Cameroonian forward Vincent Aboubakar has denied that Cristiano Ronaldo forced him out of Al Nassr after the Portuguese superstar joined the club in December 2022.
Speaking to French television channel Canal+, Aboubakar said that he had already made it clear to the coach that he wanted to leave before Ronaldo’s arrival.
“With the arrival of Cristiano, I made it clear to the coach before his arrival that I already wanted to leave,” Aboubakar said. “When Ronaldo arrived, a foreign player had to be released.”
Aboubakar also said that Ronaldo had asked him to stay and that the club had wanted him to stay at least until the end of the season, but that he had insisted on leaving.
“Ronaldo asked me to stay and the club wanted me to stay at least until the end of the season, but I wanted to leave,” Aboubakar said. “The club wanted me to stay and were ready to pay my salary until the end of the season.”
Aboubakar’s comments contradict earlier reports that Ronaldo had forced him out of Al Nassr. However, Aboubakar’s explanation is plausible, given that Al Nassr are only allowed to register eight foreign players per season.
It is possible that Aboubakar had already made up his mind to leave Al Nassr before Ronaldo’s arrival, but that the club’s decision to release him after Ronaldo’s arrival simply accelerated his departure.
Whatever the case may be, Aboubakar’s comments are a reminder that even the biggest stars in the world cannot always force their will on clubs. Aboubakar was a key player for Al Nassr, but the club ultimately decided that they needed to make room for Ronaldo in their squad.
