Foreign footballCristiano Ronaldo (37) has been officially introduced to Al-Nassr. The Portuguese spoke to the press for the first time at his Saudi club and he immediately went wrong in a painful way. “I don’t see it as the end of my career to come to South Africa,” he said. Saudi Arabia is not in South Africa, but in the Middle East.
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Al-Nassr spared no expense to add luster to the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese had already landed in Riyadh on Monday and posed with children waiting for their idol. The next day the medical tests were on the menu and the performance. A sold-out stadium eagerly awaited CR7.
It was just before 5 pm Belgian time. Ronaldo appeared at the gates of the stadium in a tailored suit. Contrary to expectations, a press conference was first on the menu, then 25,000 people – who paid an entrance fee of 4 euros – saw him on the field.
But what did Ronaldo – besides that slip-up mentioned at the top of this article – have to say during his performance? That he chose Saudi Arabia over offers from Europe, Brazil, Australia, the US and home country Portugal, for example. “A lot of clubs were interested, but I know what I want and what I don’t want. This challenge appealed to me. My work in Europe was finished.”
“I achieved everything I could in Europe,” said Ronaldo. “I set records there and I want to do the same here. It’s exciting to come here and play football. I am happy to have the opportunity to contribute to the development of football here and to inspire, this club has a good youth work and a women’s team.
Ronaldo doesn’t see his move to the desert as the beginning of the end of his career. “No, I don’t care what people think about it either. I have seen many matches of this club. Countries like Saudi Arabia are more than ever ready to ‘play football’, you saw that at the World Cup.”
And then that sample contract? Were there any questions about that at the not-too-critical press conference? Yes, albeit timidly. “This contract is unique, but I am also a unique player,” Ronaldo replied. “I came here to win, enjoy and learn the culture of the country.”
LOOK. Ronaldo enters the stadium amidst massive interest
After his press conference, Ronaldo spoke for the first time with his teammates in the dressing room of the stadium. Meanwhile, the stands had prepared for the grand entrance. A light show was highlighted with Bengali fireworks.
The SIUUUs rolled down as Ronaldo kicked signed balls to the fans. “The reception here is huge”, stammered CR7, who was also accompanied by his offspring at the end of his performance. “They support me and we will give everything.”
LOOK. Ronaldo: “I am a unique player”
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Sold out shirts
Since the club from the Middle East announced the transfer of CR7, there has been real Ronaldo madness. All shirts in the fan shop were sold out in an hour and Al-Nassr’s Instagram followers went from 940,000 to 6.2 million since the officialization of the transfer. The post in which Ronaldo poses for the first time with his new employer’s shirt has already received more than 31 million likes.
Ronaldo was met by some young fans on arrival:
The stubbornness of the rational
@E_A77
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Highest paid footballer ever
In other words, Ronaldo will soon get the attention he craves. And for that he is also generously compensated. In 2015, GestiFute SA, the agency that manages his finances, estimated Ronaldo’s net worth at 227 million euros. In two and a half years that will be a multiple. The best football player in the world is no longer CR7, but the Saudi Al-Nassr pays him to that status. Generous with Riyal.
Since the state contributed and no personal income tax is levied, Ronaldo can call himself the highest-paid footballer ever in the winter of his career. 200 million euros a year that is not a 200 million salary, it turns out. This is how the net wages of the big four (Messi, Neymar, Mbappé and Ronaldo) have evolved over the last 10 years:
Laughter for Cristiano Ronaldo now that all kinds of previous statements are emerging after the transfer
Link with Hazard, no Bernabéu and plenty of money: what you need to know about Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s new club
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