Cristiano Ronaldo row: Rival chief makes surprise admission on saga
Al-Ahli sporting director Rui Pedro has launched a passionate defence of Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting the forward deserves full credit for the Saudi Pro League’s rise despite his recent standoff with Al-Nassr.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been at the centre of a storm in the Middle East following reports of a dispute with club hierarchy.
Ronaldo had expressed frustration regarding a perceived lack of squad investment compared to rivals funded by the Public Investment Fund.
This dissatisfaction reportedly led to the 39-year-old withdrawing from the squad for recent fixtures against Al-Riyadh and Al-Ittihad.
However, the Portugal captain returned to action against Al-Fateh, netting his 18th league goal of the campaign.
‘He opened the doors’
Despite the controversy, a key figure from rival club Al-Ahli has refused to condemn the superstar’s actions.
Pedro, a fellow countryman of the former Manchester United forward, believes Ronaldo’s impact outweighs the current friction.
“All of us, me being Portuguese particularly, I have the utmost respect for Cristiano Ronaldo and all of the Portuguese nationals here in Saudi Arabia,” Pedro told Sky Sports.
The executive acknowledged the tension but deferred judgment on the player’s methods.
“It’s not my place to speak about the way he decided to make his point. I’m sure he has his own reasons.”
League growth linked to icon
Pedro went further, suggesting that the influx of foreign talent is entirely down to the initial move made by the Al-Nassr talisman.
“What I can say is that if we are all here today and if we are all here working in Saudi Arabia, most of the responsibility, most of the credit goes to Cristiano Ronaldo.”
He described the signing as the catalyst for the league’s global exposure.
“He opened the doors to the rest of the world to Saudi Arabia. That’s the biggest compliment we can offer him.”
The defence comes shortly after league officials issued a stern statement regarding the operational independence of clubs.
That warning emphasized that no individual determines decisions beyond their own team, regardless of their status.