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Cristiano Ronaldo refused to play for Al Nassr. |
At the end of the winter transfer window, the Saudi Pro League was expected to conclude smoothly. However, things unexpectedly took a different turn when the league's two biggest icons, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, both chose not to play. This rare move was enough to force the entire system to re-evaluate how the league operates.
Benzema and the feeling of being insulted.
For Benzema, the story began at the negotiating table, not in the dressing room. With less than six months left on his contract, the French striker felt Al Ittihad's offer to extend it was disrespectful. His reaction was clear: Benzema refused to play, and he made no attempt to hide his dissatisfaction.
With Al Ittihad adamant about not letting key players like Kante or Diaby leave, many believed this conflict would last until their contracts expired. However, the situation suddenly changed when Al Hilal reportedly entered the fray, ready to launch a campaign to recruit Benzema this winter.
The problem is that both Al Hilal and Al Ittihad are under the control of the Public Investment Fund (PIF). With the same "owner" behind them, a star player moving from one club to another is no longer a purely sporting decision. It becomes a matter of coordination, where the overall interests of the league are prioritized over the individual interests of each team.
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Benzema is also unhappy with his current club. |
While Benzema reacted out of a feeling of being overlooked, Ronaldo rebelled because he felt neglected. According to Portuguese media, CR7 believes that the PIF (Portuguese Football Federation) is not allocating resources fairly among the clubs he manages.
The numbers speak for themselves: since 2023, Al Hilal has spent over 600 million euros on transfers, while Al Nassr, Ronaldo's team, has only spent just over 400 million.
That gap not only failed to narrow, but actually widened during the recent transfer window. Al Nassr remained virtually unchanged, only adding one young player.
Conversely, Al Hilal continues to strengthen its squad and is still pursuing major signings. In the direct title race, that disparity becomes unacceptable for Ronaldo, who has yet to win a major title since arriving in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo's refusal to play in the crucial stage of the season therefore carries far more significance than a mere impulsive reaction. It is a direct warning to the league's governing body: when the biggest star feels the rules are unfair, the appeal that the Saudi Pro League has painstakingly built will be challenged.
When the football field gives way to the desk.
The common thread in both "rebellions" is the central role of the Saudi Pro League. Here, transfers are not just agreements between clubs and players. The final approval layer rests with the league, and further afield with the PIF.
This model helps the Saudi Pro League control the pace of development, avoiding extreme imbalances. But it also creates the opposite effect: players, even superstars, no longer have control over their own destiny.
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Ronaldo is "rebelling". |
For Benzema, it was the feeling of being "revalued" in his twilight years. For Ronaldo, it was the feeling of playing in a game where the rules can change at the discretion of the administration. Both resisted, not to leave Saudi Arabia immediately, but to force the system to listen.
The Saudi Pro League is still growing rapidly, but the Ronaldo-Benzema saga illustrates the limitations of a growth model based on centralized power. When all roads lead to a single decision-making center, conflict is inevitable.
And if even the biggest icons are feeling frustrated, the question is: how much will the rest of the league accept it?
Source: https://znews.vn/ly-do-ronaldo-benzema-noi-loan-post1624783.html
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