Cristiano Ronaldo finds his future dominating the sports pages once again following a highly controversial decision to go on strike in Saudi Arabia. The forward, who turns 41 on Thursday, flat-out refused to take to the pitch for Al-Nassr during their recent 1-0 victory over Al-Riyadh. His frustration seemingly stems from Karim Benzema’s recent move to title rivals Al-Hilal. Benzema, a former Real Madrid teammate of Ronaldo’s, saw his contract with Al-Ittihad terminated before sealing a free transfer to the league leaders.
Al-Hilal currently sit a single point ahead of Al-Nassr at the summit of the Saudi Pro League. Given that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) holds ownership of all three of these clubs, Ronaldo is reportedly furious that the transfer was green-lit from above. He firmly believes the deal unfairly hands Al-Hilal a massive advantage in the title race.
Dismissing Old Trafford Rumours
This sudden dressing-room unrest has inevitably sparked whispers about whether the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will actually see out the final 18 months of his lucrative £488,000-a-day deal. Naturally, talk of a sensational third stint at Manchester United has started doing the rounds. However, former United defender Wes Brown has been quick to pour cold water on the speculation. Speaking recently to BettingLounge, Brown made his stance rather clear. While acknowledging the player’s current dissatisfaction in the Middle East, he firmly dismissed the idea of an Old Trafford return, stating plainly that he just couldn’t see Ronaldo coming back for a third go.
Making Corporate Moves in Spain
While things might be somewhat turbulent on the pitch, Ronaldo has been busy expanding his business portfolio over in Spain. The Portuguese star recently acquired a 25% stake in UD Almería, a move that has drawn significant praise from LaLiga president Javier Tebas. Tebas highlighted the sheer value of bringing someone of Ronaldo’s global stature on board, noting that his involvement provides the club with massive international projection and a serious boost when it comes to attracting fresh sponsors.
The impact of this investment is already highly visible. According to Tebas, Almería’s social media following has shot up by a quarter since the takeover, instantly transforming them into the fifth or sixth most followed club in the Spanish leagues. Tebas shared these insights while presenting LaLiga’s economic and financial report for the 2024-2025 season. The broader financial picture for Spanish football looks incredibly healthy right now, with total formalised revenues hitting €5.464 billion—an impressive 8.1% increase on the previous campaign.
For the third year running, commercial revenues smashed the €1 billion ceiling. These historic figures are largely being driven by global expansion and clever new monetisation strategies. It was also a landmark year for the fans, with stadium attendances breaching the 17 million mark for the very first time. Occupancy rates have seen a solid bump too, hitting 84.5% in LaLiga EA SPORTS and 68.5% in LaLiga HYPERMOTION.
Looking Ahead to International Duty
Despite the ongoing boardroom drama and off-field corporate ventures, Ronaldo’s focus will soon have to shift back to international football. A highly anticipated World Cup 2026 warm-up clash between Portugal and Mexico is looming on the horizon. Interestingly enough, throughout his vast and storied career, the veteran forward has only ever lined up against El Tri on one previous occasion. As this crucial preparation match draws closer, fans and pundits alike will undoubtedly be watching to see how he balances his club frustrations with his enduring commitment to the national setup.
