Festive period marks first anniversary of Cristiano Ronaldo kickstarting Saudi football revolution

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Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo in action with Al Ettifaq's Ali Hazazi and Marcel Tisserand at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh on December 22, 2023. (REUTERS)
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A year on, Ronaldo marks his first Christmas in Saudi Arabia as arguably still the planet’s most popular football player.. (X/@AlNassrFC_EN/File)
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Updated 24 December 2023
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Festive period marks first anniversary of Cristiano Ronaldo kickstarting Saudi football revolution

  • Christmas period brings a mixed bag of new and familiar experiences for the foreign stars who have made the Kingdom their home over the last year

Exactly one year ago, Cristiano Ronaldo would have spent Christmas Day pondering a decision that would end up shaking the world of football to its foundation.

On Christmas Eve, 2022, the Portuguese legend tweeted a family photo — with partner Georgina Rodriguez and his children, wearing Santa hats — simply captioned “Feliz Natal! Merry Christmas!”

The beaming smile did not hint at what was going on in his professional life behind the scenes.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar had wrapped up a week earlier, but Ronaldo’s Portugal had been eliminated in the quarterfinals on Dec. 10, after a stunning 1-0 loss to Morocco.

For many, Ronaldo, without a club since acrimoniously departing Manchester United only a few weeks earlier, was facing an uncertain future.

Could one of the greatest football careers of all time be winding down to a disappointing end?




Cristiano Ronaldo is seen before the Anthony Joshua v Otto Wallin fight at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Saturday night. (REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri)

The question would be answered in spectacular fashion on New Year’s Eve. After weeks of speculation and rumors, it was announced that Ronaldo would be joining Al-Nassr in Riyadh during the January transfer window.

With one signature of his pen, the Portuguese legend was about to revolutionize Saudi football forever. In his wake, more and more of the world’s biggest stars from some of Europe’s top clubs would follow suit.

A year on, Ronaldo will mark his first Christmas in Saudi Arabia as arguably still the planet’s most popular football player.

On Saturday night, Ronaldo — dressed in an appropriately festive all-green jacket — was spotted with Conor McGregor ringside at the Day of Reckoning boxing event in Riyadh, which saw Anthony Joshua’s victory over Otto Wallin and Deontay Wilder’s shock loss to Joseph Parker.

Christmas Day will no doubt be spent with his young family again, but for the ultimate professional, it will be business as usual on the football front as Ronaldo and his teammates prepare for a crucial Saudi Pro League match on Dec. 26 against Al-Ittihad.

The showdown in Jeddah had been rescheduled due to the reigning Saudi champions’ FIFA Club World Cup commitments over the last two weeks, and for Al-Nassr — who sit 10 points behind Al-Hilal in the SPL table — it is a must-win scenario if they are not to fall further behind in the title race.

For the foreign stars who have made the big move from Europe over the last year, it will be a mixed bag of familiar and new experiences.

The English Premier League is notorious for its busy schedule over the Christmas and New Year period, so for the likes of Aleksander Mitrovic of Al-Hilal, Allan Saint-Maxmin of Al-Ahli and Jordan Henderson of Al-Ettifaq, the SPL’s gentle fixture list for the rest of 2023 will bring a welcome change from their hectic schedules in London, Newcastle and Liverpool.

However, it is a different tale for those who have made the move from places like Italy, Spain or Germany, where the domestic football leagues traditionally enjoy a Christmas break of several weeks.

Still, only one round of SPL matches remains this year, taking place on Dec. 28-30, with the league after that taking a six-week break as the Saudi national team aims for glory at the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. The new year may well see many of SPL’s foreign contingent heading back home for a well-earned holiday.

Al-Hilal’s foreign contingent of Mitrovic, Malcom, Reuben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, not to mention coach Jorge Jesus, will be in a jolly mood as they look down on the rest of the league from the summit, a record-extending 19th SPL title rising in probability with every passing week and every passing win.

Neymar Jr., for his part, continues to give updates on his progress as he undergoes a punishing rehabilitation program following a knee injury at the onset of his career at Al-Hilal. Next Christmas will hopefully be a happier one for the Brazilian.

