Cristiano Ronaldo to miss Al Nassr clash against FC Goa in AFC Champions League
Cristiano Ronaldo will not feature for Saudi Pro League giants Al Nassr when they take on FC Goa in their AFC Champions League Group Two match at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Wednesday. This will mark his third absence for the Riyadh-based side in this year’s tournament. Al Nas sr were scheduled to arrive in Goa in the early hours of Tuesday. Ronaldo, the five-time Bal lon d’Or winner, who captains Al Nassr, had already missed two previous champi onship matches, which the team won comfortably — a 5-0 victory over Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol and a 2-0 win against Iraq’s Al Zawraa SC. Ronaldo’s absence comes in the wake of his new two-year contract with Al Nassr, reported ly worth over Rs 2,000 crore per year (around $700 million), often dubbed one of the biggest contracts in sports history. The deal includes a private jet and a 16-member personal staff, as well as a unique clause allowing him to choose matches outside Saudi Arabia, giving him discre tion to skip international fixtures. This provision was introduced after logistical difficulties dur ing Al Nassr’s 2023-24 AFC Champions League trip to Iran, and now Ronaldo is scheduled to miss away games in the group stage unless elimination risks arise.The forward is also focused on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, aiming for a record sixth appearance with Portu gal. He has led the team to the top of their qualification group with three wins and a draw, becoming the all-time top goalscorer in World Cup qualifying history with 41 goals. Portugal currently have 10 points from four matches. Ronaldo has been in stellar form for Al Nassr this sea son, scoring five goals and providing one assist in five appearances. Overall, he has netted 79 goals in 82 Saudi Pro League matches, and 105 goals in 118 games across all competitions for the club. He reached the milestone of 100 goals for Al Nassr in the 2025 Saudi Super Cup final against Al Ahli in Hong Kong, becoming the only player in football history to score 100 goals for four dif ferent clubs. As Ronaldo manages his workload ahead of the World Cup, his decision to skip the Goa trip appears part of a broader strategy to maintain peak fitness, with Portugal set to play two final World Cup qualifiers against the Re public of Ireland and Armenia in November.
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