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Four days after his transfer was confirmed, Cristiano Ronaldo was officially presented to the press and fans of his new Saudi club Al-Nassr at Mrsool Park in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Martin Delvaux
A striking moment just before the start of the press conference: Ronaldo was greeted by the present news with his iconic ‘Siuuu’ cheer. An unusual event, but the Portuguese watched the spectacle with a smile.
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“My work in Europe is over,” Ronaldo said at the start of his press moment. I won everything there and played for the biggest clubs. This is a new challenge for me in Asia,” Ronaldo said at the press conference. “I am happy that Al-Nassr is giving me this opportunity. I am happy and proud to be here and I hope to inspire future generations and women through my expertise and knowledge.”
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CR7 may move to Saudi Arabia at the age of 37, but he assures that his career is “not over”. “I don’t pay attention to what people say. I had several European offers in my pocket, as well as proposals from Brazil and the United States. The Saudi championship is very competitive and few people know that. There are many people who talk and give their opinion, but they really know nothing about football. But to be honest, I don’t care what others say. I have made my decision.”
He considers himself a unique player, he said. “I’ve broken all the records in Europe, so I want to break some here too.” He can also explain that he has signed an insane contract. “This contract is unique because I am also a unique player. It’s simple. I come here to win and to have fun. What I want is to have fun and smile.”
After the press conference, Ronaldo went to the changing rooms to get ready to greet the crowd of supporters in the stadium. Mrsool Park, with a capacity of 25,000 spectators, was completely filled to sing loudly to their new star player.
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The Portuguese superstar has been without a club since his contract with Manchester United was terminated at the end of November. In a controversial preliminary interview, Ronaldo stated that he “no longer respects” his trainer Erik ten Hag. In addition, he also criticized the Red Devils’ club management.
Ronaldo put his signature under an agreement that binds him to Al-Nassr until June 2025. His salary is about 200 million euros on an annual basis.
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