'This is not a war' - Cristiano Ronaldo says referee criticism 'not good' for Saudi Pro League 'project'

Ronaldo has hit out at the growing culture of criticism within the Saudi Pro League, suggesting that the constant focus on refereeing decisions is detrimental to the competition's image. Following Al-Nassr’s 2-0 victory over Al-Ahli, a match that consolidated his team’s position at the top of the table, the 41-year-old called for more professionalism from his peers.

The Portugal international was clear in his assessment of the current atmosphere when speaking to Thmanyah after the match, stating, "I think this is not good for the league. Everyone complains. This is football; this is not a war. We know we have to fight; everyone wants to win. But not everything is allowed." His comments follow allegations from Al-Ahli defender Merih Demiral, who claimed that Al-Nassr have been the beneficiaries of favourable officiating throughout the campaign.

Despite his calls for calm, Ronaldo hinted that he has his own grievances which he intends to address once the league title race is concluded. The veteran forward has endured a turbulent year, which included a brief boycott of matches earlier in the season following Karim Benzema’s controversial move to Al-Hilal.

Ronaldo promised a full debrief in the coming months, saying: "I am going to speak at the end of the season because I've seen many, many bad things. Many players have complained, making posts on Instagram and Facebook, speaking about the referees, speaking about the league, and speaking about the project. This is not good. This is not the goal of the league. It's been a difficult season, not just on the pitch but off it. We know the power that other teams have but I will have the opportunity to speak at the end of the season."

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United man remains focused on the bigger picture: making the Saudi Pro League a genuine rival to Europe's elite divisions. He believes that the current internal bickering undermines the significant investment and sporting progress made since his arrival in Riyadh in December 2022.

Reflecting on the league's global standing, he added: "We should give an example, not only here but also for Europe, that we want to compete with them to be one of the best leagues in the world. But like that, I think we should analyse but stop that [criticism] ... because for me, this is not football."

With Al-Nassr leading the chase for their first league crown since 2019, Ronaldo is prioritising silverware over individual accolades, even as he nears the 1,000-career-goal milestone, but insists that the collective success of the "project" is what keeps him motivated at this late stage of his career.

“The fight [for the league title] is going to be until the end," Ronaldo concluded. "The career I've had has been brilliant and keeps going. The most important thing for me is to continue. I continue to enjoy it, to score goals. But the most important thing is to win. We really want to win the league."