Cristiano Ronaldo Faces Criticism After Al-Nassr's 4-0 Loss

Cristiano Ronaldo’s place at Al-Nassr has come under fierce scrutiny after the club’s bruising 4-0 collapse against Al-Ain in the opening round of the AFC Champions League Elite.

The Saudi side were outplayed and out of ideas. Ronaldo walked off the pitch as captain, but in the days since, he has carried much of the blame as well. Sections of Al-Nassr’s own support turned on him, and prominent media voices questioned whether the Portuguese star still delivers when it matters most.

Now, a familiar figure around the club has turned up the volume.

“A spent card”

Former Al-Nassr spokesman Saud Al-Sarami did not hold back when he spoke on the “Al-Arabiya FM” programme. He not only questioned Ronaldo’s current impact, he openly raised the prospect of the 39-year-old leaving mid-season.

“Ronaldo will not play any non-technical role with Al-Nassr, and I do not rule out that he may leave the club in the winter Mercato, as happened with Karim Benzema previously, and this will happen entirely of his own accord,” Al-Sarami said.

Then he sharpened the criticism even further.

“Ronaldo has become a spent card and is unable to provide anything with Al-Nassr, and he must leave,” he declared, framing the defeat to Al-Ain as a warning sign the club can no longer ignore.

For Al-Sarami, the 4-0 loss did more than dent pride. It exposed structural flaws he believes Al-Nassr must tackle quickly.

Rebuild over reputation

Al-Sarami argued that parting ways with Ronaldo could actually free the club to reshape the squad. In his view, Al-Nassr need to “reorder priorities” after the Al-Ain debacle, with particular emphasis on strengthening the midfield.

The idea is stark: reduce dependence on a global star and invest in the spine of the team instead. The midfield, he suggested, has become the most urgent area to address, with recent performances underlining that weakness.

The timing of his comments is no coincidence. The 4-0 defeat has triggered a wave of anger and soul-searching around Al-Nassr, and any discussion of the team’s future now inevitably circles back to its captain.

Club silence amid the storm

For all the noise, though, Al-Sarami’s prediction of a January exit remains exactly that — his own expectation. There has been no official word from Al-Nassr’s hierarchy about Ronaldo’s future, no indication from the club that a winter departure is on the table.

The contrast is stark. Outside, the debate rages over whether Ronaldo is still the man to lead this project. Inside, at least publicly, the board has stayed quiet.

The questions, however, will not go away. Can Al-Nassr still build around Cristiano Ronaldo after a night like Al-Ain, or does this defeat mark the moment the club starts planning for life without him?