Cristiano Ronaldo was excluded from the Al-Nassr roster for the second consecutive match amid uncertainty regarding his future at the Saudi Arabian team.
Al-Nassr defeated Al-Ittihad 2-0 on Friday in the Saudi Pro League with late goals from ex-Liverpool striker Sadio Mane and Angelo Gabriel.
A section of home supporters showed their backing for Ronaldo, holding yellow signs that displayed his name and the number seven during the seventh minute of the game.
Ronaldo, 41, was also absent from the club’s 1-0 league victory over Al-Riyadh on Monday.
O jornal português A Bola, externo, relatou que Ronaldo se recusou a jogar, após ficar insatisfeito com a forma como o clube estava sendo administrado pelo Fundo de Investimento Público da Arábia Saudita (PIF).
The Saudi Pro League informed BBC Sport that Ronaldo has played a vital part in the club’s development and goals but remarked that “no individual—no matter how influential—dictates decisions outside their own club.”
Ronaldo signed with Al-Nassr after departing Manchester United in December 2022, making him the highest-paid player in football history with a yearly salary of £177m.
The club, which has secured 10 Saudi Pro League championships, referred to the signing as “history in the making,” yet Ronaldo has only claimed the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 following the transfer.
The five-time Ballon d’Or recipient inked a fresh two-year deal in June 2025.
Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal—the most successful club in the nation with 19 league championships—are both teams owned by the PIF, which also supports Newcastle United.
BBC Sport learned that Cristiano Ronaldo’s frustration at Al-Nassr was primarily due to former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema’s transfer to league leaders Al-Hilal from Al-Ittihad earlier this week.
French forward Benzema, 38, netted a hat-trick in his first game for Al-Hilal during a 6-0 victory against Al-Okhdood on Thursday.
Al-Nassr is in second place in the league, just one point behind front-runners Al-Hilal, with both teams having completed 20 matches each this season.
