Sami Al-Jaber links Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr struggles to Portugal turmoil

Cristiano Ronaldo is being affected mentally by what happened with Portugal, according to Al Hilal legend Sami Al-Jaber, after the Al Nassr captain missed several chances in the 1-0 victory over Neom.

The result came in the 10th round of the Roshn Saudi League, but Ronaldo endured a difficult evening in front of goal. His most notable miss came shortly before half-time, when he failed to convert a penalty.

Speaking on the Saudi programme Nadeena, Al-Jaber said Ronaldo’s performance was evidence that he was struggling psychologically.

“Ronaldo is clearly suffering from a psychological crisis because of what happened with the Portugal national team,” Al-Jaber said.

“The Ronaldo we know does not miss chances like these. He has a distracted mind because he always scores, and his performance today proves that what I am saying is correct.”

Al-Jaber said his view was based partly on his close attention to Ronaldo’s career, particularly the forward’s time at Real Madrid.

“I follow Ronaldo closely, especially his Real Madrid period,” he said. “He used to score every chance that came his way, and it is impossible for him to miss in this manner.”

Ronaldo’s display came despite Al Nassr securing all three points against Neom. Al-Jaber also highlighted the importance of Joao Felix to the team, describing him as the club’s leading star and the player who regularly decides matches.

“In my opinion, Joao Felix is the team’s number one star and he always settles games,” Al-Jaber said.

“But Al Nassr do not have another striker at Ronaldo’s level, so the team is forced to keep playing him.”

Comments from the former Al Hilal forward were shared by the Nadeena programme’s account on 20 October 2026. The remarks focused on Ronaldo’s missed opportunities against Neom and his current role at Al Nassr, rather than questioning his importance to the side.

The Portugal captain’s failure to convert the penalty was among a number of straightforward chances he missed during the match. Al-Jaber believes those misses were not typical of the finishing that defined Ronaldo during his years at Real Madrid and instead reflected the mental strain he claims the forward is experiencing after events involving Portugal.