Like Ronaldo and his teammates, Al-Ittihad’s foreign stars — including Fabinho, Jota and Luis Felipe — will have their eyes on the clash with Al-Nassr on Dec. 26, hoping to give their fans some holiday cheer after their disappointing defeat to Al-Ahly of Egypt at the Club World Cup last week.

At Al-Ettifaq, coach Steven Gerrard will likely be spending the holiday casting an eye on potential new signings in an effort to snap his team out of a rut that has seen them go seven matches without a win, something the former Liverpool legend alluded to in the press conference that followed the 3-1 loss to Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr on Friday.

The last word, like the first one, goes to Ronaldo.

“Taking sports to a whole new dimension. Unparalleled vision and execution. Can’t stop being amazed,” he captioned an Instagram photo he posted from the Day of Reckoning event on Saturday night.

As he celebrates his first Christmas in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo will have the quiet satisfaction of knowing that he has fully played his part in turning that vision into reality.


EA Team of the Year celebrates top football players 

Updated 12 January 2025
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EA Team of the Year celebrates top football players 

RIYADH: To celebrate the best football players of the year, EA Sports has launched Team of the Year, allowing fans to create and vote for their dream team.

Saudi Arabia’s football talent is Salem Al-Dawsari, midfielder for Al-Hilal, who has earned his place as one of TOTY’s nominees, showcasing the region’s growing impact in the world of football.

Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, who is currently playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, has also been nominated for TOTY.

Following the Italian and Spanish Super Cup matches, which were held in Riyadh and Jeddah, this year’s TOTY card lineup includes players from Italian teams AC Milan, Inter Milan, Atalanta, and Juventus, and Spanish teams Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

TOTY has cards for each position — goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and attackers — allowing fans to create the ultimate fantasy men’s or women’s football team.

The EA FC 25 TOTY vote will be closed on Jan. 12, 2025. 

For more information on Team of the Year, visit www.ea.com/games/ea-sports-fc/fc-25/toty 


Al-Hilal back on top as Al-Ittihad stumble

Updated 12 January 2025
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Al-Hilal back on top as Al-Ittihad stumble

  • The victory, in the first round of games as the league restarts after a month’s break, means that the champions are ahead of their Jeddah rivals

RIYADH: Al-Hilal won 5-0 win at Al-Orobah on Saturday to go top of the Saudi Pro League above Al-Ittihad, who were held to a surprise 1-1 draw at Al-Feiha.

The victory, in the first round of games as the league restarts after a month’s break, means that the champions are ahead of their Jeddah rivals on goal difference after 14 games of the season.

There was little doubt as to the outcome of the game once Ruben Neves, who returned to the Al-Hilal starting 11 after a lengthy injury lay-off, put the Riyadh giants ahead from the penalty spot after just 16 minutes.

It was one-way traffic but the Blues had to wait until three minutes after the restart to extend their lead against the newly promoted team.

Central defender Ali Al-Bulaihi has come under fire for a number of mistakes at the back but the Saudi Arabian international made no mistake as he headed home from a left-sided Sergej Milinkovic-Savic cross.

Al-Hilal kept coming. Renan Lodi made it three midway through the second half and then Marcos Leonardo added two more in quick succession to cap a perfect display for coach Jorge Jesus.

It got even better shortly after when Al-Ittihad were held to a 1-1 draw by the struggling Al-Feiha in a dramatic game.

It has been a frustrating afternoon for the Tigers who arrived looking for a 10th successive league victory, but they had only themselves to blame as they missed two penalties in the second half — the first from Karim Benzema and the second by Houssem Aouar.

They were left to rue those wasted opportunities in the first minute of injury time, as Fashion Sakala struck to put Al-Feiha in sight of what would have been only their second win of the season.

The celebrations did not last long however as just two minutes later, Fawaz Al-Sqoor equalised to earn Al-Ittihad a point that may have been disappointing on the night but could end up being crucial.

There was also a surprise defeat for Al-Qadsia who would have moved to within six points of the top had they beaten Al-Taawoun. Instead, however, they crashed to a 3-0 home defeat.

