As Cristiano Ronaldo turns 41, football icon is still paying the price for the biggest mistake of his career

Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January 2023 after falling out with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United. He didn't leave Old Trafford quietely, either, taking aim at the Glazers and his own teammates in a now infamous interview with Piers Morgan. Shots were fired and his contract, ultimately, was the biggest fatality.

The former Real Madrid and Juventus star has continued to score goals ever since. At the time of writing, he's found the net 117 times in 133 appearances for Al-Nassr. As the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada looms, he's also poised to be Roberto Martinez's talisman for Portugal this summer. He remains undroppable, despite being in the twilight years of his illustrious career.

Ronaldo's time in Saudi could come to a catastrophic end. He believes that Al-Nassr are not being given the same financial support as rivals Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad. All four clubs are owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF and he thinks his chances of claiming silverware are taking a significant hit as a result.

He was particularly enraged earlier this week when Karim Benzema, his former Real Madrid teammate, was allowed to join Al-Hilal. The 41-year-old would have preferred a reunion but, now, they'll continue to be rivals instead.

Ronaldo felt Al-Nassr should have been more ambitious last month. Their sole January recruit was Hayder Abdulkareem, a young Iraqi midfielder who doesn't even have a Wikipedia page.

As they gun for a first Saudi Pro League title since Ronaldo's sensational arrival, their star man feels like they've already shot themselves in the foot.

The Portugal captain went on strike earlier this week, missing his side's 1-0 victory over Al-Riyadh.

Though he's returned to training since then, tensions continue to run high. For example, Al-Nassr opted against publishing pictures of him being put through his paces.

There's also conflicting reports on whether he'll play against Al-Ittihad on Friday, in what represents one of their toughest matches of the campaign.
Ronaldo runs the risk of allowing his career to end mired in controversy. After the World Cup this summer, there's a genuine possibility that he'll hang up his boots and call it a day. That football's most-famous player will, at long last, sail off into the sunset.

Over four years on from his Hollywood homecoming to United in 2021, he continues to pay the price for allowing sentiment, and emotion, to cloud his judgement.

That summer, when it became apparent that Ronaldo was ready to flee Juventus, it was Manchester City who swiftly emerged as his preferred next destination.

Having witnessed Sergio Aguero depart 12 months previously, City needed a new No 9.

And despite Pep Guardiola previously managing Lionel Messi, Ronaldo's arch-nemesis, there was a deal to be struck. The forward, it's understood, was ready to do the unthinkable by damaging his United legacy and moving to their fierce rivals.

Then Sir Alex Ferguson intervened, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra picked up the phone and Ronaldo, in the end, allowed sentiment to cloud his vision.

His second stint at United got off to a stunning start. Two goals on his debut against Newcastle ensured the Red Devils were top of the Premier League table. With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the wheel, supporters dared to dream of the glory days of old.

Yet things, rapidly, started to deterioriate. Heavy defeats to Manchester City, Liverpool and Watford saw Solskjaer sacked. Ronaldo was never quite the same after that.

Ralf Rangnick came in but the pair never saw eye-to-eye. When Ten Hag replaced the German in the summer of 2022, it quickly became apparent that Ronaldo wasn't suited, or willing to be suited, to his demands.

By the time Ronaldo departed in November 2022, having scored just three goals in the 2022/23 season, many dismissed him as a faded force.

To make matters worse, City were flying.

They won the league title in 2022 despite lacking a recognised striker in the wake of Aguero's exit. Then they recruited Erling Haaland and won the treble 12 months down the line.

In his first season under Guardiola, the Norway international scored a staggering 52 goals in 53 games.

He was their focal point, their main man, with Guardiola playing to his strengths. They surrounded him with creativity and Haaland, in return, produced the goods.

It could, and perhaps should, have been Ronaldo firing City to trophies aplenty. Had he not been swayed by Ferguson, Ferdinand, Evra and Solskjaer, perhaps he'd have another Ballon d'Or or two.

Maybe, just maybe, he'd still be going strong at the highest level now.

Instead, as Ronaldo turns 41 today, he risks his career going out on a low note.

His Saudi swansong could be drawing to a close and a difficult World Cup campaign this summer might signal his end.