Why Cristiano Ronaldo Will Miss Al Nassr vs Al Fateh After Marrying Georgina Rodriguez

• Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Al-Nassr’s opening fixture of the 2026/27 Saudi Pro League season against Al-Fateh
• New manager Ange Postecoglou has left the Portuguese superstar out of the squad for the title defence opener
• Ronaldo’s absence comes as Al-Nassr begin their campaign after ending a seven-year wait to reclaim the Saudi top-flight title.

Cristiano Ronaldo will not feature in Al-Nassr's opening Saudi Pro League fixture against Al-Fateh after manager Ange Postecoglou left the Portuguese superstar out of the squad.

The decision comes just days after Ronaldo married long-time partner Georgina Rodriguez on August 11 and returned to Al-Nassr training on August 13.

Why Ronaldo will miss Al-Nassr vs Al-Fateh

According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiah, Ronaldo's absence is linked to his extended break from the club.

The 41-year-old had been away for more than a month after representing Portugal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and did not feature in any of Al-Nassr's four pre-season friendlies.

Read also

"Ronaldo in love": Football icon shows heart-melting reaction to special message from coach, video emerges

Ronaldo did receive a warm welcome from his teammates when he returned to training, but Postecoglou appears unwilling to rush him back into competitive action without sufficient preparation.

Watch Ronaldo's reception, as shared on X:

The Al-Nassr captain will therefore watch from the sidelines as the defending Saudi champions begin their title defence.

He will not be the only notable absentee. Defender Abdulelah Al-Amri has also been left out, while goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi is unavailable with a shoulder injury.

Bento is expected to start in goal, with Mohamed Simakan and Inigo Martinez likely to form the central defensive partnership. Abdullah Al-Hamdan should lead the attack in Ronaldo's absence.

Al-Nassr vs Al-Fateh match preview

Al-Nassr enter the new campaign as defending champions after ending a seven-year wait for the Saudi Pro League title last season.

According to Flashscore, they also have the recent advantage over Al-Fateh, winning four of their last five meetings.

Ronaldo has scored in all five of those encounters, making his absence an even bigger blow for Postecoglou's side.

For now, the Al-Nassr boss appears to be taking a cautious approach with his star forward, giving Ronaldo more time to regain full match fitness before returning to competitive action.

Read also

Ronaldo reacts as Al-Nassr teammates congratulate him on his marriage (Video)

Ronaldo and Georgina sign prenuptial agreement

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez signed a prenuptial agreement at a notary’s office in Lisbon.

The deal reportedly separates their assets, allowing each to retain ownership of property and wealth acquired before and during their marriage.

Source: YEN.com.gh