So, how does the soccer player’s family live in the Gulf country?
At the end of the 2022 World Cup, striker Cristiano Ronaldo officially joined the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. Experts say this is a step back for the Portuguese striker’s career.
In return, he got the highest salary in football, which was up to 175 million pounds per year. Ronaldo also moved his family to a Gulf country to live there, but not much else is known about his life.
Houseofsaud says that when the family of the former Manchester United striker first got to Saudi Arabia, they were still staying at a luxury hotel in Riyadh that cost £250,000 per month.
Notably, he rented up to 17 rooms next to each other to make a mini-complex with everything a person could want, like a gym, a rehabilitation room, a karaoke room, an esports room, a reading room, etc.
But Al Nassr Club quickly offered him a villa in Al Muhammadiyah Area, which was full of wealthy people, most of whom were from the West.
This makes sense, since CR7 doesn’t want his life to be watched and messed with, while Al Muhammadiyah is strictly protected and almost never has to follow any special rules in Saudi Arabia.
Most of the time, people can drink alcohol, which is forbidden in this Muslim country, and women don’t have to cover their faces when they go out.
Marca says that the villa, which is worth more than £10 million, has eight bedrooms, full amenities, a big swimming pool, and a beautiful foyer with a waterfall.
The Athletic newspaper said that all of Ronaldo’s activities in Saudi Arabia are taken care of by the right people, making sure they are safe. When he wanted to go shopping recently, a shopping center in Riyadh had to close so that he could go there.
Sergio Piernas, who used to be the assistant head coach of the Saudi U23 team, said, “Ronaldo has so much power that he has to live in a bubble or else trouble could happen at any time.”
Dailymail said that Portuguese players often talk to, eat with, or go to events with members of the Saudi Royal Family. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal, the country’s Sports Minister, and he recently went to Dariyah Nights, an event with shopping, art, and music.
Piers Morgan, a journalist, said on a TV show when asked if Ronaldo was happy with his new life in West Asia: “Sure. I’ve sent him a few texts, and both on and off the field, he seems to love life there.”
Piers Morgan is a writer who knows CR7 well. He did a stormy interview with CR7 at Old Trafford, which made it possible for the 37-year-old striker to move to Al Nassr.
An interesting fact is that not only does Ronaldo have an impact in Saudi Arabia, but also his partner Georgina Rodriguez is a social media phenomenon.
Dailymail says that Rodriguez gets more attention than the famous actress Sofia Vergara, who was once named Person of the Year. Rodriguez has a lot of fans in the Gulf, and she is often pictured as an icon there.
Saudi Arabia’s move was rude
All of the Saudi government officials have said that Ronaldo will be an Ambassador and help this country win the right to host the World Cup in 2030.
So, his move to play for Al Nassr is not just a business deal for the club that has won five national championships.
A few people close to the team said that they only have to pay 1/10 of Ronaldo’s huge salary. The rest will be kept by the Saudi government.
“This is a chance to play football with one of the best players in football history. It’s a big deal for our club, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the whole area “A leader of Al Nassr once said.
The Houseofsaud newspaper emphasized that the people of Saudi Arabia, who love football and other sports, are supported by the Royal Family, specifically Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
So, it’s likely that Ronaldo will join the booming sports business here. And yet, Saudi Arabia also hopes that Ronaldo will make this country more popular.
“Ronaldo’s presence goes along with Saudi Arabia’s efforts to get more tourists and investors from other countries. The government is trying to get the economy to depend less on oil money by making it more diverse. The sports industry is seen as a key part of this plan.
The fame and image of Ronaldo are likely to bring more attention to Saudi Arabia’s sports scene, which could lead to more investment.
Saudi Arabia wants the world to know about them through sports, just like Qatar. Getting Ronaldo is a high-flying move, since everyone watches the Portuguese star all the time “Houseofsaud was broken down.
Moderndiplomacy agreed with this point of view and said that Ronaldo’s value to Saudi Arabia goes far beyond putting this country’s football on the map.
Britain is likely to encourage Saudi Arabia to try to replace Qatar and the UAE as the “sports capital” of the Gulf.
This is part of a plan to make Saudi Arabia a regional center that can compete with other Gulf states in every way.
And if you look at how sports are played in Saudi Arabia, the above analysis is right on the money.
Before Ronaldo went to Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Sports Company (SSC), which is owned by the government, announced that it had won the exclusive rights to show the Portuguese League Cup in the Middle East and North Africa.
The SSC also has the rights to show the Copa del Rey from Spain, the Serie A from Brazil, and club and international tournaments from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The biggest sports broadcaster in the Middle East, beIN, chose SMC MC, a Saudi media company with close ties to the government, as its only advertising partner in China last October. East and North Africa in a deal that could be worth up to $150 million.
All of these things are making it more likely that Saudi Arabia will become a leader in sports broadcasting.