Cristiano Ronaldo was very disappointed with the lack of titles won by Al Nassr due to the loss of breath to compete for trophies in the final stretch of the current season, losing a lot of touch with the lead in the Saudi Pro League and with a disappointing elimination in the Asian Champions League.
But the situation that was difficult for CR7's future in Saudi Arabia got considerably worse with Al Nassr's final game of the season. The team only needed to win in the final round of the Saudi Pro League (and hope for an Al Hilal defeat), but fell to Al Fateh 3-2 and ended up saying goodbye to their chances of playing in the Asian Champions League in the 2025/26 season.
Cristiano Ronaldo had already indicated the possibility of not renewing his contract with Al Nassr in order to be more competitive with a year to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, the fact that the Saudi club won't be playing in any international competitions next season has given him more incentive to look for another team in the coming weeks.
Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't take another defeat at Al Nassr
Shortly after the final whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo took to social media and posted a message indicating that he will be changing teams, stating simply that "This chapter is over". It's worth noting that the Portuguese has been negotiating his renewal for months, but has never reached an agreement or come close to a deal.
Many Brazilian clubs were excited about the possibility of signing the top scorer for the FIFA Club World Cub competition after rumors indicated that this was a possibility. But the most recent reports indicate that Monterrey have emerged as the favorite destination to sign the top scorer due to the presence of two former Real Madrid players: Sergio Ramos and Sergio Canales.
The idea of having European soccer's all-time leading scorer in their squad during the FIFA tournament will be essential in boosting Mexican soccer and turning Monterrey into a much more competitive side with a view to a possible place in the last 16.