The Portuguese superstar’s actions from November will still influence his presence on the Middle East pitches 

Cristiano Ronaldo will not be able to make his Al Nassr debut on Thursday as he still has to serve a Football Association ban for smashing an Everton fan’s phone during his Manchester United spell.

Fans were hoping to witness the football icon return to the pitch but will have to wait as he will need to serve the suspension.

Guilty of improper conduct, the 37-year-old was suspended by the FA in November before the World Cup, and the ban will stand despite his departure from the English club.

The altercation occurred after a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park on April 9 and ultimately charged Ronaldo for two matches and a £50,000 fine.

An independent panel handed down the suspension and the beefy fine, finding Ronaldo’s actions improper.

“It’s never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing,” Ronaldo wrote in an apology on Instagram.

“Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game. I would like to apologise for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair play and sportsmanship,” the statement also added.

The ban was expected for any club game Ronaldo features in, but does not carry weight in the World Cup.

FIFA’s regulations express, “any disciplinary sanction of up to four matches or up to three months that has been imposed on a player by the former association but not yet (entirely) served by the time of the transfer shall be enforced by the new association at which the player has been registered in order for the sanction to be served at domestic level.”

Neither Ronaldo nor the Saudi club has voiced an official comment, but it is likely that the Portuguese commander will likely make his debut on January 21 in a home game against Ettifaq.