Top three instances when Cristiano Ronaldo refused to play
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The Portuguese player has had heated moments at some of the clubs he played for.
Despite being one of the best athletes of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo has occasionally had tantrums. The 40-year-old continues to be dominant in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr now. The limelight always shines brightest when CR7 is around.
We’ve gone back over his career and have recollected the three occasions he refused to play and what transpired subsequently.
The top three occasions Cristiano Ronaldo refused to play!
3. August 2021 – Refused to play for Juventus
Cristiano Ronaldo asked not to participate in Juventus’ first home game of the 2021–22 season against Empoli because he was pushing for the exit door. After Juventus lost the match 1-0, Ronaldo fulfilled his dream and joined Manchester United (again) a few days later.
Ronaldo may look fondly at his tenure at Juventus with good memories. He won five championships and scored 101 goals in 134 games throughout his time in Italy, despite not winning the UEFA Champions League.
2. October 2022 – Refused to play for Manchester United
Things ultimately struck breaking point when Cristiano Ronaldo declined to come on as a late substitute against Tottenham in the Premier League. CR7 rushed down the tunnel after declining to come on because he thought that Erik Ten Hag had mistreated him.
Despite his dissatisfaction with Ten Hag at the time, Ronaldo has since expressed regret for his actions. Following the match against Spurs, Ronaldo only appeared in another two league games for the club before departing by mutual consent in November 2022.
1. February 2026 – Refused to play for Al-Nassr
Despite being fully fit, Cristiano Ronaldo chose not to play in Al-Nassr’s most recent game against Al-Riyadh, according to Fabrizio Romano. Other sources have found the real explanation for why Cristiano Ronaldo won’t participate: he is unhappy with the way the club is being governed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli, and Al-Ittihad are the four largest clubs in Saudi Arabia, and the PIF owns 75% of them. In contrast to the other clubs, Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t believe that Al-Nassr have been supported to the same extent.
Ronaldo continues to seek his first championship title with Al-Nassr. But after a poor January window, he fears that the trophy could be slipping away from them.
Why did Ronaldo decide not to play for Juventus?
He was pushing for a move to United and hence didn’t want to play for them.
How many times has Ronaldo decided not to play a game?
He has done so at Man Utd, Juventus, and now for Al-Nassr.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.