t understand football, say this league is not among the top five in the world.”

He added, “I believe 100 percent in what I say, and players in this league know exactly what I mean. That’s why I want to stay — I believe in this project, not just for the next two years, but until 2034, when the World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia. I also believe that will be the most beautiful World Cup ever.”

That kind of endorsement from the world’s most-followed athlete was invaluable for the league’s global image. Yet now, it appears Ronaldo is no longer willing to quite literally play ball.

‘Unstoppable’

Despite joining halfway through the 2022-23 season, when Al-Nassr were league leaders, and scoring 91 goals in 95 appearances since then, Ronaldo has yet to win a league title. This season seemed set to change that, with Al-Nassr hiring Jorge Jesus in the summer and signing Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman to form a fearsome attacking quartet with Ronaldo and Mane.

Felix told the league’s official website, “When all four of us are in form, we’re unstoppable here in Saudi Arabia.”

That statement wasn’t far from the truth. Al-Nassr opened the season with 10 consecutive wins before being held to a 2-2 draw by Al-Ettifaq in their final match of 2025.

“We are on the right path,” Ronaldo posted online. “We know what we need to do in 2026!”

For the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, that meant strengthening the team, especially as results began to dip early in the new year.

‘There will be changes’

In early January, Al-Nassr suffered three defeats in just 10 days, turning a two-point lead over Al-Hilal into a seven-point deficit. Like Ronaldo, manager Jorge Jesus believed reinforcements were needed to revive the squad, hoping to bring in at least two or three new players — a forward, a defensive midfielder, and a full-back — during the winter transfer window.

“There will be changes to the team during the winter window,” said the former Flamengo boss. “Playing every three days is exhausting for the players.”

But Jesus cautioned that financial constraints might limit their transfer activity. “Every coach wants to strengthen his team during the winter window,” he said. “I want that too, but it’s not easy. If we can’t sign anyone, we’ll continue working with the current players and still fight for the title.”

On strike

In the final two days of the winter window, Al-Nassr completed a couple of signings. However, neither Hayder Abdulkareem nor Abdullah Al-Hamdan were the type of high-impact players Ronaldo had hoped for — especially when compared to Al-Hilal’s transfer business.

After spending over €80 million (£69m/$94m) on Theo Hernandez and Darwin Nunez last summer, Al-Hilal added five more players in January, including ex-Arsenal defender Pablo Mari and former Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema.

Benzema’s move sent shockwaves through the league and, reportedly, infuriated Ronaldo. Already frustrated by Al-Nassr’s lack of major signings, the news that his former Real Madrid teammate had joined their title rivals allegedly pushed him over the edge. Ronaldo reportedly refused to play in Monday’s league fixture against Al-Riyadh in protest.

Conflicts of interest?

The circumstances of Benzema’s transfer from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal were unusual. The French striker had six months remaining on his Al-Ittihad contract after scoring 25 goals in 33 appearances last season to secure a domestic double. He was open to renewing his deal but was unhappy with the proposed terms, which, according to Fabrizio Romano, would have seen him “playing for free without any extra money, only receiving his image rights up front.”

Finding the offer disrespectful, Benzema made himself unavailable for selection for matches against Al-Fateh and Al-Najma — foreshadowing Ronaldo’s later strike.

Eventually, Benzema was allowed to join Al-Hilal on a free transfer. While that may seem surprising, it becomes understandable considering Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ahli are all owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Much like transfers between sister clubs under shared ownership in Europe, deals between these teams are far easier to arrange.

The issue, however, is that all four clubs compete in the same league, raising serious concerns about conflicts of interest and accusations of favoritism directed at PIF.

Adding to the controversy, Al-Hilal’s entire winter spending spree was personally financed by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, sparking further debate about ‘golden sponsors’ and the growing influence of wealthy backers.

No longer a fair fight?

Just a month ago, Ronaldo remained optimistic despite Al-Nassr’s struggles. “It’s hard to compete with teams like Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, but we’re still here, still fighting,” he told Arab News. “Football has ups and downs, but what matters is professionalism — to keep working, respect the club, the contract, and believe things will improve.”

Now, however, it seems the Pro League’s biggest superstar feels the competition is no longer fair. Whether or not that’s true, Ronaldo’s decision to stop playing is a damaging look for both himself and the league.

In recent transfer windows, Saudi clubs have adopted a more cautious approach to spending, partly because of increased investment in other sports. This has shifted recruitment strategies toward younger talents rather than ageing celebrities. While a move for Mohamed Salah still feels inevitable, attempts to lure Vinicius Jr from Real Madrid exemplify PIF’s new direction.

Ronaldo remains central to the project. Even at 40, his influence is enormous, and this standoff casts both him and the league in a negative light, threatening to overshadow an exciting three-way title race.

Amid all the drama on Monday, it was almost overlooked that Al-Nassr, playing without Ronaldo, beat Al-Riyadh 1-0 thanks to a goal from Mane, closing the gap to Al-Hilal to a single point after the leaders were held 0-0 by Al-Ahli later in the evening.

All eyes are now on whether Ronaldo returns for Friday’s highly anticipated clash with Al-Ittihad — a game that will unite fans angry over Benzema’s move to Al-Hilal. Al-Nassr need their captain back to keep their title hopes alive, but it’s equally vital for the league and PIF that Ronaldo returns soon. For now, the grand project meant to disrupt world football has ended up creating chaos within its own borders.