Al-Nassr stay third after their 3-1 win over Al-Okhdood while Al-Ahli are fifth after a 3-2 win over Al-Shabab, their fifth successive league victory.


We will ‘do our best’ for Barcelona’s Saudi fans, says Raphinha ahead of Spanish Super Cup start in Jeddah

Updated 08 January 2025
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We will ‘do our best’ for Barcelona’s Saudi fans, says Raphinha ahead of Spanish Super Cup start in Jeddah

  • Barcelona face Athletic Club in Wednesday’s first semifinal, with winners tackling either Real Madrid or Mallorca in the final at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah

JEDDAH: Raphinha says Barcelona are determined to repay local fans for their support by winning the Supercopa de Espana in Jeddah.

La Liga runners-up Barcelona and Copa del Rey winners Athletic Club will contest the first Supercopa semifinal on Wednesday at King Abdullah Sports City, with kickoff at 10 p.m. local time.

The winners will face either La Liga champions Real Madrid or Copa del Rey finalists Mallorca in Sunday’s final at the same stadium.

Barcelona have an enormous fanbase in Saudi Arabia, a country with a thriving football culture that has been the hosts of the Supercopa de Espana since 2020.

The Catalans are sure to enjoy the majority of the support in Jeddah on Wednesday evening and Raphinha wants to ensure their fans are treated to a spectacle.

Raphinha, 28, said: “I would like to thank them for the love. We know how difficult it is for fans to be able to go to Barcelona and watch one of our games there, so to be able to come here, play in a semifinal and (possibly) a final is great, it’s exciting. What we can do is appreciate the love and do our best to try and win two matches.”

Raphinha arrives in Jeddah as one of Barcelona’s standout players this season, scoring 17 goals and creating 10 assists in 25 matches in all competitions.

The team, however, enter the Supercopa in mixed form. Following a blistering start to the season, Barcelona have lost three of their last seven matches, including consecutive defeats in La Liga.

Barca’s pedigree in the Supercopa is unrivalled, though, having won a record 14 trophies. They last won the competition in Riyadh in 2023, and Raphinha believes success in Jeddah this week can provide a vital boost for the rest of the season.

“A title gives confidence to any team,” the Brazilian forward said. “We have to be ready to fight for everything. We have the opportunity to win the first title of the year. It will give us a lot of confidence.”

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick echoed Raphinha’s comments by insisting his players are raring to go and are fully focused on achieving more Supercopa success in Saudi Arabia.

Flick said: “I can feel with the team everyone is ready for this tournament. The semifinal against Athletic is a tough match and we focus on that and not think about the days after that, only focus on this match.

“Of course, when you win titles, it’s very good for the club, very good for the team, for every player and also for us coaches, because we all work hard and train hard.”

If Barcelona are to add to their 14 Supercopas, they will need to get past extremely tough opposition, starting with semifinal opponents Athletic Club.

The Catalans edged the Basque club 2-1 in their most recent meeting at the start of the Spanish Liga season, although Athletic enter the tie with the better overall form, going unbeaten in their last 15 matches in all competitions and winning 11.

Athletic have also won their last two Supercopa matches against Barca, claiming a 3-2 victory after extra time in the 2021 final, and a comprehensive 5-1 aggregate win in 2015 before the format was expanded to four teams.

Athletic captain Oscar De Marcos is aware of the task against Barcelona, but insists they are ready for the challenge.

“We’re looking forward to being in another semifinal,” he said. “We know we’re facing a very tough opponent, but whenever you’re close to a title you have the hope of being able to win it. We need a great game to be able to win it.”

Athletic also have stellar Supercopa experience in the dugout. Manager Ernesto Valverde has been in charge for two of Athletic’s three Supercopa triumphs, while he is familiar with the tournament in Saudi having led Barcelona in the inaugural four-team tournament in 2020.

“We are excited about the Supercopa,” the Spanish coach said. “Our intention is to make the most of our chances. We are not favorites from the start, but we have to play like it. We will give everything to win it because we have travelled here for a reason.”

On the fans in Saudi Arabia, Valverde added: “There are more Barcelona fans than our own. That’s for sure. There will be a good atmosphere and we hope people can enjoy a good match. I know it well because it was my last match with Barcelona.”

