In order to play on the biggest stage with and against the most famous players in the game, CR7 wanted to play in the football cathedrals of Madrid, Milan orMunich. Mrsool Park, Al-Nassr's compact stadium, is a mile up the road from Saudi Arabia'sMinistry of Investment building.
It is an odd setting, but when you consider the financial package offered to join Al-Nassr, the Ministry of Investment is an appropriate neighbor. The Real Madrid star has signed with Saudi Arabia's second-biggest team, Al-Hilal, who won the Asian Cup last year, in order to make up for the 37 years he has been away.
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When he made it clear he wanted to leave Manchester United in the summer, he wanted to play in the European Championship. Since United canceled his contract during the World Cup, there have been no takers for his talents in Europe. The lucrative contract offer from Al-Nassr, which has been on the table for almost two months, turned out to be the best, and only, option for one of the greatest football players ever to have played the game.
The new teammates for him will include David Ospina, a former goalkeeper who is currently playing in the Saudi Pro League, and Talisca, a Brazilian who leads the scoring charts in the Saudi Pro League with nine goals. One of the three players in second place has six goals. Life in Saudi Arabia will be a whole new experience forRonaldo, who has so far been based in the historic football cities of Lisbon, Manchester, Madrid and Turin.
He will cause a stir in Saudi Arabia, a country with a well-resourced domestic league and national team, but he will also be out of sight and out of mind.
Shopping malls seem to be the center of Riyadh's social life. While Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy and an authoritarian state that strictly forbids alcohol consumption and employs religious police to uphold its strict interpretation of Islam, the growing power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Laden has seen the country open up to Western influences.
The malls are where the new Saudi Arabia shows itself. Those who think thatRonaldo will live in a country that does things differently than those in Europe and North America will be surprised. The same, but a little different.
The View Mall is located in central Riyadh. There's a bowling alley and a cinema next to a gaming arcade. Families are eating dinner at Nando's, buying cakes at Magnolia Bakery, watching football on the big screens, and waiting to bowl at Bob's famous eat, bowl and chill.
It is the same at the Kingdom Tower Mall, next to the Four Seasons Hotel, which could have been built forRonaldo. Dior, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, Victoria's Secret all have stores in the four floor shopping centre.
There is a store across the street. A footballer has his picture wrapped around the window. He is wearing a Manchester United shirt, but it isn't Marcus Rashford, it is someone else.
They all know about football and love it. The majority claim to be supporters of Al Ittihad, the Jeddah based team, and they all talk excitedly about Saudi Arabia's recent World Cup showing in which they beat eventual champion Argentina. Two players in particular stand out as being mentioned more than others, and that's Paul Pogba and Mo Salah. The Saudi Arabia tourist board signed a £25 million-a-year deal with Lionel Messi in May.
The source at the Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Sport said thatPogba and Salah are popular because they are Muslim. The endorsement of Pepsi is a big thing in Saudi because it's the leading soft drink in the country. The leading Saudi players are very popular in this country.
Mark felt that the move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr was a bad end to his football career.
The life of a leading footballer in Saudi Arabia is a good one, though not all of them will be treated like a celebrity.
The top players in the Pro League earn comparable salaries to those in Europe. It is rare for a Saudi Arabian player to seek a move to Europe because of the comprehensive packages they have. The leading Saudi players are treated like rock stars and given huge houses in the best compounds, as well as whatever cars they like, according to one source.
There is no income tax for Saudi nationals and a flat rate on tax-adjusted profit for non-Saudis. All foreign players in the Pro League will lose less money than they would in Europe.
The best players in Saudi Arabia get a lot of perks. There is a villa in the prestigious Al Muhammadiyah compound, the best schools for his children, and a fleet of the best cars. He will have to negotiate the less enjoyable aspects of Riyadh city life, just like everyone else.
When full, Mrsool Park holds just 25,000 people. It is neat and tidy, with yellow and blue seats to match Al-Nassr's colors, but it is small compared to other stadiums.
The stadium doesn't have a club shop. The club's small outlet is 30 minutes away, so if you want to buy an Al-NassrRonaldo shirt with his trademark No. 7 on the back, you'll have to take an taxi.
The size of the stadium and lack of a club shop at the ground show that Al-Nassr aren't ready for the attention that will come their way. Saudi Arabia's best-supported team, Al-Ittihad, have an average attendance of 31,309 at their 62,000-seat King Abdullah Sports City Stadium. Al-Hilal had an average of 13,192 fans per game, while Al-Nassr had an average of 8,121.
It has been a long time since he played a club game at a half-empty stadium, but he may have to get used to it in Saudi Arabia. It would be positive to expect full houses wherever he goes because of his fame.
While the Saudi Pro League is well-financed and backed by passionate fans, it will be a different challenge forRonaldo It is a sport and it will not be an easy ride forRonaldo.
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The assistant manager at Al Ittihad said that football in Saudi Arabia is real. When I arrived here to work with Nuno Espirito Santo, one thing that struck me immediately was how competitive and passionate it is, just like everywhere else I've worked. The facilities are excellent, there is a genuine intensity here, and the players are top quality, like we saw with Saudi Arabia during the World Cup.
All of the best Saudi players are in the domestic league. I'm pretty sure that Saudi Arabian football will be on the map because of the presence of Portugal's star player, CristianoRonaldo.
When they announced the deal on Friday, Al-Nassr said it would inspire future generations of boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. It will be very real for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner when Al-Nassr and Al-Tai play at Mrsool Park on January 5.
For a player who has been in the public eye for two decades, it will be sad to see his career come to a close.
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