Saudi league stands up to Cristiano: "Not even you are above the rules"
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Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 06.02.26. | 11:45
Ronaldo gets a blunt reminder from the SPL: no player, however iconic, dictates the game off the pitch
The Saudi Pro League has drawn a very clear line - and Cristiano Ronaldo is on the same side of it as everyone else.
Amid growing tension at Al-Nassr, as reported by The Athletic on Friday, the league has made it clear that no individual, regardless of status or salary, is above the rules. Not even the face of the project.
Ronaldo, frustrated by Al-Nassr's quiet January Transfer Window and left out of Monday's win over Al Riyadh, has seen his future questioned once again.
While rivals Al-Hilal strengthened decisively by signing Karim Benzema, who immediately delivered a debut hat-trick, Al-Nassr added only Abdullah Al-Hamdan and Haydeer Abdulkareem. For a serial winner like Ronaldo, it wasn't enough.
But the response from the league was firm.
In an official statement, the SPL emphasised that clubs operate independently, despite the Public Investment Fund (PIF) holding stakes in several of them. Recruitment, spending and sporting strategy are club decisions, governed by the same financial framework for everyone.
And the key message was unmistakable: Cristiano can influence Al-Nassr, but nothing beyond it.
"Like any elite competitor, he wants to win," the league said. "But no individual - however significant - determines decisions beyond their own club."
In other words, this is not Cristiano's league.
The SPL insists the system is working as intended, pointing to a tight title race and competitive balance at the top. The focus, they say, remains on football - not power plays. For Ronaldo, it's a rare reminder: in Saudi Arabia, even he has to play by the rules.
