Cristiano Ronaldo wore a traditional white thobe as he celebrated Saudi Arabia's Founding Day — and at one point sported an intricately embroidered navy blue and gold robe, or daqlah, over it.
The Portuguese footballer posted a video on Instagram of the celebrations with his Al Nassr teammates. “It was a special experience to participate in the celebration at Al Nassr FC,” he said in the caption.
The video shows Ronaldo, who signed a two-year contract with the Saudi football club in December, drinking Arabic coffee and performing Ardah (a folk group dance) while wielding a ceremonial sword. It also shows him dancing with a Saudi flag over his shoulders.
Ever since the move, Ronaldo and his family have seemingly been enjoying their new lives in the Gulf, regularly embracing regional fashion and culture.
Last week, his son Cristiano Jr, 12, also wore a two-button collared Saudi thobe paired with a baseball cap, in a selfie posted by Ronaldo's mother Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro on Instagram.
A thobe, or thawb, is an ankle-length robe with long sleeves, commonly worn by men in the Gulf region. In the UAE, it is known as a kandura, while in Kuwait, Iraq and Oman it is sometimes called a dishdasha.
There are also subtle variations in style around the Gulf. The Saudi version is cut to be slim-fitting and has a collar with two or three buttons. It has sleeves with cuffs, so is designed to be worn with cufflinks. It is typically partnered with a headscarf, called a ghutra or keffiyeh, which can be worn in many colours.
His wife, model Georgina Rodriguez, has also updated her style to suit their new lifestyle and has often been pictured wearing an abaya, teamed with chic items underneath.
During the Founding Day celebrations, Ronaldo also posed wearing a navy blue and gold daqlah, a robe that is also considered a national dress in Saudi Arabia. It is designed to be worn over a thobe.
The traditional-style robe was also worn by Queen Consort Camilla at the platinum jubilee event in June last year.
The dark blue robe with silver embroidery, which was created by Saudi designer Yahya Al Bishri, was actually a piece in King Charles III's wardrobe. It's believed to be a gift to the British monarch when he visited the Gulf country in the 1990s.
Scroll through the gallery below for images of Georgina Rodriguez's style
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Since moving to Saudi Arabia, Georgina Rodriguez has added the abaya to her wardrobe, wearing one with her children at Mrsool Park on January 3. EPA -
Rodriguez wore a fitted dress to the Jacquemus fashion show in June 2022 in Arles, France. Getty Images -
Fitted, halterneck gowns are reguarly worn by Rodriguez. She selected one for the Elvis premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. AP -
She paired the look with emerald drop earrings. Getty Images -
She wore a halterneck dress to the premiere of Tár at the Cannes Film Festival 2022. Reuters -
Rodriguez in a tailored trouser suit with a statement necklace at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September 2021. EPA -
Even off duty, Rodriguez favours lavish jewellery, such as these long earrings worn to Monaco Formula One Grand Prix in May 2019. AP -
She mixed baby blue lace with white diamonds at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September 2021. EPA -
At the Marca Awards in July 2019, Rodriguez wore an uncharacteristically simple look. Reuters
