Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr hit with a FIFA ban, limits club from registering new players

Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr was a surprise to many, but it made sense for both the player and the club. Ronaldo was looking for a new challenge after leaving Manchester United, and Al Nassr was willing to offer him a lucrative contract. The Saudi Arabian club is also looking to increase its profile on the global stage, and Ronaldo's arrival will help them achieve that goal. CR7's arrival at Al Nassr has led to an influx of stars to Saudi Arabia, with the likes of Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante also joining the league. Meanwhile, Al Nassr has landed in a controversy attracting a ban from FIFA.  

3 things you need to know

• Al Nassr has been banned by FIFA for failing to fulfill financial commitments
• Al Nassr reportedly failed to pay the dues to Leicester City for Ahmed Musa transfer
• Musa had moved to the Saudi club in 2018 for a reported fee of £14 million

Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Club Al-Nassr Hires Portuguese Coach Luís Castro

FIFA imposes ban on Al Nassr

Al Nassr, the Saudi Arabian club that Cristiano Ronaldo plays for, has been banned by FIFA from registering new players for failing to pay Leicester City add-ons relating to the transfer of Ahmed Musa. The former CSKA Moscow player Musa had joined Leicester City immediately after their title-winning season in 2016 but struggled to make an impact, scoring only five goals in 33 appearances. He was subsequently loaned back to his former club before being sold to Al-Nassr for a reported fee of £14 million in 2018.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with his team after scoring a goal; Image: AP

The Saudi club agreed to pay Leicester a number of performance-related add-ons, but they have failed to pay €460k (£390k) plus interest. FIFA ruled in October 2021 that Al Nassr would be banned from registering new players if they did not pay the outstanding amount. It appears that Al-Nassr did not comply with the ruling, leading to the imposition of the registration ban. The ban has now been imposed, and it applies to both domestic and international transfers.

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This means that Al Nassr cannot sign any new players until the ban is lifted. The ban will last for three entire and consecutive registration periods, which could be up to two years. Furthermore, Al-Nassr was warned that if Leicester City remained unpaid by the end of the ban, the matter would be presented to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. It remains to be seen how long the ban will last, and whether Al Nassr will be able to pay Leicester the outstanding amount.

Image: Twitter/CristianoRonaldo