Cristiano Ronaldo attends Al Nassr friendly as World Cup return draws attention

Cristiano Ronaldo has made his first public appearance with Al Nassr since Portugal’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup, attending the Saudi club’s final pre-season friendly against Spanish side UD Almeria in Lisbon.

The 41-year-old Portugal captain was shown greeting Al Nassr players and meeting the club’s new Australian manager Ange Postecoglou in a video published on the team’s official X account.

Ronaldo did not take part in training and was not involved in the friendly, but made a point of being present for the match at the end of Al Nassr’s overseas camp in the Portuguese capital. The fixture was the club’s final warm-up before the start of the 2026-27 season.

It was the first time Ronaldo had met Al Nassr’s squad and coaching staff since his involvement with Portugal ended at the World Cup on 6 July. Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain in the last 16, bringing their tournament campaign to an end.

Ronaldo is the only Al Nassr player yet to return to training following the World Cup, despite almost a month having passed since Portugal’s defeat.

His appearance in Lisbon came four days before his scheduled wedding to his partner Georgina Rodriguez. The ceremony is due to take place on Saturday on the Portuguese island of Madeira, according to earlier media reports.

Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January 2023 and helped the club win the Roshn Saudi League title last season, ending a seven-year wait for the championship. He has also finished as the competition’s leading scorer twice.

The Lisbon friendly served as Al Nassr’s final preparation match before the new domestic campaign, with the club continuing to adapt to Postecoglou’s arrival and assessing the squad after the international tournament.

Ronaldo’s absence from training had attracted attention because of his importance to Al Nassr and his status as captain. His visit allowed him to reconnect with the players and the new manager before the competitive season begins, even though he has not yet returned to full training.

The footage released by Al Nassr showed Ronaldo alongside members of the squad and exchanging greetings with Postecoglou. It represented his first contact with the team since Portugal’s World Cup exit, while the club’s preparations continued ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.