The Saudi Arabian fans welcomed the Portuguese star, Cristiano Ronaldo, with enthusiastic celebrations after he officially joined Al-Nassr FC. Ronaldo said that his mission in Europe has ended and he has come to Saudi Arabia to break more records.
The Portuguese player described himself as a "unique" player for his move to Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that his mission in Europe has ended and he is eager to achieve more success after joining Al-Nassr FC in a deal worth more than 200 million euros. The Al-Nassr FC fans, known as the "World Club" in Saudi Arabia, welcomed their new player with madness and amidst festive and fiery celebrations, with his name being chanted throughout the stadium.
"I am a unique player."
During his presentation at a press conference held at the Marsool Park Stadium in Riyadh on Tuesday (January 3, 2023), Ronaldo said: "I am a unique player. It's good to be here (in Saudi Arabia). I broke all the records there (in Europe) and I want to break a few more records here."
The player, who wore a grey suit and a shiny necklace, continued: "I came here to win, to play, to be part of the country's successes and culture."
Ronaldo, who had a brilliant career with Spanish club Real Madrid, English club Manchester United, and Italian club Juventus, revealed that he had rejected several offers from Europe and other places to join Al-Nassr. The 37-year-old added: "My mission in Europe has ended, I received many offers from Europe, and many from Brazil, Australia, the United States, and even Portugal."
The five-time Golden Ball winner added: "I tried many clubs to sign with me but I gave my word to this club, not just for the opportunity to play football but (to be) a part of this great country. For me, it was a challenge." He continued: "The move to Al-Nassr is a big challenge but on the other hand, I am happy because when I made my decision, my family supported me, especially my children. I am really proud and happy to be in Saudi Arabia."
"Fantastic" contract
Ronaldo signed a contract with Al-Nassr until June 2025, valued at more than 200 million euros, after amicably terminating his contract with English club Manchester United following a television interview in which he heavily criticized his club and Dutch coach Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo, the record holder for the most goals scored for national teams and in the UEFA Champions League, said that football has changed in the "past 21 years," citing the Saudi national team's victory over Argentina in the first round of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He continued: "For me, coming to Saudi Arabia does not mean the end of my journey. And to be honest, I don't care what people say."
After his presentation, Ronaldo trained with his new team for the first time, knowing that he had said in the press conference that he was "not 100% fit." He was expected to play his first match with Al-Nassr against Al-Fateh on Friday (January 6).
A huge reception was held for Ronaldo as he met with his new team's players for a few minutes while the crowd shouted his name in frenzied but enthusiastic conditions. The event's presenter hailed Ronaldo as "the greatest player in history" and described the occasion as a "once in a lifetime event". After a few minutes, Ronaldo, wearing the yellow and blue shirt of his new team, entered the stadium which was filled with more than 25,000 spectators, its maximum capacity. Ronaldo walked between two lines of children and girls wearing the shirts of his new team, as fireworks were set off and the crowd shouted "Ronaldo, Ronaldo". Many in the crowd carried yellow flags with "Ronaldo" written on them in green and his distinctive number "7", while others displayed flags from his home country of Portugal. Ronaldo told the crowd, "I will give my all to make you happy," before taking seven penalty kicks and scoring them into the stands. He then gave the final ball to a child in the stands
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There was a huge reception for Ronaldo as he met with his new team's players for a few minutes while the crowd screamed his name in extremely cold but passionate environments. The event host praised him as the "greatest player in history" and described the occasion as an "event that only happens once". A few minutes later, Ronaldo, wearing the yellow and blue Al-Nassr shirt, entered the stadium, which was filled with more than 25,000 spectators, its maximum capacity. Ronaldo walked between two lines of children and girls wearing Al-Nassr jerseys as fireworks were set off and the crowd chanted "Ronaldo, Ronaldo". Many in the crowd carried yellow flags with the words "Ronaldo" written in green and his distinctive number "7", while others waved flags from his home country of Portugal. Ronaldo told the crowd, "I will do my best to make you happy," before signing seven balls and kicking them into the stands, while giving the last ball to a child in the stands with his hand. Ronaldo's family joined him on a platform in the middle of the stadium, and the crowd shouted the name of his Spanish-Argentinian girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, who wore a long open black abaya over her clothes. Ronaldo, his family, and his entourage arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday on a private plane. The main streets of the Saudi capital were decorated with large, lit billboards carrying pictures of Ronaldo in the blue and yellow Al-Nassr shirt with the words "Welcome Ronaldo".
"Ronaldo has retreated from the 'Don' journey?
He has represented the Al-Nasr club, the Saudi League champion nine times, retreating from the 'Don' journey, which saw him win some of the world's most prestigious titles with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, including five in the UEFA Champions League. Ronaldo's deal adds a lot of glamour to Saudi Arabia's reputation in international sports, especially with the hosting of one of the world's Formula One races and the Ralli Dakar and golf tournaments that have attracted top players and the purchase of the English Newcastle club. Off the field, Adam Siddiq (36 years old) who came from Jeddah (about 900 km west of Riyadh) said, "I am a fan of Jeddah Union, but I came especially to see the Don. His presence will raise the value of the Saudi League and the viewing rate. He is the greatest player in the world." On his part, Abdul Karim Al-Ghamedi (20 years old) who wore a yellow and blue Al-Nasr cap said, "We are lucky" that he will play in Saudi Arabia. He added, "I am sad because he left Europe and played at the global level, but I am happy that he will play in Saudi Arabia."
The arrival of the bus was met with a reception for Ronaldo and his new team players, as the crowd screamed his name in a frenzy in the freezing, but passionate atmosphere. The host of the event described Ronaldo as "the greatest player in history" and said that this was an event that only happens once.
A few minutes later, Ronaldo entered the stadium wearing a yellow and blue Real Madrid shirt, greeted by more than 25,000 spectators at the stadium's maximum capacity. Ronaldo walked between two rows of children and girls wearing Real Madrid shirts, as fireworks were launched and the crowd shouted "Ronaldo, Ronaldo". Many in the crowd carried yellow flags with green writing saying "Ronaldo" and his distinctive number "7", while others waved flags from his native Portugal.
Ronaldo told the crowd "I will give my all to make you happy," before signing seven balls and kicking them into the stands, and giving the last ball to a girl in the stands with his own hands. The Ronaldo family arrived on a private plane and his Spanish-Argentinian girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, wore a long, open black abaya over her clothes. The streets of the Saudi capital were adorned with large, illuminated posters featuring Ronaldo in a blue and yellow Real Madrid shirt with the words "welcome Ronaldo".