Saudi Arabia

Former Real Madrid teammate and current SPL rival Karim Benzema’s move has upset Cristiano Ronaldo, reports say.

Two of the most popular footballers in the world have caused a stir in Saudi football on the final day of the midyear transfer window.

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and French football icon Karim Benzema, both of whom play in the Saudi Pro League (SPL), were in the news on Monday for their off-field actions.

Star forward Benzema moved from Al-Ittihad to Al Hilal, with the transfer confirmed hours after Ronaldo was not named for Al-Nassr’s SPL game against Al Riyadh.

Here’s a breakdown of what happened on transfer deadline day in the SPL:

Why did Benzema move from Al-Ittihad to Al Hilal?

The former Ballon d’Or winner’s move is seen as an ambitious one, as Al Hilal are the most successful club in Saudi football and the current league leaders.

Despite winning the SPL with Al-Ittihad last year, the 38-year-old wanted to join the club that has won 21 league titles and four Asian Championships.

Coached by two-time Champions League finalist Simone Inzaghi, they stunned Manchester City at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup 4-3, knocking out Pep Guardiola’s team.

Benzema’s arrival was announced with fanfare by the record Saudi champions on social media.

Why did Ronaldo miss Al-Nassr’s game on Monday?

Ronaldo was absent from Al-Nassr’s SPL match against Al-Riyadh amid reports he is unhappy about the transfer situation at his club.

Ronaldo has scored 17 goals for the club this season.

Portuguese media outlet A Bola reported that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is unhappy that Al-Nassr have not strengthened their squad as they challenge for the league title.

The Portuguese superstar forward decided to recuse himself ⁠from head coach Jorge Jesus’ squad because Al-Nassr, the ​second-place team in the SPL ‍table, had not made a significant addition before the closure of the transfer window.

Heading into the game, Al-Nassr were second behind Al Hilal, which is also backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and has been linked with Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema.

How is Benzema’s move linked to Ronaldo?

Benzema’s transfer from the previous SPL champions to the most successful club is seen as a major threat to Ronaldo’s hopes of being crowned league champion, despite prompting a wave of top football players – including Benzema – to move to the Saudi league.

Ronaldo, who turns 41 on Thursday, has scored 91 goals ‌in 95 league matches for Al-Nassr since he arrived in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, ‍in January 2023.

SPL leaders Al Hilal are one point ahead of Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.

The former Real Madrid striker, a teammate of Ronaldo’s at the Spanish giant, led Al-Ittihad to the title last year, as well as the King’s Cup.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo is still waiting for his first league title since moving to Saudi Arabia in 2022, and has seen his main rival strengthen with the addition of five-time Champions League winner Benzema.

What have Al-Nassr said about Ronaldo, and could he leave the club?

Al-Nassr CEO Jose Semedo declined to comment, according to Saudi media.

Ronaldo is not injured, ill or out of favour ​with Jesus, ESPN reported.

Neither does ‌he intend to leave Al-Nassr, who signed him to a lucrative two-year contract extension in June 2025.

According to CBS Sports, ‌senior club officials understand Ronaldo’s vexation with the PIF, ‌the Saudi Arabian sovereign ⁠wealth fund that owns Al-Nassr, Al Hilal and two other Pro League sides.

Could Al-Nassr still sign more players to placate Ronaldo?

Saudi football’s transfer window closed on Monday night, pushing any hopes for the next transfer activity until the end of the current season.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasised that regional instability ‘benefits no one’ during the call.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after a United States aircraft carrier arrived in the region amid growing fears of a new conflict with Israel or the US.

The US has indicated in recent weeks that it is considering an attack against Iran in response to Tehran’s crackdown on protesters, which left thousands of people dead, and US President Donald Trump has sent the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the region.

Pezeshkian hit out at US “threats” in the call with the Saudi leader on Tuesday, saying they were “aimed at disrupting the security of the region and will achieve nothing other than instability”.

“The president pointed to recent pressures and hostilities against Iran, including economic pressure and external interference, stating that such actions had failed to undermine the resilience and awareness of the Iranian people,” according to a statement from Pezeshkian’s office on Tuesday.

The statement said that Prince Mohammed “welcomed the dialogue and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to regional stability, security, and development”.

“He emphasised the importance of solidarity among Islamic countries and stated that Riyadh rejects any form of aggression or escalation against Iran,” it said, adding that he had expressed Riyadh’s readiness to establish “peace and security across the region”.

