Three years ago, the Saudi Pro League was considered a "seismic event" in world football when Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al-Nassr. Subsequently, a host of top players such as Karim Benzema, Neymar, Sadio Mane, and Aymeric Laporte also joined the Saudi Arabian National Championship.
Internal crisis
Although some of these players are no longer in their prime, these high-profile signings are a strong statement of ambition for this West Asian nation. With its abundant oil resources, Saudi Arabia aspires to become the new center of global football before hosting the 2034 World Cup.
Benzema's move to Al-Hilal raises questions about the fairness of PIF (Photo: Al-Hilal)
However, in the current season, it is the big stars themselves who are pushing the league into a serious internal crisis. Since joining Al-Nassr in early 2023, CR7 has generated immense media attention, quickly becoming the biggest icon of the Saudi Pro League.
In terms of on-field performance, the 40-year-old striker has scored 91 goals in 95 appearances in the Saudi Pro League. However, after three seasons, Ronaldo has yet to win a Pro League title with Al-Nassr.
CR7 refused to play due to dissatisfaction with the way the Saudi Pro League is run. (Photo: THE GUARDIAN)
The biggest star turns its back.
This past summer, the Saudi Arabian club made a big gamble by bringing in Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman to enhance the team's attacking capabilities.
However, Al-Nassr's three defeats in just the first 10 days of January this year have made CR7 extremely impatient. The Portuguese superstar wants the team to strengthen its squad, while Al-Nassr has only brought in mid-level signings.
Conversely, Al-Nassr's rival, Al-Hilal, recently signed Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad on a free transfer. Notably, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ittihad, along with Al-Ahli, are all under the management of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). When directly competing clubs share the same owner, the question of conflicts of interest is inevitable.
This is also believed to be the reason why Ronaldo refused to play in Al-Nassr's recent match against Al-Riyadh. This "strike" has left a bad image for the Saudi Arabian Pro League. The Saudi Pro League is built on the aura of its stars, so the foundation of its media presence is immediately shaken when its biggest star turns his back on it.
Ronaldo wants Al-Nassr to bring in more quality signings (Photo: THE GUARDIAN)
Significantly, this league is entering a transitional phase as clubs are shifting towards young talents, such as Vinicius Junior or top-tier stars who are still in their prime, instead of spending money on veterans. CR7's dissatisfaction with the feeling that "the game is no longer fair" could ignite larger controversies about how the league is run.
Since Ronaldo's arrival, Al-Nassr has lagged behind other clubs owned by PIF in terms of titles. Al-Hilal won the Pro League in the 2023-2024 season and the Saudi Arabian Super Cup twice. Al-Ittihad just won the domestic double last season, while Al-Ahli triumphed in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Meanwhile, Al-Nassr only has the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup title, which is not considered official.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/vi-sao-saudi-pro-league-chao-dao-196260205213031904.htm
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