Mundo Deportivo: Al Nassr has the right to unilaterally terminate CR7's contract

On February 2, Mundo Deportivo published an article discussing the recent controversy between Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr. The article stated that if Ronaldo refuses to play for an extended period, Al-Nassr has the right to unilaterally terminate his contract early, and Ronaldo will also need to pay compensation.

Mundo Deportivo reports that Cristiano Ronaldo, dissatisfied with the PIF's management of Al-Nassr, has put his previous "refusal to play" statement into action. The Portuguese star did not play in the match against Al-Riyadh, and although the team ultimately won 1-0, this action has sparked widespread discussion about the future of his contract.

The report states that according to FIFA regulations, players have an obligation to play, and Ronaldo's refusal to play may allow Al-Nassr to unilaterally terminate his contract under Article 17 of FIFA's "Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players." This article clearly states that in the event of a breach of contract without justifiable reason, the party suffering losses has the right to claim economic compensation, the amount of which will be assessed based on the specific losses, the circumstances of the case, and local laws.

Mundo Deportivo further points out that if Al-Nassr chooses to initiate termination proceedings, Ronaldo will need to pay the club corresponding breach of contract compensation. Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr is signed in 2022 and can be extended until mid-2027. This contract is currently outside of FIFA's defined "protected period"—for players over 28, the protected period is only the first two seasons of the contract.

The report also adds that, according to FIFA rules, only players who terminate their contracts without a valid reason during the protected period will face additional sporting penalties beyond financial compensation, such as a four-month ban from all official matches. Therefore, from a rules perspective, if Al-Nassr takes a strong stance, Ronaldo's athletic limitations will be relatively limited, but the contract dispute could still have significant economic and public repercussions.