Cristiano Ronaldo Extends Support to 2 Al Nassr Players Under Investigation Over Refusal to Play for Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian soccer landscape remains shrouded in dark clouds. The decision taken by Al Hilal’s Salman Al-Faraj and Al Nassr’s Sultan Al-Ghannam and Nawaf Al-Aqidi to allegedly deny representing the Saudi Arabia NT for the Asian Cup brought them under extreme scrutiny. However, amid the chaos, a ray of hope appeared from an unexpected source. Cristiano Ronaldo has seemingly stepped in and appealed to ‘stop’ the probe surrounding his two Al Nassr teammates.

As per the reports, the trio that was earlier released from the 26-man roster, led by manager Roberto Mancini, wanted to play as a starter. However, the former Italian manager’s succinct words, “There is not one player that can decide if they play or not,” didn’t align with Al-Faraj, Al-Ghannam, and Al-Aqidi, keeping them under investigation.

While this remains a matter concerning the Saudi NT, Cristiano Ronaldo jumped in to advocate for his domestic teammates. He said, “This time we must stop with the duo Sultan Al-Ghannam and Nawaf Al-Aqidi in light of the current crisis…We are a united family and we must join hands“, as reported by 9NFCBall on X.

Certainly, Cristiano Ronaldo’s unwavering support will give his teammates a sense of comfort and motivation. Notably, earlier reports suggested that if all three stars failed to show up for the AFC Asian Cup, Article 10 of the Saudi Professional Players Act would force the national federation to impose heavy fines and punishment. However, the stakeholders are still analyzing the situation, given that the players have their side to convey.

Amid Cristiano Ronaldo’s support, what do his teammates have to say about the ongoing chaos?

As per Al-Riyadh Newspaper, Sultan Al-Ghannam denied refusing to play in friendlies. “[Roberto Mancini] asked me if I had the desire and enthusiasm to represent the national team, I said yes.” However, despite a technical discussion revealing that the defender would be used as a fourth option, the Riyadh star revealed, “The meeting ended without me knowing that I would not be called up for selection again.”

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Likewise, Nawaf Al-Aqidi rejected claims that he demanded to become a starter with an ultimatum. “No, I didn’t say that explicitly; it was just a technical discussion.” Both players denied refusing Mancini’s call-up and claimed they hadn’t received any official communication. Either way, these claims give a new twist to the story.

The situation for Al-Aqidi, Al-Ghannam, and Salman Al-Faraj remains uncertain at this stage.

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