Even when he is not there, it still feels all about him.
Cristiano Ronaldo was not involved in the AFC Champions League Elite at all this season.
While Asia’s leading sides were congregated in Jeddah for its finals, his Al Nassr were in Dubai instead, plotting their route to the final of the continent’s second-tier competition.
He was out of sight, but not entirely out of mind. When Al Ahli Saudi retained their title at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium on Saturday night, it was met with an outpouring of euphoria. And just a little bit of spite.
For the second year in a row, Ahli had been bayed onto continental glory by manic support. The extra-time victory against Japan’s doughty Machida Zelvia brought with it ecstatic scenes among the masses. But, still, there was that thought, nagging away about what it meant in the wider context.
In the celebrations, Merih Demiral – perhaps the most adored of all of Al Ahli’s beloved foreign players – pulled up a foldaway chair at placed it in the goalmouth in front of Ahli’s supporters.
He plonked the trophy next to him, then started reading a mocked-up newspaper. On it was a picture of two Champions League Elite trophies, and the headline “We focused on AFC.”
The reference was clear. Earlier in the month, Ahli had been livid after three refereeing decisions went against them in a Saudi Pro League fixture, thus limiting their prospects of challenging Nassr at the top of the table.
As they protested one of the decisions, it was claimed that one of the match officials told them to “focus on the AFC” – meaning the Champions League Elite finals – instead.
Amid the fury, Galeno, their brilliant Brazilian forward, wrote on social media that “they want to hand the trophy to one person” – meaning Ronaldo.
In a neat coincidence thrown up by the fixtures computer, Ahli face Nassr next in the league, four days after becoming champions of Asia for a second time.
No matter what the players had just achieved in cementing themselves as the continent's pre-eminent side, they had not forgotten what is to follow.
“They are the best,” Edouard Mendy, Ahli’s goalkeeper-captain said on the field about Ahli's fans. “Thank you for your support, and we are not finished. See you at Al Nassr.”
It will be a spicy encounter. Convention dictates the opposition should welcome the Champions League winners onto the field through a guard of honour.
Al Ettifaq’s players did so last year, in the first league fixture after Ahli’s win against Kawasaki Frontale in the Elite final.
But the animosity between Ahli and Nassr means it is unlikely to happen. Plus, there is plenty riding on the game, too.
Wednesday’s meeting at Al Awwal Park in Jeddah could have a bearing on whether or not Ronaldo gets his hands on notable silverware for the first time since moving to the SPL.
Having played one game more than their rivals, Nassr hold an eight-point lead over city rivals Al Hilal at the top of the league, and are 10 points ahead of Ahli in third.
Mattias Jaissle, Ahli’s coach, said the situation related to the league meant it was difficult to celebrate the continental triumph.
“It feels a bit weird, a bit empty, as there was so much relief,” Jaissle, who became the first coach in Asia’s Champions League era to defend the title, said.
“The pressure was on. I think it will take a couple of days until we can really enjoy it, which is also difficult because the league is still going on.
“And we have a couple of matches still till the end of the season and we want to put pressure on the teams in front of us.”
Whether Ahli can make it a hat-trick of titles next year will be intriguing to see. As Jaissle pointed out during the tournament, it has been a benefit to them that the final phase of the tournament has been held in Jeddah for the past season.
Despite some obvious flaws, the AFC plan to continue with the centralised format for the quarters, semis and final phase for the next three years. Those tournaments appear certain to be staged in Saudi Arabia, with a potential switch to Riyadh from next year.
While Ahli’s extraordinary support will still likely travel in huge numbers, it seems unlikely the scenes will match those in the past two seasons in Jeddah.
At times this season, it felt like their fan following was such a cheat code that Ahli’s players felt the need to even up the balance.
In both the quarter-final and the final, they were reduced to 10-men because of reckless play by overexcited players. Which just served to make things a little more even.
“We had a red card, and after that, it was 11 against 11 because of the fans,” Riyad Mahrez, the Ahli winger, said.
“We have a great team of players with personality, and we have gone back-to-back.
“It is not easy to win trophies. Never take it for granted, never think it is easy. Never say, ‘Oh, it’s easy, it’s in Jeddah.’
“Everyone was here. They all played here, and they didn’t win. We won.”
