Ronaldo Vs Benzema? Inside The Superstar Rift Shaking Saudi Pro League

‎For all the spectacle the Saudi Pro League has delivered on the pitch, jaw-dropping goals, star-studded lineups, and global headlines, its biggest challenges are now emerging away from the pitch.

‎A league built on megastar attraction is discovering the chaos that comes when its biggest beasts begin to assert their power.

‎Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, the two dominant figures of the league’s new era, are making waves not through goals, but through influence, frustration, and off-pitch manoeuvring. And the fallout could shape the future of the SPL in ways no one expected.

‎A Manic Night Overshadowed by Off-Pitch Drama

‎Monday should have been remembered for football. Al-Hilal drew with Al-Ahli. Al-Nassr secured three points.

‎And with Brendan Rodgers thriving at Al-Qadsiah, the top four are separated by just a handful of points. It is exactly the type of title chase most leagues would envy.

‎But instead of celebrating a thrilling season, the SPL found itself engulfed in a storm of controversy.

‎Sadio Mané scored the winning goal for Al-Nassr but the real story was the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, the league’s marquee name. Reports from Europe suggested he was on strike, unhappy with Al-Nassr’s lack of activity in the transfer market and considering an exit.

‎For a player earning a reported £490,000 per day, even murmurs of a strike send shockwaves.

‎Ronaldo’s Frustration and Al-Nassr’s Quiet Window

‎The frustration is understandable on some level. Ronaldo has yet to win a major trophy in Saudi Arabia, but this season looked promising under Jorge Jesus.

‎Expectations were high.

‎Yet Al-Nassr’s winter recruitment was minimal, with young Iraqi midfielder Haydeer Abdulkareem the only addition. Meanwhile, their rivals were spending aggressively and publicly.

‎Al-Hilal brought in Mohamed Meïté from Rennes, former Arsenal defender Pablo Marí, local stars, and most dramatically, Karim Benzema.

‎Benzema’s relationship with Al-Ittihad had deteriorated, and reports indicated he too had refused to train, pushing for a move. The Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns the SPL’s “Big Four”, was eager to keep him in the country and Al-Hilal became the solution.

‎The result was one global superstar furious at the lack of reinforcement and another leaving a club on bad terms to join a direct rival.

‎Did Ronaldo Try to Block Benzema’s Transfer?

‎A theory circulating in Saudi media suggests Ronaldo may have been striking not just out of frustration with Al-Nassr’s inactivity. But in an attempt to influence the PIF’s decision to allow Benzema to join Al-Hilal.

‎If true, it would make for extraordinary football politics, two icons of Real Madrid’s golden era effectively battling for influence in a new frontier.

‎Benzema, now an Al-Hilal player after 54 goals in 83 games for Al-Ittihad, has already posted a gracious farewell message. But that will not shield him from hostility when he returns to Jeddah, where many fans feel betrayed.

‎The Growing Power of the Megastars

‎The Saudi Pro League was built to attract global attention and it has succeeded. But now the league is learning the other side of superstardom: influence that extends beyond the pitch.

‎Saudi legend Sami Al-Jaber recently warned that the balance of power is shifting.

‎According to him, some foreign stars have begun to “control not only the spotlight, but even the decisions of the clubs they play for,” using the global media to steer events in their favour.

‎Al-Jaber went further, calling it a “real crisis” for the league, where certain players now hold more power than the clubs themselves.

‎His comments may not have named Ronaldo directly, but the implication was loud and clear.

‎A Potential Backlash for Ronaldo

‎Throughout his time in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo has been viewed positively as the face of the league. The controversial gestures, red cards, and moments of tension have been overshadowed by his performances and professionalism.

‎But withdrawing his labour, especially while earning one of the largest football salaries ever seen, could test the patience of fans for the first time.

‎If supporters begin to feel that the league is being held hostage by its biggest stars, the backlash could be significant.

‎What is emerging is not just a dispute between clubs or players it is a philosophical question about the identity and direction of the Saudi Pro League.

‎Who truly runs the show? Is it the PIF? The league officials? The clubs themselves?

Or have the global superstars become too powerful, capable of pushing decisions, shaping transfer strategy, and dictating outcomes?

‎The SPL has created a Jurassic Park of football giants, but the dinosaurs are growing restless. And if they begin to run amok, the league must decide whether to tighten control or allow the spectacle, chaotic as it may be, to continue.

‎What happens next could define the future of Saudi football.