Fans Al Nassr Must Be Be Beabat, Cristiano Ronaldo Can't Debut Tonight

New player Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo. (Photo: Twitter/@AlNassrFC)

JAKARTA - Cristiano Ronaldo was officially banned by the English Football Federation (FA) from debuting with Al-Nassr for the punishment of damaging Everton's child supporter phones last April.

Even though the 37-year-old has moved, the ban is apparently still in effect. He is banned from appearing in two matches, including his debut match against Al Ta'ee, Thursday, January 5 tonight.

The Sun reported that apart from being banned from appearing at a new club, the incident slamming the phone made him also have to pay a fine. Ronaldo only got this sanction after he was expelled from Manchester United on 23 November.

The long time span to impose sanctions is motivated by the investigation process carried out. Therefore, Ronaldo only received the consequences when he was just about to start his first match in the Arab Pro League.

The ban refers to Article 12.1 FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players saying, "Every disciplinary sanction for up to four matches or up to three months that has been imposed on a player by the previous association but has not yet been (completely) implemented at the time of transfer will be imposed by a new association in which players have been registered so that sanctions can be carried out at the domestic level."

The FA clarified that Ronaldo had to undergo his suspension even if he moved abroad for written reasons.

They wrote, "We note that the Player has participated in a recent interview in which he criticized Manchester United. We don't know what effects might or would have happened in his future with the club or whether to take disciplinary action in that regard. The suspension we are doing must have an effect."

"In other words, it applies to a competitive first-team MUFC match where he is eligible to be selected. If he leaves the MUFC before completing two first-team competitive matches, the suspension balance will apply to any new club he has to follow," the statement continued.

Ronaldo, five-time Ballon d'Or winner, is now the world's highest-paid sportsman after signing a 173 million contract of IDR 3.3 per year.