Cristiano Ronaldo’s official debut for Al Nassr will ensure “the eyes of the football world” will be on the Saudi Pro League and Mrsool Park on Sunday night, said the head of the country’s domestic top flight.
Ronaldo, 37, is set to make his highly anticipated bow for Nassr following last month’s landmark move, which is expected to earn the Portuguese star more than $200 million per year. Ronaldo, then a free agent, signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Riyadh club.
The five-time ballon d’Or winner was in action on the pitch on Thursday night, when he captained an all-star XI in an exhibition against Paris Saint-Germain in front of a reported 68,000 sell-out at King Fahd International Stadium. Ronaldo scored twice as the French champions ran out 5-4 winners in the capital.
However, the former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus forward will contest his first competitive match on Sunday as Nassr, currently second in the table, host 10th-placed Al Ettifaq at Mrsool Park.
“The sell-out attendance on Thursday night and Cristiano Ronaldo’s much-awaited league debut on Sunday is indicative of the huge passion Saudi fans have for football,” Saudi Pro League chairman Adbulaziz Al Afaleq said: “We have no doubt the eyes of the football world will be firmly on the Saudi Pro League and Mrsool Park on Sunday night.”
Nassr, nine-time Saudi champions, are seeking to claim the title for the first time in four years, and will hope Ronaldo, the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international football, can help propel their bid.
The capital club, who have played 13 league matches this season, can reclaim top spot in the standings with victory against Ettifaq. Jeddah side Al Ittihad sit at the summit, although they have played a game more.
Thursday’s friendly against Paris Saint-Germain represented Ronaldo’s first appearance since he departed the World Cup last month in tears following Portugal’s quarter-final exit to Morocco.
In a post on Instagram on Thursday, the 2016 European Championship winner said: "So happy to be back on the pitch, and on the score sheet!! And nice to see some old friends!"
The post included pictures of Ronaldo celebrating one of his two goals, with his arm around long-time rival Lionel Messi, and receiving an award for man of the match.
Meanwhile, on Saturday Nassr confirmed the departure of Cameroon international Vincent Aboubakar. The striker, scorer of the winner for his country against Brazil during the World Cup group stage, has joined Turkey’s Besiktas.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
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"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
