Cristiano Ronaldo's camp are reportedly furious with FIFA president Gianni Infantino after his comments on the Portugal ace recently went viral, as per talkSPORT. The latter revealed that the Al-Nassr superstar is in discussions with various clubs to feature in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo's current deal with Al-Nassr is set to expire at the end of June. The 40-year-old was reportedly linked with a two-year extension at the club; however, Al-Nassr's struggles this season have thrown his future in doubt.
Al-Nassr haven't qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup, which is set to take place between June 14 and July 13. Therefore, a transfer would need to occur before to allow Ronaldo to feature in the prestigious competition.
Infantino recently spoke with popular streamer IShowSpeed and stated (via talkSPORT):
"Ronaldo might play for one of the teams as well at the Club World Cup. There are discussions... Yeah. Cristiano Ronaldo might play in the Club World Cup, yeah. There are discussions with some clubs. So if any club is watching and is interested in hiring Ronaldo for the Club World Cup...who knows, who knows."
The FIFA president's comments reportedly left Ronaldo's representatives enraged, leading to them allegedly conveying their frustration to The Athletic. The Portugal icon could potentially sign a short-term deal with a club just for the FIFA Club World Cup before returning to Al-Nassr. However, a loan deal is currently not being considered.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with several clubs, including Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, Al-Hilal, Palmeiras, and Botafogo.
Al-Nassr legend Fahad Al-Bishi has slammed Cristiano Ronaldo for only caring about personal milestones. He also questioned the latter's character after Ronaldo recently netted a penalty during his side's 2-0 Saudi Pro League win over Al-Khaleej (May 21).
Al-Bishi told Kooora (via VN Express):
"After scoring a late penalty in the match against Al Khaleej, Ronaldo clasped his hands and apologized to fans, then celebrated with teammates. But those gestures do not reflect his true character. Before the goal, he showed no such behavior. This suggests Ronaldo only cares about his statistics, not Al Nassr."
He added:
"Ronaldo has broken many records, but he's also cost the team points with missed chances. I admire Ronaldo, but I suggest he consider retirement and focus on protecting the legacy he's built. Physically, he can no longer meet the demands he expects of himself."
Cristiano Ronaldo has flourished for Al-Nassr this season, recording 34 goals and four assists in 40 appearances across all competitions. However, this hasn't translated to success for the Knights of Najd as they are set to finish the season trophyless for the third consecutive year. To make matters worse, their Saudi rivals Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli all claimed silverware this season.