Rabat – Saudi football club officially unveiled on Tuesday the newest addition to the team Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo in a grand ceremony in the Mrsool Park stadium in Riyadh.
The ceremony saw the presence of tens of thousands of Saudi football fans, who were eager to meet one of the greatest football players in the world and welcome him into the Saudi team.
Before arriving on the pitch, Ronaldo attended a press conference alongside the President of Al-Nassr Club Musalli Al-Muammar, as well as the team’s head coach French Rudi Garcia in the country’s capital city.
During the press conference, Cristiano said: “I am so proud to make this big decision.” The international footballer stressed that he played in the “most important clubs in Europe,” and said that playing in Asia is his “new challenge.”
Ronaldo expressed his gratitude to Al-Nassr for giving him this opportunity, adding that his family was extremely happy about his decision to join the Saudi club.
Read also: Erdogan: Cristiano ‘Politically Sanctioned’ in World Cup for Supporting Palestine
In addition, he highlighted the warm welcome he and his family received upon their arrival to Saudi Arabia. “Saudi Arabian people are lovely with me and my family, so I’m really proud,” he enthused.
Ronaldo landed in Riyadh on Monday night, three days after sealing his transfer deal with Al-Nassr alongside his partner Georgina Rodriguez and his children.
For Ronaldo, joining Al-Nassr is an “opportunity to change the mentality of the new generation.” He explained that several clubs in Europe, the United States, Australia, and Brazil, among others, wanted to sign him but he chose to share his knowledge and experience with the Saudi club.
The Portuguese player stressed that he seeks to give a “different vision” of Saudi Arabia and its people, notably Saudi women. He noted that the Al-Nassr club has a women’s team too, unbeknownst to many people.
