Cristiano Ronaldo awaits Ange Postecoglou decision ahead of Al-Nassr opener

Cristiano Ronaldo’s availability for Al-Nassr’s opening Roshn Saudi League fixture against Al-Fateh will be decided by new head coach Ange Postecoglou, with the Portugal captain expected to arrive in Riyadh in the coming hours.

Al-Nassr are due to face Al-Fateh at Al-Awwal Park on 15 August, but it remains unclear whether Ronaldo will be fit and ready to start the first match of the new campaign.

According to Saudi newspaper Al Yaum, Ronaldo has been given an extended period of rest by the club’s management following the end of an exceptional season. During that campaign, Al-Nassr won the league title, while Ronaldo also represented Portugal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.

His return to the Saudi capital will allow Postecoglou and his coaching staff to assess the forward before making a final decision on his involvement against Al-Fateh. Ronaldo’s physical and technical condition will be monitored during the team’s next training sessions.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic manager is expected to determine whether the 41-year-old will be named in the starting line-up or begin the match on the bench. The decision will be closely followed by Al-Nassr supporters, who are eager to see their captain involved from the opening round.

Ronaldo remains one of the most important players in Al-Nassr’s squad and is central to the club’s attacking plans. The coaching staff rely on his experience and his ability to deliver in front of goal, qualities that made a decisive difference in several of the team’s biggest matches last season.

His leadership has also made him a key figure at the club, meaning his availability could have a significant influence on Al-Nassr’s opening match. However, the club will not make a final assessment until Postecoglou has seen Ronaldo return to full training.

The coming season could also prove to be the final chapter of Ronaldo’s time with Al-Nassr. There is growing speculation that the captain may not extend his contract when it expires at the end of the campaign.

Those expectations come as the club considers restructuring its finances and reducing its wage bill. If Ronaldo does leave after the season, he would have only one campaign remaining to shape the ending he wants for a spell that began several years ago and changed the profile of Saudi football.

For now, attention is focused on his arrival in Riyadh and the verdict that will follow his first sessions under Postecoglou. The coach’s assessment will determine whether Ronaldo starts against Al-Fateh, while supporters wait to discover if their captain will lead the team from the first whistle of the new Roshn Saudi League season.