"Ronaldo feels complete and is very motivated" - Ancelotti says Cristiano Ronaldo made the 'right decision' by moving to Saudi Arabia
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has provided his verdict on former Los Blancos superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's big-money move to Al Nassr.
Cristiano Ronaldo has stepped away from the limelight of European football, joining Al Nassr on a free transfer. He has committed his future to the Saudi Arabian club until 2025 and will earn a whopping £173 million a year.
The Portuguese icon is yet to make his debut for Al-Aalami as he was serving a two-match suspension for smashing an Everton fan's phone last April. He is tipped to make his first appearance for the Saudi Pro League club against Ettifaq on Sunday, January 22.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo had the opportunity to meet some of his former Real Madrid teammates in Saudi Arabia last week. He was seen interacting with several Los Blancos players ahead of their Supercopa de Espana final against Barcelona on Sunday, January 15.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner also caught up with the Merengues' manager Ancelotti. He notably played 101 matches under the Italian tactician during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, scoring 112 goals in the process.
Cristiano Ronaldo catching up with Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Carlos in Saudi Arabia 👀
(via @realmadrid) https://t.co/rt5quOpG9m
Having spoken to Ronaldo recently, Ancelotti is convinced that the forward is happy in Saudi Arabia. The Real Madrid boss has also insisted that the player made the right choice by moving to the Middle East. He said [via A Bola]:
“Ronaldo feels complete and is very motivated. He likes the city and the country. He is very motivated and made the right decision."
Real Madrid went on to suffer a 3-1 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana on Sunday. Gavi, Pedri and Robert Lewandowski netted for the Blaugrana, while Karim Benzema scored a late consolation goal.
Cristiano Ronaldo to feature in a match against Lionel Messi's PSG
Cristiano Ronaldo will have to wait until Sunday to make his debut for Rudi Garcia's side. However, the 37-year-old is expected to play his first match on Saudi Arabian soil before that.
Garcia recently confirmed that Ronaldo's debut in Saudi Arabia will be for an All-Star XI, consisting of players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal. The said team will face Lionel Messi's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in an exhibition match at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh on Thursday, January 19.
#VIDEO: @Cristiano Ronaldo chosen as the captain of the #Saudi Riyadh Season stars team in a match against Paris Saint-Germain, @Turki_alalshikh announces
https://t.co/dCld3WClWq
Not only will the former Manchester United superstar feature in the match, but he will also captain the All-Star XI. It now remains to be seen how he will perform in his first match in the Middle East.