Cristiano Ronaldo's remarkable Al-Nassr gesture revealed as Alvaro Gonzalez details unpaid wages ordeal

The former Spanish centre-back laid bare the unexpected financial predicament he encountered in Riyadh prior to the megastar's blockbuster arrival from Manchester United in December 2022. Alvaro, who announced his retirement from professional football in early August 2026 at the age of 36, revealed that his initial six months at the club were spent entirely without pay. The troubling ordeal proved deeply ironic given that the PIF-backed giants rank among Saudi Arabia's wealthiest sporting institutions

Reflecting on the early stages of his Middle Eastern venture after leaving European football, the former Espanyol and Villarreal defender opened up about the lingering uncertainty that gripped the dressing room. Detailing the extensive delay in receiving his earnings, Alvaro explained, as quoted by LeFutbolin: "I was in Saudi Arabia without being paid for six months. The first months of my spell in Saudi Arabia, at the best club in the country alongside Al-Hilal. You could pack 70,000 [fans] into a match. I wasn't worried because I had already spent 14 years in football and had saved some money, but I had gone there to earn money."

The protracted wage dispute was eventually resolved only after the Portugal captain caught wind of the dressing-room crisis and intervened directly with the relevant authorities. Recounting how Ronaldo refused to collect his initial wages until his team-mates were compensated, Alvaro added: "He found out about the situation. He was going to be paid by the government, and he said that out of his first salary, which wasn't small, the first thing they had to do was pay the players. Some of us hadn't been paid - not everyone - and he said: 'Until these people get paid...' He didn't have to do it, but Cristiano did."

The duo's time together proved brief, linking up in just 11 competitive fixtures throughout the 2022-23 campaign and securing six victories before the Spaniard moved on. Ronaldo is now 41 years of age and remains under contract with the Riyadh giants until June 2027. His relentless pursuit of a historic 1,000-goal landmark continues to drive the veteran forward as he spearheads Al-Nassr on both domestic and continental fronts.