RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo is celebrating two years in Saudi Arabia with his club Al-Nassr, and on Friday reflected on his journey so far in an interview published by the Saudi Pro League.

The Portuguese superstar said he was happy with his life in the Kingdom.

“I’m happy and my family is happy. We started a new life in this beautiful country,” he said. “Life is good, football is good. In terms of individual and collective, we are still there; we are still improving.”

Ronaldo’s impact on the pitch since arriving at Al-Nassr has been undeniable. During the 2023-24 season, his first, he shattered the SPL record for the most goals in a single season, scoring 35 goals in 31 matches and earning the Golden Boot.

However, Al-Nassr fell short of the league title, finishing second to Riyadh rivals Al-Hilal, who went unbeaten.

This season, Al-Ittihad, captained by Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema, lead the way. Despite the stiff competition, Ronaldo remains optimistic about Al-Nassr’s prospects.

“It’s hard to compete with teams like Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, but we are still there, still pushing and fighting,” he said.

“Football is like that; you have good moments and bad moments, but the most important thing is to be professional, to push hard, respect the club, respect your contract, and believe that things will change. For Al-Nassr, we’ll keep pushing to win more titles.”

He also has his eyes on the AFC Champions League. “The Champions League is something I want to win for the club, but the most important thing is to keep pushing and be professional.”

Ronaldo’s influence extends far beyond football. With more than 1 billion followers across social media platforms, he remains a global icon. His No.7 Al-Nassr jersey is seen worldwide, and his presence has inspired many international players to join the league.

The subsequent arrival of other star players in the following transfer windows, combined with the launch of the SPL Transformation Strategy in 2023, has positioned the league as a focal point of global football, with Brazilian superstar Neymar hailing Ronaldo as a “trailblazer” for the league’s meteoric rise.

“To be the first star to come here is an honor, but what I’m looking forward to is the next five-10 years of the league improving — not only the first teams but also the academies,” Ronaldo said.

He added: “Not just for the future of the Saudi players and the league, but for the country to compete with other leagues. This is my dream, and I will try to help the country and league reach that level.”

When asked about his favorite moment with Al-Nassr, Ronaldo singled out winning the 2023 King Salman Arab Club Cup.

“Probably when we won the first title,” he said. “The final against Al-Hilal was probably the most intense one that we lived. To have the privilege to win my first trophy here in my first year was amazing.”

However, Ronaldo remains as hungry as ever.

“I want more. I will continue to push and help my team Al-Nassr to win titles. I believe that this year will be a good year for Al-Nassr, inshallah.”

DHAKA: Bangladeshi authorities are revamping training for prospective migrant workers and will offer upskilling programs to those residing in Saudi Arabia to tap into the labor market ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which the Kingdom will host in 2034.

Last month, the football governing body confirmed that Saudi Arabia had won the bid to host the world’s largest sporting event.

With the bid proposing to hold games across 15 stadiums in five cities, many new migrant workers will be involved in building new sports and transport networks, as well as hotel infrastructure.

In Bangladesh, which has a major expat community in Saudi Arabia, the trend is viewed as an “opportunity” for the country’s migrant workers, according to A.Z.M. Nurul Huq, joint secretary at the employment wing of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

“It’s a huge task, and a lot of construction works will take place targeting this World Cup event. Here lies the opportunity for us as our migrants have been working with much goodwill in many sectors of the Kingdom for many years,” Huq told Arab News.

“Saudi Arabia has to build over a dozen new stadiums, renovate existing ones and develop numerous new accommodation facilities, along with necessary infrastructure and connectivity.”

Some 3 million Bangladeshi nationals live and work in Saudi Arabia. They are the largest expat group in the Kingdom and also the biggest Bangladeshi community outside Bangladesh.

Many are employed in the construction sector as masons, electricians, pipe fitters, plumbers and electricians.

“Bangladeshi migrants can be more actively employed in the construction work for the FIFA World Cup,” Huq said.

“Works are underway for providing reskilling and upskilling services to migrants who are already in the Kingdom. In this way, our workers will be able to secure their jobs and earn more.”

For the past few years, as Saudi Arabia is prioritizing efforts to improve the professional competence of employees under its Vision 2030 program, the expatriates’ ministry has been collaborating with the Kingdom’s skills verification authority, Takamol.

The agency, which manages migrant skill certification based on the needs of Saudi employers, provides Bangladesh’s 113 technical training centers with a list of the Kingdom’s latest workforce requirements.

“Our centers tailor their programs to equip workers with the necessary skills. Upon completing the training, the prospective migrants receive certification through Takamol, which is recognized by Saudi authorities,” said Shah Zulfiquer Haider, deputy secretary at the ministry’s training wing.

As demand is set to increase in line with 2034 World Cup projects, more Bangladeshi training centers will focus on the Saudi market in particular.

“We are planning to strengthen our collaboration with Takamol,” Haider said. “Currently, a dozen technical training centers are preparing skilled workers to meet Saudi Arabia’s demands. We will soon increase the number of training centers, which will produce more skilled migrants tailored to the needs of the Saudi labor market.”