The 41-year-old, ​who has netted 21 ​goals in 22 games this season ⁠in the SPL, was injured ​in a 3-1 win over Al-Fayha ​on Saturday.

“After examining Ronaldo’s injury, it became clear that he needs a period ​of rest and treatment, so ​we decided to send him to Spain,” ‌Jesus ⁠told a press conference.

“The medical staff diagnosed Ronaldo’s condition and confirmed that he is unable to ​take part ​in ⁠tomorrow’s match or the following one (against Al‑Khaleej)”.

It remains unclear ​whether the five-times Ballon ​d’Or ⁠winner will be fit to participate in Portugal’s friendlies against Mexico ⁠on ​March 29 and the ​U.S. on April 1.

-Reuters

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Local media reported that the move to Al-Hilal came after Benzema rejected an offer to extend his contract with Al-Ittihad. The former French striker had missed the team’s previous two league matches.

“Al-Hilal signed French star Karim Benzema on a free transfer to represent the football team for one and a half years,” the Saudi club said in a statement.

Benzema had a successful spell with the Jeddah-based Al-Ittihad, leading them to the league title and the King’s Cup last season. It was the first domestic double in Al‑Ittihad’s history.

“This journey gave me a lot, both personally and professionally,” Benzema, who joined Al-Ittihad on a free transfer in 2023 after 14 years with Real Madrid, said on X.

“I leave with my head held high, proud to have worn these colours and of everything we shared.”

The former Real Madrid striker, 38, scored 16 goals in 21 matches for Al-Ittihad in all competitions this season.

Al-Hilal sit top of the league standings with 47 points, one point ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr. Al-Ittihad are sixth with 34 points.

-Reuters

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The 40-year-old Al Nassr striker, who holds the record as football’s all-time top scorer with 952 goals for club and country, spoke candidly about his future during an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored published on Tuesday.

“Soon,” Ronaldo said when asked when he plans to retire. “I think I will be prepared. It will be very, very difficult. But I’ve been preparing for my future since I was 25, 26, 27 years old. I believe I’ll be ready to handle it.”

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has previously set himself a target of reaching 1,000 career goals, acknowledged that nothing will ever match the thrill of scoring. “Nothing compares to the adrenaline you get from scoring a goal,” he said. “But everything has a beginning and an end. I’ll have more time for myself, for my family, and to raise my kids.”

Ronaldo, who enjoyed two spells at Manchester United, also expressed his sadness over the club’s decline in recent years. Despite his difficult departure from Old Trafford three years ago, he said he still follows United’s fortunes.

“I’m sad because Manchester United is one of the most important clubs in the world and a club I still have in my heart,” he said. “But they don’t have a structure. I hope that changes soon, because the club’s potential is amazing.”

Reflecting on United’s struggles — including last season’s 15th-place finish, their worst since 1973–74 — Ronaldo added: “They’re not on a good path. And it’s not just about the coach or the players. In my opinion, he (manager Ruben Amorim) is doing his best. But what can you do? Miracles are impossible.”

As Ronaldo’s extraordinary career edges toward its conclusion, his words signal the closing chapter of one of football’s greatest ever journeys — a career defined by records, resilience, and relentless ambition.

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The 70-year-old won the domestic treble in his second stint with Riyadh-based Al-Hilal in the 2023-2024 season, but left the club in May after they lost in the AFC Champions League elite semi-finals to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli.

“It’s official Mr. Jorge Jesus is the new coach of Al-Nassr” the Saudi club posted on X. The former Copa Libertadores winner with Brazil’s Flamengo, who replaces Italian Stefano Pioli, has signed a one-year contract with Al-Nassr.

Nine-times Saudi champions Al-Nassr have extended the contract of 40-year-old five-times Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo until 2027.

-Reuters

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Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr in 2022 after leaving Manchester United to become a free agent, has scored 93 goals in 105 appearances for them in all competitions.

“”A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together,” Ronaldo said in a post on X.

