Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr Faces Challenge as Rival Al Hilal Set to Become Saudi League’s Top Beneficiary- Reports

It’s no secret that Al Nassr has been impressive for most of their time. Yet, Luis Castro and Co. are ending their season without the Roshn Saudi League or the ultimate dream of winning the AFC Champions League. Even though the King Cup of Champions is their only hope to avoid ending their campaign trophyless, winning it won’t help Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. against their arch-rivals Al Hilal, who are set to take the crowning of the league’s top beneficiary. 

To put things into perspective, a report compiled from @mdrjalnassr on X revealed that major perks have been set from the Saudi League to all 19 clubs, depending on how they finish their season in the table. This perk comes in the form of major financial support, to be specific, and teams will be rewarded accordingly by their rankings. Hence, Al Nassr might be in for a tremendous blow as Al Hilal is a frontrunner to get principal rewards. But the unfortunate developments don’t end here for the Knights of the Najd!

As per the reports compiled by @X99i3, the Al-Za’eem will be the most supportive club for next season. This certainly bubbles up as a huge problem for Ronaldo and his teammates, who would be prioritized after Neymar and Co. in terms of transfer budgets or even signing big names. As the Yellow and Blue are bound to finish second on the podium, there might be hope something positive remains in store for them. But what about clubs below the deck? 

Will they get something good from this alleged scheme, considering there have been complaints that teams at the bottom of the ladder don’t get much support? 

Other Saudi Pro League rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr are ‘suffering’ 

Earlier, Damac FC coach Cosmin Contra expressed his discontent with the plight of lower-tier clubs in the Roshn League. The shocking claim was made in the presser after Al-Ahli Saudi thrashed his side 4-1. He said, “There are those who want the Saudi League to be one of the five best leagues in the world, and there are clubs suffering from arrears in salaries and bonuses.” But what exactly is Contra implying? 

The opposing coach of Al Nassr not only mocked Cristiano Ronaldo’s ambition to raise the Saudi League’s profile but highlighted the financial struggles of lesser-known clubs like Damac. This underscores a notable economic gap among the league’s 18 teams, with only the top four—Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, and Al-Ahli Saudi—receiving financial backing from the Saudi Arabian Public Investment.

While the recently reported scheme from the Saudi League suggests major profits to Al Hilal, let’s hope other teams are also backed in the process.