Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted at the end of his Al-Nassr exit after the team’s defeat in the Saudi Premier League (SPL) 2024-25 season-ending match to Al-Fateh.
Despite notching up his record 800th club goal of his career, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could not prevent a 2-3 loss for his side, ending hopes of their Asian Champions League Elite qualification. With 70 points, Al Nassr finished third on the SPL standings, 13 behind league winners Al-Ittihad and five behind second-placed Al-Hilal.
Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi side in 2022 after his second stint with Manchester United, has his contract with the club run out this summer.
“This chapter is over,” Ronaldo wrote on social media after the loss. “The story? Still being written. Grateful to all,” the former Real Madrid and Juventus forward added.
This chapter is over.
The story? Still being written.
Grateful to all.
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano)
The 40-year-old Ronaldo can, however, keep his story running immediately by linking up with a FIFA Club World Cup team before the 32-team tournament begins on June 14.
Ronaldo could be in the running to join one of the sides after FIFA set up a special trading window for the participating teams to sign new players between June 1-10. FIFA president Gianni Infantino also hinted at a probable move for the Portuguese legend in the special window.
“Cristiano Ronaldo might play in the Club World Cup,” Infantino said on the online streamer IShowSpeed’s YouTube channel, which boasts over 39 million subscribers. “There are discussions with some clubs, so if any club is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup, who knows. There is still time; it will be fun.”
Ronaldo could then reunite with his long-time rival Lionel Messi in the same tournament for the first time since the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Despite Al-Nassr’s underwhelming finish, Ronaldo topped the Golden Boot race in the SPL with 24 goals, with his overall tally sitting at 99 goals in 111 appearances for the team.