The Supercopa de Espana is being staged in Saudi Arabia as part of a long-term partnership with the Royal Spanish Football Federation, which will keep the competition in the Kingdom until 2029.

 


Rajkovic, Benzema star as Al-Ittihad dump Al-Hilal out of King Cup

Updated 08 January 2025
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Rajkovic, Benzema star as Al-Ittihad dump Al-Hilal out of King Cup

  • Thriller goes to penalties after sides finish level
  • 120 minutes of football saw the sides end all-square at 2-2

RIYADH: Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Hilal 3-1 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday to move into the semifinal of the King Cup after 120 minutes of action in Riyadh had ended 2-2.
Predrag Rajkovic was the hero for the Jeddah club, saving three of Al-Hilal’s penalty kicks.
The first half was an even affair, although it started badly for Al-Hilal with the Saudi Pro League’s top goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic leaving the pitch after 13 minutes with what seemed to be a hamstring injury.
Three minutes later, Al-Hilal almost took the lead but Salem Al-Dawsari’s shot from just inside the penalty area hit the foot of a post.
After 26 minutes, Karim Benzema started asking questions, forcing a good save from Yassine Bounou with a curling shot from outside the area.
The French striker had the ball in the net just before the break, shooting home after Bounou had got a hand to a low shot from N’Golo Kante, but he was ruled offside.
There was still time in the first half for Benzema to shoot tamely at the Moroccan goalkeeper from close range.
The former Real Madrid star finally broke the deadlock just after the hour, just moments after Malcom had hit the post for Al-Hilal. Benzema controlled a right-sided cross from Muhannad Al-Shanqiti and then fired home from close range.
Al-Hilal were back on level terms with 18 minutes remaining. The ball fell to Salem Al-Dawsari just inside the area and the 2022 Asian Player of the Year made no mistake to shoot past Rajkovic.
The game went into extra-time and after 101 minutes Al-Hilal moved ahead for the first time. Moteb Al-Harbi produced a perfect diagonal low cross from the left to find Marcos Leonardo at the far post and the Brazilian did the rest.
However, it did not take long for Benzema to equalize, sweeping the ball high into the net from close range to take the game to penalties.
A dismal effort from Al-Hilal followed from the spot as they scored just once.
Mohamed Kanno took the first, which was saved by Rajkovic, and when Benzema scored, Al-Ittihad were in the driving seat, especially as the Serbian goalkeeper also blocked Leonardo’s attempt.
Fabinho made it 2-0 to The Tigers and after Danilo Pereira scored to make it 3-1, Malcom had to hit the back of the net for the match to stay alive but Rajkovic saved once more.
Al-Ittihad and their traveling fans celebrated as they joined Al-Qadsiah, who defeated Al-Taawoun 3-0 earlier on Tuesday, in the last four. They join Al-Shabab and Al-Raed in the semis.


Inter Milan coach maintains optimism despite Italian Supercup loss

Updated 07 January 2025
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Inter Milan coach maintains optimism despite Italian Supercup loss

  • Simone Inzaghi working to regain ‘focus’ as team look to the future

RIYADH: Inter Milan will focus on boosting morale for future games following defeat in the Italian Supercup, Simone Inzaghi, the club’s manager told Arab News on Monday.

AC Milan secured a 3-2 comeback victory over city rivals Inter Milan at Riyadh’s Alawwal Park on Monday.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Inzaghi said: “We should work on motivating the players and the fans. Cheering them up and boosting their morale.

“Defeat is a hard feeling I know but we should work on regaining conscience and focus. We wanted to win the title, but it is what it is.”

Prior to the derby, Arab News interviewed devoted AC Milan fans.

Waleed Alahmed said: “Milan is going to win because of their new manager, (Sergio) Conceicao. I think his way of playing is very good and if (winger Rafael) Leao is there, Milan is going to win.”

After just one week at the helm, Conceicao has now earned his first trophy.

The hosting of the 37th Italian Supercup aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life program and the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. It is a part of the country’s plan to continue hosting major global sporting events.

The Ministry of Sports organized the event, which was hosted by the Kingdom for the fifth time.