Cristiano Ronaldo makes 'final' Club World Cup decision as Al-Nassr contract set to expire in summer

Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly decided to sign a new deal with Al-Nassr and reject the chance to play at the upcoming Club World Cup.

The Portuguese legend is 40 years old, but he is still showing signs of life, scoring 25 goals in the league in 2024-25 and ending the season as the division's top scorer.

In fact, the forward has netted 74 league goals for Al-Nassr in just 77 games, and his decision to join the Saudi top flight helped pave the way for numerous stars such as Sadio Mane and Ivan Toney to make the switch from Europe.

With Ronaldo's contract set to expire on June 30, he has been linked to a number of teams that are set to participate in the upcoming Club World Cup this summer, and it would not be surprising if he looked to move elsewhere considering he is yet to win major silverware since moving to Saudi Arabia.

However, French outlet Foot Mercato has claimed that Ronaldo has signed a new contract to stay with Al-Nassr, agreeing to a £167million-per-year deal.

© Imago

Has Ronaldo made a mistake?

It is impossible to define Ronaldo's stunning legacy without mention of the rivalry he enjoyed with Lionel Messi, who was seen by many as his only equal when the pair were at the peak of their powers.

Messi will be competing at the Club World Cup this summer for Inter Miami and has the chance to once again showcase his talents to a global audience.

By turning down the chance to join one of the teams in the tournament, there is an argument that he has surrendered the spotlight to his Argentinian counterpart.

After Messi won the 2022 iteration of the World Cup, either side of his Copa America triumphs in 2021 and 2024, some pundits suggested that the debate between the pair effectively ended.

Ronaldo did win Euro 2016, but after a turbulent spell at Manchester United in the early 2020s, the Portuguese might not be able to afford missing out an opportunity to excel on the world stage if he wishes to avoid Messi's achievements eclipsing his own.

Written by
Lewis Nolan