Why can't Neymar play against Cristiano Ronaldo on Friday? Explains the Saudi Pro League rule that keeps the Al-Hilal star out of the Al-Nassr game

Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to be back in action on Friday when Al Nassr play a big Saudi Pro League game against champions Al Hilal.

The Portuguese star scored a late penalty as his team crashed out of the King's Cup this week, extending their wait for a trophy and they are already six points behind Al Hilal at the top of the league in eight games this season. The league leaders have won all eight games and scored 23 goals.

That means Friday's game could potentially be important for Al Nassr's hopes of challenging Al Hilal's supremacy in Saudi Arabia this season – and it promises to be an exciting encounter.

This is also a game that fans have been looking forward to for a long time as Ronaldo will be on the field against Brazilian star Neymar, who is finally back after a year away due to a serious knee injury. Unfortunately, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker will not be available.

MORE: Has Neymar ever won the Ballon d'Or? | Where Ronaldo ended up in the 2024 vote

Why can't Neymar play against Cristiano Ronaldo on Friday?

Neymar is ineligible to play for 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 more than 10 non-Saudi players on their 25-man roster for the league season. Neymar was not on Al Hilal's list of registered foreign players due to his absence due to injury. Brazilian full-back Renan Lodi took his place in the squad after signing from Marseille in January 2024.

In other words, Neymar will not be able to play a game in the Saudi league at least until January, when the league's next registration window opens and Al Hilal can add him to the official squad list.

However, the 32-year-old is not completely excluded from the game: he is eligible to play in the AFC Champions League as the rules for this competition differ from the league regulations. This means their next game could come on November 4th when Al Hilal take on Esteghlal in the continental competition.

When did Al Hilal sign Neymar?

Neymar moved from PSG to Al Hilal in August 2023 for €90m ($98.3m/£77.6m).

However, he made just five appearances in all competitions for the club before suffering a serious knee injury in Brazil's World Cup qualifier against Uruguay last October.

Neymar's contract, salary at Al Hilal

According to reports from CBS Sports, Neymar's two-year contract with Al Hilal calls for an annual salary of $219 million.