Saudi Pro League faces crisis after Cristiano Ronaldo's no-show, sparking awkward questions over influence of top stars.
The usually drama-free Saudi Pro League was thrown into chaos on Monday when Cristiano Ronaldo failed to appear for Al-Nassr, sparking speculation that he may have gone on strike. The 40-year-old superstar is reportedly unhappy with the lack of investment in his club and is considering leaving despite a lucrative daily pay packet.
Ronaldo's absence overshadowed an exciting matchday that saw Al-Hilal draw with third-placed Al-Ahli, while Al-Nassr secured a win to stay second in the standings. The league's top four are now separated by just four points, with Brendan Rodgers' game in hand potentially deciding the title.
However, Ronaldo's strike may have been motivated more than just by on-field frustrations. Sources suggest that he was unhappy with his club's mid-season recruitment and felt that Al-Hilal were strengthening with a proven goalscorer - Karim Benzema - who joined from Al-Ittihad in the summer. It appears that Ronaldo had wanted to persuade the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which backs all four top clubs, not to allow Benzema to join his rivals.
Ronaldo's decision has thrown the league into crisis, with former Saudi star Sami Al-Jaber warning of an "uncontrolled behaviour and excessive power" among global stars. Al-Jaber told Saudi TV that these players were now "steering events in their own favour", suggesting that they were overstepping their mark.
The league must now confront the issue of influence and control, with Ronaldo's actions sparking questions about who is truly in charge: PIF, the league, the clubs, or the big-name stars themselves? With Ronaldo's future at Al-Nassr uncertain, one thing is clear - this crisis will have far-reaching implications for the Saudi Pro League.
The usually drama-free Saudi Pro League was thrown into chaos on Monday when Cristiano Ronaldo failed to appear for Al-Nassr, sparking speculation that he may have gone on strike. The 40-year-old superstar is reportedly unhappy with the lack of investment in his club and is considering leaving despite a lucrative daily pay packet.
Ronaldo's absence overshadowed an exciting matchday that saw Al-Hilal draw with third-placed Al-Ahli, while Al-Nassr secured a win to stay second in the standings. The league's top four are now separated by just four points, with Brendan Rodgers' game in hand potentially deciding the title.
However, Ronaldo's strike may have been motivated more than just by on-field frustrations. Sources suggest that he was unhappy with his club's mid-season recruitment and felt that Al-Hilal were strengthening with a proven goalscorer - Karim Benzema - who joined from Al-Ittihad in the summer. It appears that Ronaldo had wanted to persuade the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which backs all four top clubs, not to allow Benzema to join his rivals.
Ronaldo's decision has thrown the league into crisis, with former Saudi star Sami Al-Jaber warning of an "uncontrolled behaviour and excessive power" among global stars. Al-Jaber told Saudi TV that these players were now "steering events in their own favour", suggesting that they were overstepping their mark.
The league must now confront the issue of influence and control, with Ronaldo's actions sparking questions about who is truly in charge: PIF, the league, the clubs, or the big-name stars themselves? With Ronaldo's future at Al-Nassr uncertain, one thing is clear - this crisis will have far-reaching implications for the Saudi Pro League.
i mean i get it he wants his team to be strong and all but does he really need to do that by throwing a tantrum? 
and now the whole league is in crisis mode idk how much more drama we can take 
i mean benzema sounds like a cool dude but cr7 is just being salty 
al-jaber said some crazy stuff tho...i dont no if im trusting him tho 
"I'm not coming to play because I didn't get my way" sounds like a 5-year-old having a tantrum 
and now everyone's talking about it, even the football people are getting all bent out of shape over it... what's next, Ronaldo's gonna start dictating who gets to wear which socks on match day? 
? Now it seems like these superstars are in charge and everyone else is just along for the ride 
. The Saudi Pro League needs to figure out a way to balance the power and keep things fair for everyone involved 
.
i mean i get it ronaldo wants to win, but come on dont be so extra
this whole thing with Cristiano Ronaldo and his no-show is wild... like he's basically a dictator on the pitch now or something. I mean, what even is the deal with all these top stars having so much influence over their teams? It's like they're in charge of the league or something 
. He's always been a bit of a showman and knows how to get attention 
I can feel how frustrating this situation must be for football fans in Saudi Arabia right now! It's like, you're invested in your team and you're excited to watch them play, but then this huge star just disappears? And it's not just about Ronaldo, it's about the whole league feeling like their top stars are calling the shots. Like, what even is going on here? 
. but seriously, what does this mean for the league? is pif just gonna roll over and let cr7 get his way? 
but now that it's out in the open, maybe we can think of it as an opportunity for the league to re-evaluate its dynamics? idk about excessive power and all that but maybe this is just a wake-up call for them to get their priorities straight?
. And what really gets my goat is that Ronaldo's gonna sit on his hands just because he didn't get his way 
. The Saudi Pro League needs to figure out its priorities and fast 
or else it's gonna be a disaster 
.
Can't believe I'm even entertained by this. Like, come on CR7, if you're not happy with your 'daily pay packet' (whatever that means 
. And now we're having 'crisis' talks about who's in charge? Like, I'm no expert but it seems like PIF is pulling the strings here 
. Can't wait for the next big-name star to come along and stir up more drama... 
? It's like they forget that there are people on the ground who are working hard to make this league happen behind the scenes.
. Maybe they need to have some sort of code of conduct or something? I don't know, but one thing's for sure - this crisis is going to be a long time coming 
.
... Saudi Pro League needs to figure out how to make sure everyone's working towards a common goal, not just whoever's got the most clout