“They perceive us as the Real Madrid of this region” - Al-Nassr chief makes emphatic claim about Cristiano Ronaldo-led team
Al-Nassr’s CEO Guido Fienga has compared his Saudi Pro League side to Cristiano Ronaldo's former Spanish employers Real Madrid.
The Al-Nassr chief laid down ambitions of wanting his club to become a global brand with international fans.
"They perceive us as the Real Madrid of this region, and there is enormous expectation. We want to be an international brand, and our fan base is growing," Fienga said at the World Football Summit.
Real Madrid are one of the biggest names in European football, having won the La Liga title an incredible 35 times and the UEFA Champions League on 14 occasions, with both being records.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, decided to join Al-Nassr in January 2023 after having his contract mutually terminated at Manchester United. Since making his way to Saudi Arabia, several top stars have followed the Portuguese icon to the Middle East.
The likes of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Neymar, and Ruben Neves have joined Saudi Pro clubs. Ronaldo himself has been extremely influential for Al-Nassr, scoring 34 goals and assisting 12 in 41 matches across competitions so far.
"Cristiano is building the future of this country’s football industry. He will be in this project for a long time. He is a protagonist today and will be even more so in the future," Fienga said about Ronaldo.
Al-Nassr are certainly among the top sides in Saudi Arabia. They're currently second in the Saudi Pro League, seven points behind Al-Hilal.
Last season, the Riyadh-based side finished second in the league, five points adrift of champions Al-Ittihad.
Karim Benzema excludes former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo from his Dream XI
Karim Benzema decided to leave out former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo as part of his Dream XI while speaking to Al-Ittihad's social media channels (via One Football).
The decision may surprise many, given the pair shared the pitch 342 times for Los Blancos, managing 76 joint goal contributions in the process. The call seems more strange as Benzema decided to include several other former teammates in his XI. The Frenchman's backline comprises former colleagues Pepe, Sergio Ramos, and Marcelo.
However, Benzema went with himself and Brazilian legends Ronaldinho and Ronaldo Nazario in attack.
Cristiano Ronaldo is a prolific goalscorer who has notched up 735 senior club career goals, with 450 of those coming in Real Madrid colors.
He won the UEFA Champions League four times with the Spanish giants and the La Liga title twice, among other honors.