"Highly respected and adored in all parts of the world" - Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival adds 'enormous value' to Saudi football, says SAFF president
Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) president Yasser Al Misehal has given his verdict on Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr.
The Portugal icon left Manchester United in November and after several weeks of being a free agent, joined the Saudi Pro League club on New Year's Day. He signed a huge contract that will see him pocket around €200 million in yearly wages.
Having won every trophy at the club and international level barring the FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has cemented his status as a legend of the sport. He is one of the most famous personalities on the planet and boasts 541 million followers on Instagram.
Hence, it is obvious that the 37-year-old will carry the spotlight with him wherever he goes. According to Al Misehal, Ronaldo's arrival in Saudi Arabia will inspire a generation of young Saudi children to pursue their dreams.
Cristiano Ronaldo smiling on his Al-Nassr debut 😁 https://t.co/TruEWYek6K
Speaking to journalist Manos Staramopoulos of SportPress24, the SAFF head honcho said:
"There is no doubt that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players ever to grace a football field. He is highly respected and adored in all parts of the world. His signing adds enormous value to Saudi football as a whole, not just his new club.
"He will help inspire a generation of Saudi children who can aspire to be just like him and now they will have the opportunity to witness firsthand his professionalism which helped make him one of the biggest stars in the history of the game."
After serving a two-match suspension earlier this month, Al-Nassr's No. 7 has played two official games for his new club but has failed to score or provide an assist so far.
Fans will hope to see him finally get on the scoresheet when his team takes on Al Fateh on February 3 in the league.
Piers Morgan explains what appealed to Cristiano Ronaldo about Al-Nassr
British journalist Piers Morgan, meanwhile, shares a cordial relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo. The former Real Madrid forward's explosive interview with Morgan arguably led to Manchester United and Ronaldo cutting ties in November.
Now, the journalist has shed light on why the Portuguese centre-forward chose to move to Al-Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo: 'In Europe, my work is done. I won everything' 🗣️ https://t.co/2lk82R7Bhr
Morgan told Tatler Magazine (h/t AlArabiya News):
"Ideally, I think he’d have preferred to play for another top club in the Champions League for a year or two, but Al Nassr made him a staggering offer, and I think the fresh challenge of raising the profile of football in a new region of the world, at the twilight of his incredible career, really appealed to him."
Cristiano Ronaldo cited a similar reason as to why he joined Al-Nassr after his official presentation ceremony earlier this month.