"Cristiano Ronaldo, please stay."

Spain's 'Marca' reported that Ronaldo, whose contract with Al Nassr expires on June 30, may make an official announcement this week about leaving the team. In response, Fernando Hierro, Al Nassr's sporting director, said, "We are currently in negotiations for a contract renewal with Ronaldo. We hope to find a good solution."

Ronaldo left Manchester United last year and joined Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. He scored 91 goals in 103 matches, becoming the top scorer in the Saudi league consecutively. However, despite his impressive individual records, the team has yet to lift any trophy.

Al Nassr, completely overshadowed in the competition by Al Hilal, has not lifted any trophy recently despite signing Ronaldo. Especially after losing 2-3 to Kawasaki Frontale in the semifinals of the 2024-2025 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE), criticism towards Ronaldo has intensified.

This ACLE was held in a single-elimination format in Saudi Arabia. Considering the significant strength gap against the East Asian teams, the defeat against Kawasaki shocked Al Nassr fans. After suffering a shocking upset against Kawasaki, Ronaldo shed tears, which drew ridicule. Following the match, Ronaldo posted an emotional message saying, "Sometimes you have to wait to fulfill your dreams. I am proud of our team that has poured everything on the field to come this far."

However, fans have reached their limit. This is because Al Nassr hasn't won a trophy since Ronaldo's arrival. Fans expressed sharp reactions such as, "We need to think about performance, not money," "Our team's defense is garbage," "Ronaldo, please help defend," "We shouldn't give Ronaldo that salary," "We can't win with Ronaldo," and "This is frustrating. It's time for people to realize."

Al Nassr only won the Arab Club Champions Cup, while they conceded league and cup titles to Al Ittihad and Al Hilal. They finished third after a 2-3 loss to Al Fateh in the final match of the season, confirming a trophyless season. With next season's ACLE participation unclear, the reactions towards Ronaldo leaving are quite understandable.

After finishing the season without a trophy, Ronaldo fueled transfer rumors with a post hinting at a breakup on social media (SNS). He wrote, "This chapter is over. But the story continues. Thank you for everything."

Moreover, Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), mentioned through a YouTube channel that "there was a discussion about Ronaldo's participation in the Club World Cup," which stirred controversy. Subsequently, Ronaldo criticized those remarks strongly, leading to speculation that he might remain with Al Nassr.

Ronaldo, who had been linked to several teams including Sporting, is now reportedly connected to Al Hilal, a league rival of Al Nassr. Al Hilal, having released Neymar, is said to be looking to invest that funding in Al Nassr. If Ronaldo transfers to Al Hilal, he could finally participate in the Club World Cup he has long desired.

As the potential transfer to Al Hilal approaches, director Hierro stepped up directly. He stated regarding Ronaldo, "He is currently managing national team schedules and will take a few days off. His contract is until June 30," and emphasized, "We will continue discussions for everyone to understand. Undoubtedly, everyone hopes he stays here. He is an important factor throughout Saudi Arabia, and we hope for his continuity."

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