Cristiano’s ongoing ‘strike’ creates tension with Saudi Pro League and PIF

Chaos grips Saudi Arabian football as Cristiano Ronaldo remains on strike. In the final throes of the transfer market, arch rivals Al-Hilal snapped up the trio of Benzema, Bouabré, and Meïté. Many Saudi observers feel that Ronaldo’s complaints are justified by the massive investment of some clubs and meager signings of others. In the meantime the veteran striker is holding firm and failed to show up for training with Al Nassr on Tuesday.

Cristiano decided to take a stand and not play for Al Nassr during the final stages of the transfer window. The Portuguese star considers this stance justified in a bid to apply pressure on the Saudi League’s supervisory bodies regarding the lax transfer rules applied to the all powerful Al Hilal, a stark contrast to the treatment given to the other teams in the league.

CR7’s anger isn’t directed at Benzema, nor even at Al Hilal, but rather at the officials who approve the signings of the big clubs in the Saudi Arabian First League (PIF). Al Hilal has not only been able to sign Benzema, but has also acquired two young French stars for substantial sums: Kader Meïté (paid €30M to Rennes) and Saïmon Bouabré (from NEOM for €23M). The role of Prince Al Waleed bin Talal in financing Benzema’s signing has been key.

Ronaldo put maximum pressure on the Saudi league administration by missing the Al Nassr match as PIF approved Benzema’s transfer. And as a side effect, Ronaldo sparked another chapter in the rivalry between Al Nassr and Al Hilal. At present, in the SPL, both clubs, along with Al-Ahli and Al Qadsiah, are vying for the league title.

The situation is tense after Al Nassr coach, Jorge Jesus, echoed Cristiano’s protest and refused to speak to the press after the win against Al Riyadh on Monday night (1-0). The former Flamengo coach has been requesting new players for weeks, but is constantly encountering obstacles. At Al Hilal, they claim that everything moves with more fluidity, while at Al Nassr there are only hurdles. Over the January transfer window, only two local players have joined the Al Nassr squad, and both on free transfers.

Differences in transfers

Since the Portuguese star’s arrival in the league in January 2023, the signing of foreign stars has been a constant, but the transfer fees don’t lie. Al Hilal can and have signed more big name stars.

From 2023 until this winter transfer window, Al Hilal has invested around €647 million in signings (Neymar, Malcom, Rúben Neves, Mitrovic, Milinkovic-Savic, Marcos Leonardo, Darwin, Theo, and now Benzema). And that’s even though no transfer fee was paid for the Frenchman, but his high salary had to be accommodated within the club. Key to this was the figure of Prince Al Waleed bin Talal, the de facto new owner of the Saudi club, who financed the winter transfers. This season’s figure exceeds €168 million.

And the rest? Al Nassr has spent €410M on transfers by the same date (Mané, Otavio, Laporte, Jhon Durán, Coman, Simakan...). Al Ahli, the Asian champions, spent slightly less: €380M for Millot, Galeno, Toney, Mahrez, Veiga, Mendy, Kessié, and Firmino. And in fourth place, Al Ittihad, the reigning league champions, are approaching €365M. Besides Benzema, they signed Kanté, Aouar, Bergwijn, Diaby, and Fabinho.

A difference of €237 million, which dents the morale of the rivals. It is true that Al Hilal had extra income from participating in the Club World Cup last summer: €31 million.

Benzema at Al Hilal

Meanwhile, Benzema has already put his time at Al Ittihad behind him and is looking optimistically to the future. He’s now wearing the blue colors of Al Hilal, and after bidding a fond farewell to the fans of the Jeddah club, he’s focused solely on the challenges ahead with Simone Inzaghi’s side. Primarily, the league and the Asian Champions League. His contract runs until 2027.

It was a frantic 48 hours for the Frenchman in Saudi Arabia. From refusing a reduced offer to renew his contract beyond June 30 with Al Ittihad, to a winter transfer window that was utter madness. A few hours that had it all. A bold move by Cristiano Ronaldo, whose stance continues and who didn’t train with the rest of his teammates today in a recovery session.

When Benzema stated that he no longer wanted to wear the Al Ittihad shirt and that Al Hilal wanted him, panic set in at Al Nassr.

Inevitably, there will be more twists and turns in this soap opera with the next chapter set for this Friday (6:30 PM) when Al Nassr faces Al Ittihad. We’ll see if Cristiano Ronaldo plays, with the striker failing to miss a single league match this season. The league’s prestige cannot afford another forced absence of its biggest star. To make matters worse, Lisbon based Diario Record suggested that anything can happen with the Portuguese player with suggestions that the forward may even contemplating packing his bags in the summer with a theoretical release clause in his contract serving as an emergency exit for the Madeira born player.

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