Cristiano Ronaldo is due to be back in action on Friday as Al Nassr face a huge Saudi Pro League game against champions Al Hilal.
The Portugal star skied a late penalty as his side were eliminated from the King's Cup this week, prolonging his wait for a trophy, and they already sit six points adrift of Al Hilal at the top of the league standings through eight matches this season. The leaders have won all eight of their fixtures and scored 23 times in that run.
That means Friday's match could be potentially important to Al Nassr's hopes of challenging Al Hilal's supremacy in Saudi Arabia this season — and it promises to be an engrossing encounter.
MORE: Score and highlights from Al Nassr vs. Al Hilal
This is also a fixture that fans have long looked forward to due to the prospect of seeing Ronaldo take to the field against Brazil star Neymar, who is finally back after a year-long absence due to a serious knee injury. Unfortunately, the ex-Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward will not be available.
MORE: Has Neymar ever won the Ballon d'Or? | Where Ronaldo came in 2024 vote
Why can't Neymar play against Cristiano Ronaldo on Friday?
Neymar is ineligible to play in Al Hilal's match against Al Nassr on November 1 due to Saudi Pro League registration rules.
Competition laws state that all Pro League teams cannot have any more than 10 non-Saudi players registered in their 25-man squads for the league season. Neymar was not on Al Hilal's list of registered foreign players because of his injury absence, with Brazilian full-back Renan Lodi taking his place in the squad after signing from Marseille in January 2024.
In other words, Neymar will not be able to play a Saudi league game until at least January, when the league's next registration window opens and Al Hilal will be able to add him to their official squad list.
The 32-year-old is not prevented from playing entirely, though: he is eligible for the AFC Champions League as the rules for that competition are different to league regulations. That means his next game could be on November 4, when Al Hilal face Esteghlal in the continental competition.
When did Al Hilal sign Neymar?
Neymar joined Al Hilal from PSG in a €90 million ($98.3m/£77.6m) deal in August 2023.
However, he only managed five appearances in all competitions for the club before suffering a serious knee injury in Brazil's World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay last October.
Neymar's contract, salary at Al Hilal
As per reports from CBS Sports, Neymar's two-year contract with Al Hilal features a $219m annual salary.
