Cristiano Ronaldo shifted the soccer landscape when he moved to Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr. Many speculations were made after the move regarding the motive behind the move and the cultural shift for the Portuguese star. In a new leaked conversation, the true feelings of the icon have been revealed.
One of the biggest fan pages of Cristiano Ronaldo, @CristianoXtra_, took it X to post the leaked conversation of Ronaldo with his friend. In the conversation, Ronaldo expressed: “I love Al-Nassr and its fans more than anyone here, and frankly, I did not expect that. My relationship with everyone here at the club has become exceptional. Al-Nassr has become a big part of my life and I will never forget it.”
The conversation revealed how the warm welcome of the Riyadh-based club and its supporters warmed the heart of Ronaldo. He expressed how the club has become an integral part of his life since and had a lasting impact on his memory.
🚨Cristiano in a private conversation with his friend at Al-Nassr:
“I love Al-Nassr and its fans more than anyone here, and frankly, I did not expect that. My relationship with everyone here at the club has become exceptional. Al-Nasr has become a big part of my life and I will… pic.twitter.com/hhIanhtj47
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) October 19, 2023
The love from the fans and the club has been returned by Ronaldo with his on-field performances. In his second season with the club, Ronaldo has made 11 appearances in all competitions, in which he has scored 11 goals and provided six assists. Ronaldo’s form has helped him leapfrog Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to become the leading goalscorer in 2023.
Since moving from Manchester United at the start of the year, Ronaldo has made 30 appearances for the club, in which he has scored 25 goals and eight assists. The performances have taken an upturn for Ronaldo, who endured a troubling 2022 with Manchester United. Lack of playing time and rising tensions with manager, Erik ten Hag impacted Ronaldo which resulted in only 16 goals in 46 appearances in 2022.
Al-Nassr preparing a contract extension for Cristiano Ronaldo
The positive impact on and off the field by Ronaldo has prompted the club to work towards offering an extension to the Portuguese superstar. The Saudi club aims to renew the current deal to 2026 in order to continue building its footprint on the international stage within the sport.
The management of Al-Nassr wants the Portuguese icon to stay with the club as long as possible, given the success that he has brought to the club in such a short period of time.
🚨 Cristiano Ronaldo is back training for Al Nassr pic.twitter.com/ntw7yACHi0
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) October 19, 2023
Ronaldo signed a deal with Al-Nassr until 2025 with a record package of $215 Million per season. The salary component of the deal is worth $75 Million per season, while the rest of the package consists of image rights, commercial deals, and participation in the Saudi Arabia 2030 vision project.
Al-Nassr can afford to pay this mind-boggling sum of money due to its financial backing from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. The contract extension is expected to be straightforward for the club due to the backing of the investment fund.
🎥Cristiano Ronaldo features in Riyadh Season advertisement pic.twitter.com/paXJJVAUHo
— CristianoXtra (@CristianoXtra_) September 27, 2023
A return to Europe is off for the Portuguese, as he recently revealed that he won’t be returning to any European club. The statement squashed online speculations that Ronaldo would be open to return to Sporting Lisbon to end his career where it started.
Earlier reports revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. has also joined the Under 13 team of Al-Nassr. Meanwhile, Ronaldo was also made one of the brand ambassadors of the upcoming Riyadh season. All the current signs point towards stability for the Ronaldo camp. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Portuguese icon agrees to fresh terms with the club.