"Proud to be part of the family" - Cristiano Ronaldo sends message to Al-Nassr on club's foundation day
Cristiano Ronaldo has wished Al-Nassr a happy birthday on the Saudi Pro League club's 69th foundation day. The Knights of Najd were founded on October 24, 1955.
Al-Nassr have established themselves as a footballing powerhouse in the Middle East. The club’s journey began with a vision to promote the sport in Saudi Arabia, and it has since grown to become one of the most successful teams in the region, boasting numerous titles and accolades.
Al-Nassr started the acquisition of the top players from Europe as they signed Cristiano Ronaldo in January 2023. Following the acquisition of Ronaldo, other clubs in the Saudi Pro League followed suit, marking a significant shit in the league’s profile.
Celebrating Al-Nassr’s 69 years of existence, Cristiano Ronaldo took to his X (formerly Twitter) account and posted:
‘’Happy birthday, @AlNassrFC. Proud to be part of the family!
How Cristiano Ronaldo has fared at Al-Nassr so far
Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January 2023 after a falling out with Manchester United’s hierarchy led to his contract with the Red Devils being terminated. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club, which is set to expire in June 2025.
At Al-Nassr, Ronaldo became the highest-paid football player ever, receiving a whopping €200 million a year. He played his first match for the club on January 19, 2023, a friendly against Paris Saint-Germain. The match saw him and his archrival Lionel Messi face off, with PSG claiming a 5-4 victory.
On January 22, 2023, Ronaldo made his competitive debut for Al-Nassr as they defeated Al-Ettifaq 1-0 in the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal for Al-Nassr in a 2-2 draw against Al-Fateh on February 4, 2023, from the penalty spot. The following match saw him score all four goals for his side in a 4-0 win over Al Wehda.
The Portuguese legend ended his first calendar year at the club as the world’s top goal scorer, scoring 54 goals in 59 games across competitions for Al-Nassr and Portugal. In May 2024, he broke the Saudi Pro League's all-time scoring record with 35 goals in 31 games.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 67 goals and recorded 18 assists for Al-Nassr in 75 appearances across competitions. Despite his goal-scoring exploits, Ronaldo is yet to win a major trophy with Al-Nassr.