Cristiano Ronaldo to play debut match with Al Nassr today despite two-match ban? Official clarifies

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to serve a two-match English Football Association ban before making his Al Nassr debut, a Saudi club official told AFP on Friday.

The footballer was not included in Al Nassr’s squad for Friday’s Saudi Professional League game against Al Tai amid reports that he was due to make his debut despite the suspension.

Ronaldo was handed the ban in November for knocking a mobile phone out of the hand of a teenage fan after Manchester United, his club at the time, lost to Everton.

“The ban is applicable after he is officially registered,” an Al Nassr official told AFP, who did not want to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Al Nassr has yet to sign Ronaldo because the Saudi club has exceeded its quota of foreign players.

Ronaldo, whose contract has an estimated value of 200 million euros until June 2025, is Al Nassr’s ninth foreign player, one more than eight allowed by the Saudi soccer authorities.

Registration for him will be completed on Friday, sources close to the club said, without disclosing who would be dropped.

Saudi reports said Uzbek midfielder Jaloliddin Masharipov was more likely to make way for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner and Champions League top scorer.

Al Nassr’s first game since Ronaldo’s arrival was scheduled for Friday at Mrsool Park, where he was presented with fireworks and deafening cheers from a crowd on Tuesday.