With Cristiano Ronaldo's signing for Al Nassr becoming official, here are a few things to know about the Saudi club, league and football.
Al Nassr
His new side is one of the four most prominent in Saudi Arabia.
The biggest is Al Hilal, Al Nassr's city rival - both play in the capital, Riyadh - and the current Asian champions.
Al Ittihad, the most popular team in the country, and Al Ahli, the fourth biggest club, were relegated to the second division at the end of last season and are on their way back up.
There is also Al Shabab, a more traditional club that is starting to climb over the last two years, after signing Éver Banga and participating in the AFC Champions League.
These teams enjoy a massive fanbase that help to create a fantastic atmosphere.
Al Nassr is known as Al-Alami - or the international, in English - one of the veterans in the Saudi kingdom.
The club was founded in 1955, has won nine championships and 27 titles since then, and has produced a number of star Saudi players.
Majed Abdullah, the Saudi national team's top scorer, came from Al Nassr, and is also the club's record goalscorer with 189 goals in 200 games, over 20 years or so.
History in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome @Cristiano to your new home @AlNassrFC pic.twitter.com/oan7nu8NWC
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) December 30, 2022
The Saudi Pro League
The Saudi Pro League is the standout league in both the Arab world and Asia.
For several years, enormous sums have been spent on marquee players, and not just ones at the end of their careers.
Luciano Vietto, Anderson Talisca and Pity Martinez are good examples, while Odion Ighalo, Moussa Marega and Ever Banega are more experienced figures who have joined the Saudi party.
But none of them are equivalent to Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a country with an authentic football tradition, and should not be considered ‘plastic’ - it’s important to remember this and differentiate between Saudi Arabia and its neighbours.
The big four attract huge audiences, and teams such Al Nassr and Al Hilal have a tradition of success in top Asian club competitions.
In the league, the smaller teams attract fewer fans, affecting the entire league's average.
On the other end of the scale, the top teams attract an average of around 22,000 fans per home game - which is pretty good - and Ronaldo will enjoy the atmosphere in Saudi. That is guaranteed.
Mrsool Park
Al Nassr used to play in the vast King Fahd Stadium, but moved to a far more modest venue two years ago.
Mrsool Park can seat 25,000 spectators, and gives them more of a ‘home’ atmosphere.
Ronaldo's arrival will fill the stands in grounds across the country. Saudi Arabia is currently in a state of 'Ronaldo-mania', and it will have its impact.
al nassr fans 💛💙
— أيمن العمري (@aimen_alkarimi) December 30, 2022
✌️✌️ pic.twitter.com/vH0iN2UWWP
Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo also had reasonable offers from the United States, but he chose Saudi Arabia - for the money, of course, but also because there is a serious change in power in world football.
We saw it with the World Cup, and we've seen it in European football over the last decade - the power in this world is moving eastward.
The World Cup
Saudi Arabia dreams of hosting the 2030 World Cup.
It’s a part of a larger vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of opening the kingdom to the world, making it a lucrative tourist destination while establishing its position as a leading country in the fields of energy and culture.
Saudi Arabia is a vast country, and such a change takes time, but the action is moving towards it at least bidding to host a World Cup.
In 2027, it will host the Asian Cup, alongside other tournaments in the coming years - such as the Asian Winter Games.
There is no doubt that a step like the signing of Ronaldo is a kind of opening shot for the intentions of the Saudis.
They believe, and hope, he will bring more players to the country.
Ronaldo’s contract
The basic number is this - he’ll receive €200m until 2025.
It’s also clear that advertisements, sponsorships, and his potential help in the Saudi bid to host the World Cup will add to this.
So how will the most lucrative contract in football history work?
€200m is 801m SAR (Saudi riyals)
This means:
• One year - 801m SAR
• A month - 66.75m SAR
• One week - 16.68m SAR
• One day - 2.38m SAR
• Hour - 99,000 SAR
• One minute - 1650 SAR
That's a lot of money.
Will Al Nassr win another Saudi title? Maybe. But it's now Ronaldo's turn to return on this massive investment.
It is just another step in the Middle East becoming a more significant power in the football world.
Edited by Alex Smith
That’s our kind of love 💛 pic.twitter.com/ETEOCTs34d
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) December 31, 2022
