Cristiano Ronaldo followed through on his threats to boycott Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League match with Al Riyadh.
Nassr won the game 1-0 through Sadio Mane, but no one spoke to the media before or after the match.
Head coach Jorge Jesus didn’t hold his pre-match or post-match duties and will likely endure a fine, with local media claiming the club stopped the squad from talking to the press.
Ronaldo’s withdrawal from the squad was allegedly driven by what he perceives as a lack of investment from Saudi’s Public Investment Fund.
The PIF own Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli, and on the face of it Ronaldo has a point with Karim Benzema set to leave Ittihad for Hilal, taking their January spend over €40million while Nassr are on €0.
According to numerous financial websites, Ronaldo is currently the highest paid athlete in the world on a staggering salary of over €200million per-year.
However, well-sourced Portuguese outlet Record now claim he could depart in June for either MLS or a return to Europe.
Yet not only is the 40-year-old’s release clause set at €50m, he is an ambassador for the 2034 World Cup in Saudi.
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