Ronaldo tells players they came to Saudi because of him, urges respect for referees

Ronaldo's chase for 1000 goals is not the main talking point in the Saudi Pro League now. It has taken a different route and controversies have taken the lead now.

With the Saudi Pro League entering its final few match weeks, Al Nassr took a massive step towards the title with a 2-0 win over Al Ahli on Wednesday. Cristiano Ronaldo and the team should be enjoying the moment, but instead, there is frustration around them.

This could be their first league title since 2019, and more importantly, the first since Ronaldo arrived at the club. After all the money spent and the number of managerial changes, this was always the expectation.

But the season has not been straightforward. Al Nassr’s campaign has been surrounded by controversy, especially around refereeing decisions. Several opponents have questioned how matches have been officiated, not just involving Al Nassr but also their rivals.

That tension exploded after the Al Ahli game. Defender Merih Demiral openly hit out, saying referees want Al Nassr to win. His comments quickly spread and added more noise to an already heated situation.

He is not the only one saying this. In recent weeks, similar claims have been made by others as well. Ever since Ronaldo returned from his short absence, which came as a protest over the club’s transfer activity, there have been increasing claims from rival players that decisions are going Al Nassr’s way. At the same time, the team has clearly improved under coach Jesus and are now very close to the title, but those accusations continue to follow them.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, has a very different view. After the win, he said all this complaining is not good for the league and pointed out that too many players keep talking about referees.

He also made his stance clear with a stronger message, saying, “We fight to win, but some things we see are not good and this is not football. Not everything is allowed. I will speak about this at the end of the season.”

He spoke again a day later and doubled down. Ronaldo said he was the first big name to come to the league and that others followed because of him. He also said players must respect referees, even if they make mistakes, because they are human.

Those comments did not sit well with many. Fans on X were quick to point out that Ronaldo himself has criticised referees in the past, calling his stance hypocritical.

With the title now within reach, Al Nassr are doing their job on the pitch. But off it, the noise, the accusations, and the reactions are only getting louder.