Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to start in the Saudi Arabian football league with Al-Nassr on January 22, according to information given by a source close to the Saudi club to AFP. The Portuguese striker, 37, will be able to align with his new club, which has terminated the contract of Cameroonian Vincent Aboubakar to comply with the maximum number of eight foreign players set by the Saudi federation. He will therefore be available to play his first meeting with his new club on January 22 at home against Ettifaq.
“Al Nassr terminated Vincent Aboubakar’s contract by mutual agreement and he received all the financial compensation to which he was entitled,” said a source close to the Saudi club. Ronaldo cannot, however, appear on the match sheet scheduled for next Friday against Al Ta’ee for which he will therefore be suspended. The striker must, in fact, serve a two-game suspension imposed in November, while still playing with Manchester United in the English league. He should have served it after the match against Al Ta’ee and then that against Al Shabab on January 14. The source, however, did not confirm the departure of Aboubakar, 30, for Manchester United, saying he was now free and could negotiate with any club.
Ronaldo, five times Ballon d’Or, has signed a contract until 2025 with the Saudi club for an estimated 200 million euros over the duration of his contract. Welcomed Tuesday by 25,000 spectators at the Mrsool Park stadium in Riyadh, Cristiano Ronaldo said his arrival at the Saudi club did not mark the end of his career, but a new stage in his hunt for records. His arrival is part of the desire of the authorities of the kingdom to enhance the prestige of the Saudi championship while neighboring Qatar has just organized the 2022 Football World Cup. Saudi Arabia could in particular submit a joint candidacy with Greece and Egypt to host the World Cup in 2030.
