Cristiano Ronaldo future: Will Al-Nassr striker make his return against Al-Ittihad on Friday?

Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly not altered his stance and will remain 'on strike' for Al-Nassr's next league match against Al-Ittihad on Friday.

The 41-year-old refused to take to the field for Al-Nassr in their Saudi Pro League fixture with Al Riyadh on Monday due to his unhappiness with aspects of the running of the club.

Ronaldo is allegedly unhappy with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia for their management of the club, with the forward believing that rival teams, who are managed by the same fund, are being prioritised in the transfer market.

Al-Hilal, who are top of the Saudi Pro League table, notably signed Kader Meite and Karim Benzema in the winter window, while Haydeer Abdulkareem has been Al-Nassr's only arrival.

Ronaldo posted an image on Wednesday of him in training with Al-Nassr, but according to ESPN, the attacker is not planning to play against Al-Ittihad.

Ronaldo remains 'on strike' for Al-Nassr

The report claims that Ronaldo is demanding major changes, and if that does not occur, he will ask to leave Al-Nassr during the summer transfer window.

The Saudi Pro League are determined to keep hold of their biggest star, who has a contract with Al-Nassr until June 2027, but a return to Europe could be on the cards this summer.

Al-Nassr are believed to be planning a major summer transfer window, with Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes said to be among their targets.

Al-Hilal CEO Esteve Calzada has commented on the Ronaldo saga.

"You should ask them," Calzada told Cadena Ser. "We are focusing on ourselves. In the end, it's not like they [Al Nassr] had a bad summer transfer window with Joao Félix [and Kingsley] Coman arriving.

Ronaldo 'unhappy' with Al-Hilal's Benzema signing

"There's a rivalry and a passion in this country that I never would have imagined; I thought I'd seen it all. People have gone crazy with the [Benzema] signing.

"We were looking to sign a striker, and a unique opportunity came up. A Ballon d'Or winner, with a spectacular talent-the statistics speak for themselves. On top of that, he doesn't have to adapt to our league. It all fell into place, it was made possible. We're absolutely thrilled.

"I'm not surprised Benzema chose us, because ultimately Al Hilal is the most popular and powerful club not only in Saudi Arabia, but also in Asia. We're ready to compete for all the titles and we're in a good position to do so this season.

"We're already seeing the results in the commercial and media content departments. Even though it's strictly a sporting signing, we've gotten to work to get the best possible return on our investment."

Ronaldo has scored 18 goals and registered three assists in 22 appearances in all competitions for Al-Nassr during the 2025-26 campaign.