Benzema's Shock Move Leaves Ronaldo Seething as Former Teammates Clash Over Surprise Transfer

Cristiano Ronaldo is said to be "enraged" by Al Hilal's ability to acquire Karim Benzema during the current season, as the club remains Al Nassr's primary competitor for the Saudi Pro League championship.

Al Hilal officially confirmed Benzema's signing on Monday night after negotiations had been complicated by Ronaldo's involvement. The Kingdom's marquee player allegedly declined to participate in Al Nassr's match against Al Riyadh earlier that day—which they secured with a lone strike from Sadio Mané—as a demonstration against what he viewed as insufficient investment in his team relative to their competitors.

Al Hilal, along with Al Ahli and Benzema's previous club Al Ittihad, are predominantly controlled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. PIF approved Benzema's transfer from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal, but Ronaldo was reportedly dismayed by the controversial nature of the transaction, as reported by The Telegraph.

'Disrespect' Led to Benzema Departure

'Disrespect' Led to Benzema Departure

Significant tension seems to have been brewing within the Saudi Pro League recently. From all indications, Benzema's switch to Al Hilal wasn't designed as a deliberate scheme to antagonize his former Real Madrid colleague—though gaining another advantage over Ronaldo certainly wouldn't be unwelcome.

Rather, Benzema's association with Al Ittihad allegedly deteriorated due to disagreements over his contract renewal terms. With his current lucrative deal scheduled to conclude this summer, the 38-year-old received a new proposal. While specific details of the offer remain undisclosed, what Al Ittihad considered a "generous proposal" was apparently viewed as "insulting" by Benzema and his representatives.

The former Ballon d'Or recipient eventually ended his Al Ittihad contract to facilitate his move to league-topping Al Hilal—causing considerable frustration for Ronaldo.

Ronaldo's Poverty Claims Questioned

Ronaldo's Poverty Claims Questioned

Ronaldo's supposed claims that Al Nassr has been neglected by their PIF financiers have faced scrutiny from Kingdom insiders. During the summer transfer period, the Portuguese superstar witnessed his team strengthened through €105 million ($123.9 million) in expenditures, slightly exceeding Al Hilal's investment (€101.3 million).

Al Nassr acquired RB Leipzig's promising defender Mohamed Simakan to reinforce their defense while providing Ronaldo with his national teammate João Félix and former Bayern Munich attacker Kingsley Coman for offensive support. The free acquisition of Iñigo Martínez from Barcelona also constituted a notable achievement.

Nevertheless, Al Hilal has demonstrated significantly more activity than Al Nassr during the winter transfer period, investing over €66 million to secure players including former Manchester United target Mohamed Kader Meïté, ex-Arsenal defender Pablo Marí, and naturally, Benzema. Al Nassr's only addition was 26-year-old Saudi striker Abdullah Al-Hamdan for a modest sum.

Since the 2023–24 season, Ronaldo's inaugural complete campaign in Saudi Arabia, Al Nassr has invested a substantial €409.3 million on new acquisitions—notably surpassing Real Madrid's spending (€376 million) during the identical period. However, this figure remains considerably lower than the €647.1 million Al Hilal has been permitted to spend over the past two-and-a-half years.

Ronaldo's position may have some merit. Whether many sympathize with his perceived situation remains questionable.

Saudi Spending Since 2023

Saudi Spending Since 2023

Stats via Transfermarkt.