Cristiano Ronaldo retiring from international football is good news for Al Nassr

Steve Luckings is the Sports Editor at The National

November 06, 2026

Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on Thursday.

It brought down the curtain on a 23-year career with the Portugal national team.

Ronaldo made his debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003. Since then, he has amassed 146 goals in 234 appearances – both world records – and won multiple Uefa Nations Leagues as well as the 2016 European Championship.

It wasn't the way he would have wanted to end it. Ronaldo felt humiliated by Portugal boss Jorge Jesus and walked out on the national team during the last international break.

Though both sides left the door open for his return, it felt like the beginning of the end. A paltry fine and a suspension that meant Ronaldo wouldn't actually miss any games seemed to draw a line under the saga, but it seems Ronaldo's mind was already made.

But Portugal's loss could be Al Nassr's gain.

Ronaldo is under contract with the reigning Saudi Pro League champions until the summer of 2027, by which time he will be 42.

With no international football to distract him, Ronaldo is free to focus on propelling Nassr to domestic and continental glory.

The Riyadh giants sit third in the SPL table on 28 points from 11 games, two points off top spot.

In the AFC Champions League Elite, Nassr are seventh in the Western table with six points from three games, with the top eight guaranteed to progress.

There are games to make up in both competitions. Nassr's Asian Champions League game against UAE side Al Wasl was postponed last month due to the travel disruption caused by attacks by Houthis on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.

The postponement of the 2027 Asian Cup, due to be held in Saudi Arabia in January, has also forced the league into a reshuffle. This week's Matchday 13 fixtures have been postponed.

With no major continental tournament in the kingdom, and with Ronaldo calling it a day with Portugal, Nassr coach Ange Postecoglou will be better able to manage his players' workload and offer more rest and recovery between games.

Ronaldo's burning ambition is to reach 1,000 goals. With only 15 to go, it seems a matter of when, not if, he will reach the magical milestone.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has already hinted this will be his final season. He broke his trophy drought by helping Nassr win last season's title, and would see winning another trophy as a fitting send-off to a remarkable career.

Ending his international career appears to be the start of the long goodbye, a Nassr hope that will culminate in more silverware.

Updated:

November 06, 2026, 6:53 AM