How Cristiano Ronaldo Was Convinced to Sign Al-Nassr for Saudi League?

By: Sandipan Ghosh Image credit: X

[{"selector":"#anim-4af3b622-5eea-41e2-9bd7-83d2b51a76e8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(17.38263975691511%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] After the contract termination with English giants Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo was looking for a club. In January 2023, he surprised the soccer world by signing the Saudi club Al-Nassr.

[{"selector":"#anim-8a159e43-c97d-48b4-8ded-fba31b782db3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-58.11418287742919%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77274b2d-b23c-4721-9f4c-b7bcad7b7fe2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2af2d78-3d58-4c92-8f7d-a289c0ae8aa1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -424.66799%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] It was a turning point for Saudi soccer as many globally famous soccer players soon joined the Saudi Pro League. In a short time, the Saudi Pro League has become a hot league in the soccer world.

[{"selector":"#anim-23fe4626-9a8d-4b6f-abde-98f4b112b2cd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(28.110576747578154%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4de77846-bbe6-4aaf-9ee0-c2e66315753f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-3d891040-386b-4c26-acb4-88ec40a0648b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9be54ed3-4a60-4e38-bc3f-c813f46ad826","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-118.0921%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Al-Nassr director Marcelo Salazar recently revealed the process to convince a soccer legend like Cristiano Ronaldo to join the Saudi Pro League club.

[{"selector":"#anim-224e23b4-13fb-4926-beed-40c8fb47d2d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea5ce2fc-6229-4bf5-8508-810b308d9c8f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 55.97373%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3809b55e-0e2a-40b1-96a7-194155b040df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c77bb2fa-0c32-4da4-b8c1-98b9d2b32bf6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(30.186297926372873%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Salazar said that it was a collective effort to convince Ronaldo to join Al-Nassr. He compared that signing to a big earthquake.

[{"selector":"#anim-d5db14a7-e10b-43c9-bf07-df3143356e4c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(11.504807317220338%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b51ea1ae-bda0-47d0-bfcf-a384e7cc1ffc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-aa843687-29c9-4775-b7ef-7e4c0bffde01","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c94e737-51ae-4d51-9a43-8cafa4374c9a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Ronaldo reportedly signed the contract with the highest salary in soccer history, including commercial and sponsorship deals. However, Salazar pointed out that money wasn't only the main reason.

[{"selector":"#anim-9709fae3-7d1b-42e9-8bcc-5d7de3a40a4e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88b8c1cc-e6bb-47b4-bbae-5b86e1c72db8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 59.73716%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77a8947c-1e32-458e-8a1c-c39d40756a1e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e17d5e5-6da7-453e-93b6-6ceff1d443e0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Salazar added, "You have to offer him the possibility to continue his amazing path in the world of football - and that’s what we did."

[{"selector":"#anim-9a05cc7e-527c-42c1-bd1b-1c74aa489464 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-13.391826570670068%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93bb02c2-1e1f-40f3-8abe-6b8ea21e7368","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0937fd5-1182-4b39-8eb8-544633aec8e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -492.86305%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Salazar is impressed with Ronaldo's incredible commitment level and professionalism level for the club. The sporting director ended with, "he is competitive. And competitors like to win."

[{"selector":"#anim-7c487fc0-7bff-4f58-a3cf-19d0971a83ab [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(11.316105391875366%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b18f4ea-42ea-4456-b8eb-1eb89a0811a6","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e621cd0-581f-44ba-b221-cb9b1e8da859","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef403e17-ac3a-48dd-937f-960cdbbf21f0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.76316%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr will run until June 2025. According to the latest media reports, Ronaldo wants to extend his contract until early 2027 as he is eyeing the FIFA World Cup 2026.

How Cristiano Ronaldo Was Convinced to Sign Al-Nassr for Saudi League?

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