SPL stars including Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema set to receive luxury Christmas gifts ranging from cars, watches and exotic holidays: Reports
In Saudi Arabia's Pro League, Christmas festivities have begun, as footballers such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema are set to experience a holiday season like no other. League authorities, in a gesture of appreciation, have decided to distribute extravagant gifts that go far beyond the traditional festive fare.
A source from the luxury goods sector revealed the extraordinary presents awaiting players like Ronaldo and Benzema, telling SunSport (via The Sun):
"We have top level stars, and they deserve rare things, and we want to show them that they are treated as unique, because they are unique. Christmas is going to be very good for some of the players and staff members."
Top Saudi Pro League teams are gifting high-end vehicles, including Ferrari, Bugatti and Lamborghini models. Additionally, lavish timepieces, with some priced at a staggering £300,000 are among the potential gifts. The gift-giving will also extend to high-fashion items, with substantial orders placed for luxury bags from Yves Saint Laurent and the £5,500 Globe-Trotter suitcase.
As far as luxury holidays are concerned, the league is reportedly not holding back. Personal buyers have been allocated budgets upwards of £3.1 million to ensure a lavish Christmas for all. Another source revealed (via The Sun):
"For some holiday packages for stays in Paris for example, with one being a week long vacation in one of the presidential suites of Paris Four Seasons Hotel George V, which costs around £15,000 a night. Another package being five nights at Hotel Le Bristol, also in Paris, in one of the suites called Suite Prestige Elysee, which costs around £6,600 a night."
Sun-soaked getaways to private islands in the Maldives are also included, according to the source:
"We also got them packages for luxury holidays in the Maldives, at the Kudadoo Maldives Private Island, where each night costs around £5,500, and also a very nice package of luxury week long holidays in London at The Ritz in Deluxe suites."
The source further mentioned other countries and hotels that players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema could be expecting to visit before adding:
"There are some very nice packages being given out."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema prepare to face off
The upcoming showdown between Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League will feature both Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, marking their first face-off in this league.
The Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah is set to be the venue for both Real Madrid legends to potentially score goals for their respective sides. Ronaldo's Al-Nassr are looking to close in on league leaders Al-Hilal, while Al-Ittihad are hoping to rise from their current sixth position.
This season, Benzema has scored nine goals and provided four assists for Ittihad across 14 games in the Saudi Pro League. Ronaldo, however, has shown a better attacking presence, scoring 17 goals and providing nine assists across just 16 league games.