The winter Mercato in the Saudi football round was “hot” with the deals concluded by Al Hilal Club, especially those that brought in Karim Benzema, Al-Ittihad’s top scorer. It seems that this is what angered the Portuguese star of Al-Nasr Club, Cristiano Ronaldo, as he expressed this by his absence from training. If Al-Hilal benefited from Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal’s “love” for it, as he sponsored the deal for Benzema and other players, then the scarcity of the harvest for Al-Nasr did not satisfy the “Don.”

Published on: 06/02/2026 - 16:34

“Thank you Al-Waleed bin Talal... Historic moments with Al-Hilal for decades... Its impact was ‘gold’ and its impact was ‘glories and leadership’.” That was a tweet by Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia on the

In his first participation with the team, on Thursday, Benzema led Al-Hilal to victory over its host, Al-Akhdood, 6-0, in the 21st round of the Saudi Football League. The former French international stole the show by scoring a hat-trick in the 31st, 60th and 64th minutes. Al-Zaeem raised his score to 50 points in the lead. This is Benzema's sixth hat-trick since his move to the Saudi League in 2023.

In addition to Benzema, who came from Al-Ittihad, Al-Waleed bin Talal sponsored the deals of six other players, according to what media reported. These names are as follows: Pablo Mari coming from the Italian club Fiorentina, Sultan Mandesh from Al-Taawoun Club, Murad Hawsawi from Al-Khaleej Club, Rayan Al-Dosari from Al-Khaleej Club, Mohamed Qadir Miti from Rennes Club, Simon Bouabry from NEOM Club.

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A “love” relationship between the prince and Al Hilal

The media did not delay in shedding light on the relationship between Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and the club. The Emirati website "Eram" went to the Iberian Peninsula for evidence, and relied on statements by a Spanish journalist in this regard.

The website said that Spanish journalist Felix Diaz, editor-in-chief of the Marca newspaper, reported on the transfer of ownership of Al Hilal Club from the Saudi sovereign investment fund to the holding company owned by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. According to the same source, “Diaz confirmed that Alwaleed bin Talal paid 5 billion Saudi riyals to acquire 100% of Al Hilal Club,” before adding that Alwaleed bin Talal remains the honorary president of Al Hilal Club, but the club’s presidency is currently occupied by Prince Nawaf bin Saad, who assumed his duties last July.

Al Hilal fans know well the Saudi Prince’s connection to their club. It is a story of “love that is told to generations... to all fans of this club historically,” according to what was stated in an interview by the Saudi journalist Muhammad Al-Sadaan on Al-Khaleejiya TV, for the support this man provided, says the same source, to the team at all levels.

Ronaldo was angry at the poor harvest

The atmosphere is different for the opposing team, Al-Nassr. While Al Hilal won the Benzema deal, the absence of veteran Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo from his team was highlighted in the Gulf sports media in particular, amid talk of his dissatisfaction with the Public Investment Fund’s policy of not strengthening the team’s ranks during the winter transfer period.

But this fund, which owns the four major clubs (Al-Hilal, Al-Nasr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahly), spent huge sums of money to secure the necessary support for Ronaldo by including two very high-caliber players last summer, namely the Portuguese Joao Felix and the Frenchman Kingsley Coman, in addition to the Spanish defender Iñigo Martinez.

The Portuguese newspaper "Apola" confirmed that Ronaldo "is not satisfied with the way the Saudi Public Investment Fund has managed the club he has represented for three years, especially compared to the treatment given to competing clubs that are also managed by the same fund."

She added that Ronaldo "complains about the lack of investment in Al-Nasr. (Portuguese coach) Jorge Jesus did not receive the reinforcements he requested, and the evidence is that the only player the club included in the winter transfer market is Haider Abdul Karim, the 21-year-old Iraqi midfielder."

"Apola" saw that "all of this deepens the dissatisfaction of Cristiano Ronaldo, who believes that the management style is harmful to Al-Nasr, especially compared to Al-Hilal, which is the most active in the transfer market." The reaction of the 41-year-old Portuguese international brought back memories of what his coach, Jorge Jesus, said in the middle of last month when he said that Al-Nasr “does not have the political power that Al-Hilal enjoys.” This position caused a huge uproar in Saudi football circles, and prompted Al Hilal to demand the suspension of the Portuguese coach.

Ronaldo joins training

The Saudi League responds to Ronaldo

Officials in the Saudi League firmly rejected the Portuguese star’s reaction, as the French newspaper “L’Equipe” quoted BBC Sport as saying that a spokesman for the league said in a statement that “no individual, no matter how important, has the right to impose decisions that go beyond the scope of his club.” The statement added: “Since joining, Cristiano has shown full commitment to Al-Nasr, and has played an important role in the club’s growth and achieving its ambitions. Like any strong competitor, Ronaldo seeks to win.”

The official spokesman explained that the operations of the Saudi Professional League are based on a simple principle: “Each club operates independently according to the same rules,” noting that “decisions related to contracts, spending, and strategy are the responsibility of these clubs, within a financial system designed to ensure financial viability and competitive balance.” This system applies “equally” to all league clubs.

Will the “Don” crisis end and he once again engage in competition away from these criticisms, or will it escalate further between the club and the Portuguese top scorer, and turn into a burden on Al-Nasr and with it the local league?

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