Al-Nassr’s Portuguese coach, Jorge Jesus, has decided to exclude his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo from the squad traveling to face Turkmenistan’s Erkadag in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Round of 16 for the 2026 season.
This decision comes despite the 41-year-old Ronaldo’s return to group training last Monday. The exclusion is purely tactical, aimed at reducing the physical strain on the veteran captain.
Jesus believes that the Asian Champions League is a lower priority than the Saudi Pro League title, which is why he excluded a number of other stars alongside Ronaldo, including Sadio Mane, Kingsley Coman, Marcelo Brozovic, Mohammed Simakan, Inigo Martinez, and Joao Felix, to ensure their readiness for the crucial stage of the season.
Ronaldo is expected to make his next start against Al-Fateh next Saturday in the 22nd round of the Roshan League, after an Asian campaign in which he only made one appearance against Al-Zawraa, aiming to regain match fitness following the 2025 Arab Cup.
These developments come after a major administrative breakthrough; Ronaldo has put aside the protests that led to his absence from the matches against Al-Riyadh and Al-Ittihad due to the club’s weak winter signings compared to its rivals.
Press reports confirmed that the Public Investment Fund responded to Ronaldo’s demands by settling the outstanding salaries of the staff and restoring full authority to the administrative team, led by Sporting Director Simão and CEO José Semedo.
