Al Hilal responds to Cristiano Ronaldo

The CEO of Al Hilal has formally spoken out in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s contentious remarks about the lack of fairness in the Saudi Pro League.

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the center of attention in the Saudi Pro League after temporarily withdrawing from Al Nassr’s training sessions this week. The Portuguese superstar reportedly refused to train as a protest against what he perceives as unequal resource distribution among clubs in Saudi Arabia, especially following the transfer of Karim Benzema to Al Hilal, which could potentially weaken the league’s competitiveness.

Speaking on the Spanish sports program El Larguero, Al Hilal’s CEO Esteve Calzada directly responded to Ronaldo’s views: “Why is he dissatisfied? That’s a question he should answer himself. We had a unique opportunity because we were seeking a striker, and Benzema is a Ballon d’Or winner with exceptional talent. Moreover, he doesn’t need time to adapt to the league. Everything has gone perfectly, and we’ve clearly seen a positive commercial impact,” Calzada emphasized.

According to sources, Ronaldo has seriously considered his future in Saudi Arabia due to concerns that the financial support for Al Nassr is not comparable to other clubs under the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, such as Al Hilal, Al Ahli, and Al Ittihad.

Nevertheless, CR7 is likely to return to play in the match against Al Ittihad this weekend, although it has not been confirmed if he will definitely take the field. The 41-year-old star posted training photos on social media platform X on February 5, raising hopes for his comeback. Al Nassr’s top management believes Ronaldo has conveyed his message clearly and would not miss such an important match, especially since he is contractually obligated to play unless injured.

What surprised the leadership was Ronaldo’s dissatisfaction despite reportedly earning up to £500,000 per day. His current contract still has 18 months remaining, including a release clause worth about £43 million (€50 million) in the summer, even though Ronaldo will turn 41 this week.

Notably, if they win the upcoming round, Al Nassr could move up to the top of the Saudi Pro League.