Cristiano Ronaldo makes first appearance with Al Nassr after World Cup setback

Cristiano Ronaldo has reunited with his Al Nassr teammates for the first time since Portugal’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, although the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is yet to resume full training with the Saudi Pro League champions.

Al Nassr concluded their pre-season training camp in Lisbon on Tuesday with a 2-0 defeat to Spanish side Almeria in their final friendly ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

The club shared a video on social media showing Ronaldo greeting his teammates and newly appointed head coach Ange Postecoglou before the match. While the Portuguese captain attended the game, he did not feature, remaining the only Al-Nassr player yet to return to training following the World Cup.

It was Ronaldo’s first meeting with the squad since Portugal’s round-of-16 exit, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain on July 6.

The 41-year-old is also reportedly set to marry long-time partner Georgina Rodriguez this Saturday in Madeira, Portugal.

Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January 2023 and played a key role in ending the club’s seven-year wait for the Saudi Pro League title last season. He has also finished as the league’s top scorer in each of the last two campaigns.

Meanwhile, Al Nassr ended their overseas pre-season camp on a disappointing note as Almeria secured a comfortable 2-0 victory.

The teams went into the break level at 0-0, but the Spanish outfit took control after halftime. Almeria opened the scoring in the 51st minute when a forward broke through on goal and beat Brazilian goalkeeper Bento. A penalty around 10 minutes later doubled their advantage.

Postecoglou fielded a mixed starting XI featuring regular starters and squad players before making several changes in the second half as Al-Nassr chased the game. Despite the adjustments, the Saudi side was unable to mount a comeback and finished the Lisbon camp with a defeat.