Will Cristiano Ronaldo play tonight for Al Nassr vs Merida AD in pre-season friendly?
(Courtesy : Getty)
CR7 won his first Saudi Pro League title in 2026!
Led by their new head coach, Ange Postecoglou, Al Nassr are all set to compete in their second club friendly outing ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. They will go up against the Spanish third-division club, Merida AD, at Cidade do Futebol in Algés, Portugal.
The Saudi Pro League champions are coming in after facing a 1-2 loss against Benfica B in their previous matchup. It was an underwhelming performance by them. Ange Postecoglou made his unofficial debut, but with a limited set of players, he was not quite able to secure a positive result. He still has time to work on his tactics and it will be interesting to see their performance this time around.
Al Nassr missed out on the majority of their star players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Joao Felix and Inigo Martinez, in the previous fixture.
Also Read: Al Nassr vs Merida AD Preview – prediction, team news, lineups
Will Cristiano Ronaldo play against Merida AD?
The 41-year-old Portuguese talisman hasn’t started training with Al Nassr after the FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign. Due to this, Cristiano Ronaldo is set to miss the Al Nassr vs Merida AD pre-season friendly. Sadio Mane and Joao Felix are also yet to return.
Inigo Martinez is back with the first team and will play a crucial role in the backline for the Saudi Pro League winners. Nawaf Boushal, Mohamed Simakan and Saad Al Nasser are most likely to accompany him in the backline. Bento is set to guard the goal.
Ali Alhassan and Wesley are going to be crucial in controlling the ball in the midfield, with Ângelo Gabriel playing more of an attacking midfield role. Kingsley Coman and Abdulrahman Ghareeb are going to be crucial on the flanks. Abdullah Al-Hamdan might start as the first-choice striker.
In 30 Saudi Pro League appearances last season, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 28 goals and had 2 assists for Al Nassr.
When and where is Al Nassr vs Merida AD pre-season friendly?
This contest takes place at Cidade do Futebol in Algés, Portugal on July 28.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo play in Al Nassr vs Merida AD pre-season friendly?
No, CR7 is set to miss this club friendly clash.
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Dilpreet is a dedicated football writer with a keen eye for World Football. As a proud Real Madrid fan, we believe his work reflects the same ambition and precision. Since joining Khel Now in 2025, he has crafted stories beyond scores, diving into tactics, culture, and emotion. With a strong background in content writing, he blends clarity with creativity, always aiming to bring the beautiful game closer to readers.