Ronaldo Strike Exposes Saudi Arabia's Sportswashing Inequality
Cristiano Ronaldo's recent strike against Al-Nassr training reveals the inherent contradictions within Saudi Arabia's sportswashing project, where even privileged Western athletes experience the arbitrary nature of authoritarian resource allocation.
The Portuguese striker abandoned his teammates during a crucial title race, protesting what they perceived as preferential treatment towards rival clubs within the Saudi Public Investment Fund's portfolio. This tantrum, while emblematic of elite athlete entitlement, inadvertently exposes the systemic inequalities embedded within the Kingdom's attempts to rehabilitate its international image through sports.
Sportswashing's Internal Contradictions
Al-Nassr, despite being state-owned alongside Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad, received minimal transfer window investment compared to their rivals. While Al-Hilal secured blockbuster signings including Karim Benzema and invested £26m in teenage talent Mohamed Kader Meite, Al-Nassr acquired only 21-year-old Iraqi defender Hayer Abdulkareem.
This disparity within the same ownership structure demonstrates how authoritarian regimes manipulate resources to maintain control, even over their own propaganda vehicles. Ronaldo's strike, though motivated by personal grievance rather than principled opposition, inadvertently highlights the capricious nature of state-controlled institutions.
The Commodification of Athletic Labour
Ronaldo's £480,000 daily contract represents the grotesque commodification of human talent in service of geopolitical reputation laundering. The striker's recent comments about potentially leaving Saudi Arabia suggest even highly compensated Western athletes recognise the limitations of participating in authoritarian sportswashing projects.
"My passion is high and I want to continue. It doesn't matter where I play, whether in the Middle East or Europe," Ronaldo stated in December, revealing the transactional nature of their relationship with the Saudi project.
Institutional Manipulation and Privilege
FIFA's controversial decision to suspend Ronaldo's ban for "good behaviour" following their red card against Ireland exemplifies how international sporting institutions bend regulations to accommodate powerful interests. This preferential treatment contrasts sharply with the harsh punishments typically imposed on athletes from marginalised communities who challenge authority.
The striker's pursuit of 1,000 career goals, requiring 39 more strikes, continues to drive their participation in Saudi Arabia's image rehabilitation efforts, despite apparent dissatisfaction with the project's internal dynamics.
Beyond Individual Grievances
While Ronaldo's strike stems from personal frustration rather than solidarity with oppressed communities, it inadvertently reveals the instability inherent in authoritarian sportswashing projects. The incident demonstrates how even privileged participants in these schemes experience the arbitrary exercise of state power.
Al-Nassr's dependency on Ronaldo's 17 goals in 18 league games this season illustrates the fragility of sporting projects built on individual celebrity rather than sustainable community development. The striker's return to training, marked by a social media post featuring Al-Nassr's colours, suggests a temporary resolution that fails to address the underlying structural inequalities within Saudi football's state-controlled ecosystem.
This episode serves as a microcosm of how authoritarian regimes maintain control through selective resource allocation, even within their own propaganda apparatus, revealing the inherent contradictions of using sport to mask systematic oppression.