The call between the two leaders comes after Trump repeatedly threatened to attack Iran during a deadly crackdown on antigovernment protests this month. Last week, he dispatched an “armada” towards Iran but said he hoped he would not have to use it.

Amid growing fears of a new war, a commander from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday issued a warning to Iran’s neighbours.

“Neighbouring countries are our friends, but if their soil, sky, or waters are used against Iran, they will be considered hostile,” Mohammad Akbarzadeh, political deputy of the IRGC naval forces, was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.

Israel carried out a wave of attacks on Iran last June, targeting several senior military officials and nuclear scientists, as well as nuclear facilities. The US then joined the 12-day war to bombard three nuclear sites in Iran.

The war came on the eve of a round of planned negotiations between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Since the conflict, Trump has reiterated demands that Iran dismantle its nuclear programme and halt uranium enrichment, but talks have not resumed.

On Monday, a US official said that Washington was “open for business” for  Iran.

“I think they know the terms,” the official told reporters when asked about talks with Iran. “They’re aware of the terms.”

Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera that the odds of Iran surrendering to the US’s demands are “near zero”.

Iran’s leaders believe “compromise under pressure doesn’t alleviate it but rather invites more”, Vaez said.

But while the US builds up its presence in the region, Iran has warned that it would retaliate if an attack is launched.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson warned on Tuesday that the consequences of a strike on Iran could affect the region as a whole.

Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters, “Regional countries fully know that any security breach in the region will not affect Iran only. The lack of security is contagious.”

Plans for the city of Neom, once envisioned as the future of Saudi Arabia, have reportedly been dealt another blow, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ordering a reevaluation of the project

Ambitious, controversial, and startlingly futuristic in its design, the city of Neom was intended to drastically change the future of Saudi Arabia, helping the country diversify beyond its oil-dependent economy.

Now, plans for the uniquely striking metropolis have been scaled back considerably, with spiralling costs and mounting delays meaning the extortionate project may well now be “far smaller” in scale. Launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with an eyewatering budget of £365bn, the £6.8tn mega-city was initially given a deadline of 2030, with the most striking feature set to be The Line.

In a design straight out of a sci-fi film, The Line was intended to be a row of mirror-clad skyscrapers, stretching 125 miles across the desert, and connected by leafy walkways. Reaching a half-kilometre into the sky, these bold structures were intended to accommodate some nine million residents, meeting the needs of a country whose booming population of 35 million is now outgrowing existing cities.

READ MORE: Huge £6.8tn mega-city spanning 125 miles of desert faces massive issue

Built on just 34 square kilometres, these properties were designed with “a reduced infrastructure footprint” in mind, “creating never-before-seen efficiencies in city functions”. According to the Neom website, “The ideal climate all year round will ensure that residents can enjoy the surrounding nature. Residents will also have access to all daily essentials within a five-minute walk, in addition to high-speed rail, with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes.”

Unfortunately for Saudi Arabia, which has already poured billions into this project, the practical realities of such an endeavour have hampered the original vision, and it’s believed construction could now be significantly cut back.

As reported by The Times, the Crown Prince has grown increasingly frustrated about delays to his grand plan for diversifying the nation’s economy over the course of the next decade, and has already postponed or scrapped various other projects.

Now, the de facto ruler has ordered a reevaluation of Neom, which he has previously hailed as a way to “tackle the challenges facing humanity in urban life today” and to “shine a light on alternative ways to live”. It’s thought likely this lofty mission will now change tack somewhat, focusing on smaller-scale goals such as artificial intelligence data centres.

One source familiar with the ongoing matter told the publication that this review is still in progress, and that it is not currently clear whether or not The Line would continue on as a more modest, manageable project.

Neom was initially envisioned as including a 6,500 square kilometre nature reserve, alongside the mountainous retreat Trojena, anticipated to feature Saudi Arabia’s debut outdoor ski slopes, freezing winter conditions and a “moderate year-round climate”.

However, while Trojena had originally been scheduled to welcome the 2029 Asian Winter Games, officials have acknowledged it won’t be completed on time. Indeed, at the time of writing, the only part of the project to open so far is the Red Sea yachting resort of Sindalah, widely regarded as a costly failure, which ultimately led to the firing of Neom’s chief executive.

The extravagant launch party, which saw 40 private yachts docked at the resort, while guests were treated to performances from Will Smith and Alicia Keys. Crown Prince Mohammed reportedly wasn’t pleased by the outcome, however, and had questions about the steep price tag.

The Mirror has reached out to Neom for comment.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

READ MORE: ‘I haven’t used the sink’ since getting no-plumbing dishwasher now £50 off