Cristiano Ronaldo has been confirmed to still be in Saudi Arabia after photos of him with Al-Nassr teammates were captured early Wednesday morning, putting an end to rumours that the 41-year-old football star had fled the country amid escalating conflicts in the region.
Speculation about Ronaldo’s whereabouts intensified after his private jet was spotted leaving Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The rumours were dispelled when Al-Nassr posted a photo of Ronaldo at the club’s training centre on X, showing him actively participating in team activities. This follows a video shared on Tuesday showing the forward working out in the gym.
However, Ronaldo is unlikely to play in the near future, as the club confirmed he is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has been confirmed to have sustained a hamstring injury following the last match against Al-Fayha. He has started a recovery programme and will be assessed on a daily basis,” the club said in a brief statement.
The prolific forward, who earns a significant salary in the Saudi Pro League, was substituted during Al-Nassr’s 3-1 victory over Al-Fayha last Saturday. Concerns remain over the severity of the muscle injury, especially with the World Cup approaching.
Meanwhile, Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League quarter-final second-leg match against Al-Wasl has been postponed due to the intensifying conflict in the region. Riyadh, where Ronaldo lives with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and their five children, has reportedly been among the locations affected.
On Monday night, the U.S. embassy in the Saudi capital came under two drone attacks, while Iranian state media reported that a command and staff building in Bahrain was destroyed. The escalating tensions have prompted many foreigners in West Asia to leave, fuelling speculation that Ronaldo had departed for Madrid.
Flight tracking data indicated that a Bombardier Global Express jet, reportedly Ronaldo’s private plane, undertook a nearly seven-hour flight to Spain. The luxury jet departed at 8pm Saudi time and landed in Madrid at around 1am local time, crossing Egyptian airspace and the Mediterranean Sea en route, according to Flightradar24.
Despite the jet activity, images and videos from the Al-Nassr training ground confirm Ronaldo remains in Saudi Arabia, continuing rehabilitation from his hamstring injury.
