A source close to the Saudi football scene said this week that Karim Benzema sent a text message to Cristiano Ronaldo after joining Al Hilal, telling him he had not only got a pay rise but would win another title.
Ronaldo has missed two consecutive matches, which is highly unusual for the 41-year-old, who rarely sits out games. Ronaldo is furious with Al Nassr’s quiet transfer activity in the January window, while their main title rival Al Hilal signed Benzema during that period.
Since Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in 2023, the club has spent €414 million on transfer fees alone, including €100 million last summer. Players like Kingsley Coman and João Félix joined a squad already featuring Sadio Mané and Marcelo Brozović. Ronaldo renewed his contract in the summer, though he made it clear in subsequent interviews that he wanted to win the league title this time.
In many ways, one has to admire his obsession. For most aging football stars around the world, and even some younger players, moving to Saudi Arabia is largely seen as a very attractive "pension plan". Even in European minds, the very idea of going to Saudi Arabia is enough to define such a career move. Choosing which club to join is just an irrelevant detail, not the core of the matter.
But Ronaldo is different. He still manages his career with the passion of a 10-year-old dreaming of a football transfer. Trophies matter to him. Chasing 1,000 career goals is just as important. In some ways, it seems a bit much for a 41-year-old. But in others, it fits exactly the drive that turned a boy from Madeira into one of the most famous footballers in history, not to mention a multi-billion-euro brand licensing business.
If Saudi Arabia wanted the world to take their domestic football as seriously as European leagues, they have finally got their wish. As Ronaldo’s other recent employers have found out, having Ronaldo can be a double-edged sword. Thirty years in the brightest spotlight of football has not really honed his ability to see things from others’ perspectives.
A source close to the Saudi situation hinted this week that Benzema looked at his contract and thought he could earn more. After moving to Al Hilal, he sent a message to his former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo, joking that he had not only got a pay rise but would win the title again. One likes to think he added a half-hearted "haha" at the end, though no one can be sure. But what is certain is that it gave Ronaldo quite a dark night of the soul.
Ronaldo also hinted that the 2026 World Cup this summer will be his international swansong. Obviously, he can still occasionally score for Portugal, and his 226 caps are an extraordinary contribution, but everyone knows this has gone on too long to be rational. Even so, no one, especially manager Roberto Martínez, has enough authority to tell Ronaldo it’s time to stop. The remaining goals will not score themselves, and Ronaldo clearly sees every match as a chance to get closer to his target.
Al Nassr, currently only one point behind leaders Al Hilal, will try to mend fences with Ronaldo and bring him back into the team, though there are no guarantees. The beauty of being Ronaldo is that, by and large, you can do whatever you want. He is said to have a €50 million release clause in his contract, but it is speculated that this clause may be waived to avoid a full-blown Ronaldo outburst. For the Saudi side, a free transfer would be a preferable option compared to Ronaldo appearing on Morgan’s home studio again with grievances.
If this is really just about reaching 1,000 goals, it does not matter where Ronaldo scores them. Speculation suggests it could be in MLS, where his friendship with US President Donald Trump would make Ronaldo a popular foreign signing. However, there are arguably more interesting possibilities than scoring his 1,000th goal for a club that is younger than he is.
Ronaldo’s career has always revolved around the biggest clubs, the biggest salaries, the most goals, the most eye-popping commercial deals, the most sculpted abs. Why not bow out in a less glamorous lower league? Some Championship clubs in
England must at least consider the dramatic twist of signing Ronaldo. The scene of explaining EFL profit and sustainability rules to Ronaldo would be must-see TV that any streaming service with vision would greenlight.
Ronaldo himself has made it clear that he wants to become a club owner, not a coach, after retiring – an ambition that fits a life that seems built around control. In an era where many of the biggest active and retired players hold stakes in clubs, perhaps this is an option for him too now. He could try to buy and run a club, and sign himself as the first acquisition.
That would at least make contract negotiations simple – and the manager, God bless him, would be in no doubt who the first name on the team sheet is.
