Former Liverpool star, Danny Murphy has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo for going on strike at Al-Nassr.
He thinks the Portuguese superstar is not considering the club and is focusing on himself.
Ronaldo refused to make himself available for Al-Nassr’s 1-0 win over neighbours Al Riyadh in the Saudi Super League on Monday night.
Journalist Ben Jacobs discussed on talkSPORT the reasons behind the club captain’s strike, mentioning that the captain was dissatisfied with the special treatment given to Al Hilal, which is also managed by the Al-Nassr owners’ PIF.
He stated that Cristiano Ronaldo is dissatisfied with the PIF strategy specifically. It also made a statement by not being available for Al Nassr’s win over Al Riyadh earlier.
Some in Saudi Arabia allege that Ronaldo did not want former teammate Karim Benzema to join Al Hilal. Instead, he felt it would be better for Saudi football for him to stay at Al Ittihad, or even join Al Nassr.
Others mention that this is an issue related to central funding and how it is specifically distributed.
So, Ronaldo’s argument, and Al Nassr’s fans have also been protesting, its about why Al Hilal received a large amount of money to spend before the Club World Cup, while Al Nassr’s share was a bit smaller.
The question is, is it this Benzema-specific or is there a broader disagreement over strategy and ultimately funding, as Ronaldo hasn’t been backed. He is expected to be fined and is likely to face punishment for not making himself available for selection.
Murphy was furious after hearing the explanation and criticized Ronaldo for his behavior.
He encouraged the club’s captain to donate part of his salary to support the club and stated, “Perhaps Ronaldo could give some of his earnings to the club so they can hire more players.
“I have never heard of something so ridiculous in my life, it’s self-indulgent nonsense.”
Ronaldo’s attempt to block Karim Benzema’s transfer to Al Hilal failed, as the French player joined the Saudi Pro League leaders on an 18-month contract.
Cristiano Ronaldo signed a two-year contract with Al-Nassr in 2025, which extends his time at the club until 2027. He joined them in 2022 following the contract termination at Manchester United, and has been their star player since.
The Portuguese superstar is yet to help his side win a major trophy. Since Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad have won the league titles.
Reports in Portugal today indicated that Cristiano Ronaldo was dissatisfied and might think about his future this summer.