Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr opener place to be decided after return to Riyadh

Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo is set to discover whether he will feature in the opening match of the Roshn Saudi League season when new manager Ange Postecoglou assesses his condition in training.

Al-Nassr are due to face Al-Fateh at Al-Awwal Park on 15 August, with supporters waiting to learn whether the Portugal forward will start the campaign on the pitch. Ronaldo is expected to return to the Saudi capital within the next few hours after an extended break granted by the club’s management.

According to Saudi newspaper Al-Youm, the rest period followed an exceptional season in which Al-Nassr won the league title. Ronaldo also represented Portugal at the 2026 World Cup before beginning his time away from the club.

The 41-year-old remains one of the central figures in Al-Nassr’s plans. His experience and goalscoring ability have made him a decisive presence in major matches, while the coaching staff continue to rely heavily on him to lead the attack.

However, Ronaldo’s involvement against Al-Fateh will not be confirmed until Postecoglou has had the opportunity to assess him during the club’s forthcoming training sessions. The Australian manager will consider both the player’s physical condition and his technical readiness before deciding whether to name him in the starting line-up.

That decision is likely to attract significant attention, with Al-Nassr supporters keen to see their captain involved from the first round of the new league season. Ronaldo’s return to Riyadh will therefore be followed closely as Postecoglou begins to shape his team and determine how best to use one of its most influential players.

The fixture will also carry wider significance because the coming campaign could prove to be the final chapter of Ronaldo’s time with Al-Nassr. There is growing speculation that the captain may not extend his contract when it expires at the end of the season.

Those expectations come as the club considers restructuring its finances and reducing its wage bill. If Ronaldo does leave after the campaign, he would have only one more season with Al-Nassr to bring the story of his time in Saudi Arabia to the conclusion he wants.

His arrival several years ago changed the profile of Saudi football and made him the most prominent figure in the league. The new season could now represent the last opportunity for Ronaldo to add to that legacy with Al-Nassr, beginning with the decision over whether he starts against Al-Fateh.