Ronaldo arrived in Al Nassr on a two-and-a-half-year contract soon after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

That made him the highest-paid athlete in the world and he has topped the list for the last three years, according to Forbes.

At the age of 40, Ronaldo’s estimated total earnings are around $275 million.

He has shown few signs of slowing down, with the forward leading Portugal to a second UEFA Nations League title this month when they beat neighbours Spain in the final.

Ronaldo is also eyeing the 1,000-goal milestone in his career. He has scored 794 goals in club football and 138 for Portugal to take his tally to 932.

His arrival in Saudi Arabia opened the floodgates for several high-profile players based in Europe to make the switch to the SPL, such as Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema.

Although Ronaldo has won the Arab Club Champions Cup with Al Nassr, he has been unable to guide them to the SPL title, with their best finish being runners-up in 2022-23 and 2023-24. They finished third last season.

-Reuters

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The 40-year-old Portuguese striker joined Al-Nassr in 2022 from Manchester United and his contract with the Saudi club ends this summer.

A special transfer window runs from June 1 to 10 to allow the 32 clubs involved in the Club World Cup to sign players. Al-Nassr are not at the Club World Cup unlike fellow Saudi side Al-Hilal.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino last week said “there are discussions” over the former United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Sporting Lisbon star playing at the expanded tournament in the United States starting on June 14.

This could mean that he could sign for a new club before then.

“This chapter is over. The story? Still being written. Grateful to all,” Ronaldo cryptically said on social media with a photo of him in an Al-Nassr shirt.

According to Arab news outlet Al-Yaum, Al-Nassr had reportedly offered him a new contract that would slash salary by more than half – Ronaldo currently holds the world’s highest football salary at around €200 million (S$292 million) annually.

Al-Yaum reported that Al-Nassr’s new proposal includes a 52 per cent pay cut, reducing his annual earnings to €96 million. In exchange, the club offered Ronaldo a 5 per cent ownership stake in the team, along with additional investment benefits in Saudi Arabia.

The team lost in the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League in April to Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale and finished third in the Saudi Pro League.

Ronaldo is the league’s top scorer with 25 goals.

In 2024, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said he could end his career with Al-Nassr.

Meanwhile, his great rival Lionel Messi will play at the Club World Cup with Inter Miami.

During a recent interview with YouTuber and streamer IShowSpeed, Infantino said: “And Ronaldo might play for one of the teams as well at the Club World Cup.

“There are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup… who knows, who knows.”

It remains to be seen where Ronaldo’s future lies.

Just last week, a source close to Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca said they are not in talks to sign him. Spanish outlet Marca reported that Wydad were hoping to sign the forward to lead their attack at the Club World Cup.

“It was just a friendly talk between Wydad’s president and an agent close to Ronaldo, without going beyond informal discussions,” the source told Reuters.

-Reuters/AFP

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The official said the sides have agreed on the renewable extension of Ronaldo’s contract, “but it has not been signed yet. An announcement will be made over the coming days”.

Ronaldo turned 40 last week with his current contract due to end in June 2025.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star joined Al Nassr in January 2023 and has since scored 82 goals in 90 matches.

In August, Ronaldo said he would stay with Al Nassr through the end of his professional career, which may be “soon or in two or three years”.

“But it’ll most likely happen with Al Nassr, in the team that makes me happy… and where I feel good.”

The Portuguese great appeared to trade an end-of-career payday for football obscurity when he moved to Riyadh’s Al Nassr two years ago in a deal said to be worth $250 million.

But his influence became clear when he was followed by a parade of ageing superstars to the big-spending Saudi Pro League.

Saudi Arabia was then awarded the 2034 World Cup in December, the crowning glory for the oil-rich kingdom’s strategy of revamping its image through sports, tourism and culture.

When Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel in August, he gained one million subscribers in just 90 minutes and 20 million within 24 hours. He currently has 73.5 million.

Although World Cup glory has probably eluded him, unlike his Argentine rival Lionel Messi, records still dangle in front of the five-time Ballon d’Or and Champions League winner.

