 "Cristiano Ronaldo signals possible Al Nassr exit: What's driving Portuguese footballer away?")
Cristiano Ronaldo has dropped a major hint that he is close to leaving Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr when his contract ends on 30 June this year. Ronaldo has been linked with several clubs, with his contract ending soon and the new-look FIFA Club World Cup starting on 14 June.
Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January 2023 after a fallout with then-Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag. He came to Saudi Arabia on a record €200 million per year contract till 2025, which is the biggest football contract for a player in history. However, the 40-year-old Portuguese legend has struggled to win major trophies at the club, failing to clinch the Saudi league or the AFC Champions League during his time in the Middle East.
Ronaldo stunned his fans on Monday with a social media post in which he could be seen wearing an Al Nassr jersey. In the caption, he wrote, “This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all.”
This chapter is over.
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) May 26, 2025
The story? Still being written.
Grateful to all. pic.twitter.com/Vuvl5siEB3
His latest social media post is seen as the biggest confirmation of the rumours that he is set to leave Al Nassr. He has been linked with Brazilian and Moroccan clubs of late , and even FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that Ronaldo can play in the upcoming Club World Cup, even though Al Nassr is not a part of the tournament.
“And Ronaldo might play for one of the teams as well at the Club World Cup,” Infantino said during an interview with YouTuber and streamer IShowSpeed. “There are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup… who knows, who knows.”
Why would Ronaldo want to leave Al Nassr?
There can be multiple reasons, like commercial factors. FIFA and sponsors may want him to be a part of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup, which will include 32 teams. This will improve the tournament’s viewership numbers and bring in more sponsorships.
We have already mentioned that Ronaldo is frustrated with a lack of major trophy wins at Al Nassr. His only trophy win at the Riyadh-based club is the Arab Club Champions Cup 2023 title.
Another major reason could be the fact that Ronaldo is reportedly starting at a major pay cut. As per a report in Arab news outlet Al Yaum, Al Nassr’s new deal for Ronaldo includes a massive 52% pay cut. His annual salary will come down to €96 million ($110 million), but he will also be offered a 5% ownership stake in the club, besides additional investment benefits in Saudi Arabia.
It could also happen that Ronaldo may leave Al Nassr for around a month for the Club World Cup. We know this will be weird, but nothing can be ruled out. The Club World Cup will have a special transfer window from 1 to 10 June; during this period, the participating teams can bring new players for the tournament in the United States.
As per Spanish media portal AS, at least 10 clubs are interested in signing Ronaldo on a short-term contract for the Club World Cup. These are non-European clubs.
If Ronaldo decided to leave Al Nassr, even temporarily, he could be seen playing in the Club World Cup soon.
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