Al-Nassr’s Ronaldo dilemma deepens after first league defeat

Cristiano Ronaldo’s influence at Al-Nassr has come under renewed scrutiny after the Saudi Pro League club suffered their first defeat of the 2026-27 season, with Saudi journalist Abdul Karim Al-Zamil claiming the team effectively plays with 10 men when the Portugal forward is on the pitch.

Al-Nassr were beaten 2-1 by Al-Ittihad on Saturday, opening a fresh debate about how Ronaldo is being used and the extent of his impact on the team’s performances.

Al-Zamil argued that the club’s ambitions and Ronaldo’s personal objectives may not be fully aligned. In a post on X, he wrote: “Al-Nassr play with 10 men when Ronaldo is present, even if he scores. This is a fact that some people overlook.”

He added: “Al-Nassr’s objective is to win a trophy, while Ronaldo’s objective is 1,000 goals.”

The journalist did not necessarily call for Ronaldo to be left out of the team altogether. Instead, he suggested that Al-Nassr could manage the 41-year-old’s involvement differently, with a greater emphasis on using him during the second half of matches.

“Managing his participation in the second half would benefit him and the team,” Al-Zamil wrote.

His comments followed a subdued display from Ronaldo in the defeat by Al-Ittihad, a result that ended Al-Nassr’s unbeaten start to the current Saudi Pro League campaign. The loss has also increased the attention on the Portuguese captain’s role within the side as the club seeks to challenge for major honours.

Al-Nassr remain second in the table on 12 points. Their defeat allowed Al-Hilal to secure top spot, while Al-Ittihad moved into fourth place with 11 points.

The discussion centres on whether Ronaldo’s presence should remain a constant throughout matches or whether Al-Nassr would benefit from controlling his minutes. Al-Zamil’s position was not that the forward should automatically be excluded, but that his appearances could be adjusted to serve both the player and the club more effectively.

Ronaldo’s individual target of reaching 1,000 career goals was presented by Al-Zamil as distinct from Al-Nassr’s priority of winning a trophy. That contrast has become the central point of the criticism aimed at the striker and the way he is deployed.

The defeat by Al-Ittihad has therefore revived questions over whether Al-Nassr are getting the best collective performance from their squad when Ronaldo starts. For now, the club sit second in the standings, with the loss giving Al-Hilal the advantage at the top and leaving Al-Ittihad only one point behind Al-Nassr.