Despite his prodigious form as he closes in on 1,000 professional goals in official matches, Ronaldo is yet to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, with the Arab Club Champions Cup of 2023 his only triumph with the club.

-AFP

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From Karim Benzema to Neymar to N’Golo Kante and more, the top 30 transfers in the entire history of Saudi Arabian football have taken place in the two years since Ronaldo left Manchester United.

But what did the Saudi Pro League look like before the sudden influx of superstars from Europe? We’ve checked back on the Saudi Pro League’s 10 most expensive transfers prior to Ronaldo and checked in on where they’re at today.

10. Yahya Al-Shehri – €9.4million – Al-Nassr

This one is actually an internal transfer.

Al-Shehri was capped 75 times by Saudi Arabia between 2009 and 2019 and has spent almost his entire career in his home country, save for a brief loan spell at La Liga side Leganes where he made a grand total of zero appearances.

A product of Al-Ettifaq’s academy, he’d notched over a hundred appearances for his boyhood club before his big-money move to Riyadh’s Al-Nassr in 2013.

He spent eight years at Al-Nassr and won three league titles there. Nowadays he’s turning out for Al-Riyadh alongside former Championship stalwart Yoann Barbet.

9. Nicolae Stanciu – €10million – Al-Ahli

After a reported falling out with Slavia Prague manager Zdenek Scasny, Al-Ahli swooped to sign the Romania international in January 2019.

But he lasted just half a season out in Saudi Arabia before returning to Slavia Prague, by which point his old boss had conveniently departed. Financial issues were reportedly behind Al-Ahli allowing their star asset to leave so soon.

The winger spent another three seasons in the Czech capital before moving on to Chinese Super League outfit Wuhan Three Towns. He’s now back in Saudi Arabia, turning out for a Damac side coached by his Romanian compatriot Cosmin Contra.

8. Aleksandar Prijovic – €10million – Al-Ittihad

Big Mitro wasn’t the first expensive Serbian called Aleksandar to rock up in the Saudi Pro League.

You might (not) remember Prijovic struggling for opportunities for Parma, Derby County, Yeovil and Northampton back in the latter half of the noughties.

The striker enjoyed a nomadic career since those early days, with short-lived stints in Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Poland and Greece before his €10million move to Al-Ittihad in 2019.

He notched 15 goals in 49 Saudi Pro League appearances and moved on to Australian A-League side Western United FC in 2021.

Prijovic, 34, is presumably now retired, having not had a club since he was released by Western United back in 2023.

7. Igor Coronado – €10.1million – Al-Ittihad

A Brazilian playmaker that developed his skills in MK Dons’ academy as a teenager. Yes, really.

Coronado never quite made the grade in Milton Keynes but brushed himself and kicked on with humble beginnings at non-league Banbury United in Oxfordshire. From there he went on to play in Malta with Floriana and fallen giants Palermo in Serie B.

In subsequent years, he won league titles in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, having moved from Sharjah to Al-Ittihad in 2021.

Nowadays he’s back in Brazil with Corinthians. Not a bad post-script for a kid who couldn’t get a game at MK Dons.

6. Djaniny – €10.2million – Al-Ahli

A pretty cool story, this one.

Djaniny was born and raised in Santa Cruz, Cape Verde and moved to Portugal at the age of 18 to study renewable energy.

The forward soon found an amateur club and demonstrated enough talent to get picked up by Uniao Leiria (once managed by Jose Mourinho) and Benfica’s reserve team. He even made his international debut in 2012 and went on to play 35 times for Cape Verde.

After peaking at Mexican outfit Santos Laguna, where he spent four years, Al-Ahli sanctioned a big-money move in 2018. He later spent three years with Trabzonspor, with whom he won a Turkish Super Lig title in 2021-22, and has since returned to Saudi Arabia with Al Fateh.

5. Souza – €10.2million – Al-Ahli

Before genuine footballing royalty started turning up in the Saudi Pro League over the past couple of years, it was home to a number of Brazilians you’ve likely never heard of.

Josef de Souza Dias belongs in that category, although he earned three caps for Brazil in the immediate wake of their 2014 World Cup heartbreak and represented clubs including Porto, Fenerbahce and Besiktas.

His stint in the Saudi Pro League actually came between his stints with the two big Istanbul rivals between the years of 2018 and 2020.

After a short-lived spell with a third Istanbul club – Basaksehir – the centre-back returned to his boyhood club Vasco da Gama last year.

4. Giuliano – €10.5million – Al-Nassr

Another Brazilian, attacking midfielder Giuliano (14 caps for the Selecao) joined Al-Nassr in 2018 after a career on the fringes of the European mainstream – Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, Zenit Saint Petersburg and Fenerbahce among the stops.

Like Souza, he left Saudi for Istanbul Basaksehir, before going on to play over a hundred times for Corinthians.

The 34-year-old is now a free agent, having just left newly promoted Santos to make room for another ex Saudi Pro League old boy.

3. Pity Martinez – €16million – Al-Nassr

The attacking midfielder has tended to win silverware wherever he’s been, from a Copa Argentina with Huracan to a glut of trophies across two stints with River Plate and a U.S. Open Cup with Atlanta United.

But a solitary Saudi Super Cup is a relatively underwhelming return from his two-and-a-half years at Al Nassr, given the sizeable fee they paid Atlanta for his signature.

Now he’s back at River Plate, once again working under former Al-Ittihad coach Marcelo Gallardo, who got the best out of him the first time around at the Monumental.

2. Ahmed Musa – €16.5million – Al-Nassr

There’s no greater statement that things have changed in the Saudi Pro League that notorious Leicester City flop Musa was once its record signing.

At the time of writing, the €16.5million fee that Al-Nassr paid the Foxes back in 2018 only makes him the league’s 44th most expensive signing.

The former Nigeria stalwart is still only 32 years of age but he’s fallen off the footballing map in recent years. He left Al-Nassr in 2020 and is now into his third stint with Nigerian side Kano Pillars.

1. Matheus Pereira – €18million – Al-Hilal

One of the most talented players to grace the Championship in recent years, Pereira played a talismanic role in West Brom’s promotion to the Premier League in 2019-20 and was just about the only good thing about them in their miserable 2020-21 relegation campaign.

Given how well he’d done in the top flight for an otherwise limited side, the Brazilian playmaker had no shortage of suitors when the Baggies returned to the Championship.

Rather than move to another English or European side, Pereira made the surprising decision to sign for Al-Hilal – back then a bolt out of the blue.

His time with the club was short and sweet, yielding a Saudi Pro League title, a Saudi Super Cup and the Asian Champions League during his one and only full season out there.

After a loan away to UAE side Al Wahda, Pereira signed for Cruzeiro on a permanent deal in 2023 and remains with the Brazilian club today.

-Planet Football

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The 32-year-old Brazil forward has not played since sustaining the injury during his nation’s CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October last year.

He suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and underwent surgery in November.

Having moved to Saudi Arabia from French champions Paris St Germain for a reported fee of around 90 million euros ($97.8 million) in August last year, Neymar had only played five games before his layoff as he was struggling with muscle injuries.

The former Barcelona forward, who is Brazil’s leading scorer, missed their 2024 Copa America campaign in the United States, where they suffered a second straight quarter-final exit from a major tournament after losing to Croatia on penalties at the 2022 World Cup.

“Al-Hilal is happy to announce that Neymar will join the squad for the away trip to Al-Ain. He’s back,” the club posted on social media platform X.

“Neymar participated in team training after completing his recovery program,” Al-Hilal said in another post.

They play Al-Ain at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Monday.

-Reuters

Information from the oil rich country indicate that Peseiro who had previously coached the Saudi Arabia national team is one of the two being considered to replace Odair Hellmann at the Saudi club which placed 14^th at the end of last season.

It is gathered that Peseiro has a competitor in Spanish cooach, Javier Pereira who is also lineup for the job.  

Peseiro had previously managed Al Hilal in 2006 and later coached the Saudi national team during their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.