Ronaldo ready to attract the attention of the world in Saudi Arabia

Cristiano Ronaldo's latest coach spoke of his surprise as he watched a room full of reporters on Tuesday.

"Normally there are three or four journalists after the match. Today, I don't know why..." Al-Nassr coach, Frenchman Rudi Garcia said at a press conference to introduce the club's superstar from Saudi Arabia.

He joked and it drew laughter from the room.

"It's a new era!" said anchor and newsreader Weam Al Dakheel, who put all the questions to Ronaldo, Garcia and Al-Nassr president Musalli Almuammar, despite about 100 journalists being present. Ronaldo's arrival on a two-and-a-half-year contract, said to earn him up to $200 million a year, is expected to draw a lot of attention from Al-Nassr and the Saudi Arabian Professional League. However, at his first press conference, no questions were allowed from reporters - and the only interaction prompted by those in attendance was applause. There were also chants of "I love Ronaldo" and imitations of his "Siuuuu" celebration. This was a very stage managed launch with a team of public relations officers who made sure it went off without a hitch. Not that they could prevent his slide when he mistakenly declared: "For me it is not the end of my career to come to South Africa."

It will be fascinating to see if Ronaldo's fame will see interest in Saudi football beyond his first few weeks in the country. He has 528 million followers on Instagram, which is more than any other individual in the world. And it has already had an effect on Al Nassr's account, which has grown from 1.2 million followers to 8.9 million since announcing his signing last week. This number is likely to increase even more. The president of the club, Almuammar, is convinced that the agreement will be very valuable for Al-Nassr.

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"A lot of people talked about funding. Once we have this biggest star like Ronaldo in Al-Nassr, we don't need such finances and such funding," he said. "We have so many sponsors who will work closely with us in the coming years and they are sponsors of this big deal and we will have more revenue and commercial and economic income and this is important for the Saudi league and Saudi football clubs".

Almuammar would not confirm the value of Ronaldo's contract, but clearly added that "it is normal that he will be the most paid in terms of cost or salary". One of the most surprising moves in football history has raised questions about Ronaldo's motives, as well as those of Saudi Arabia, amid allegations of so-called "sports laundering" to improve his reputation globally. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has spearheaded a takeover of Premier League club Newcastle United in 2021 and the club's manager, Eddie Howe, said there was "no truth" to reports he had an option to sign Ronaldo in form. loan if his team qualified for the Champions League next season. There is also speculation that Saudi Arabia could bid to host the 2030 World Cup. Now signing a player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time is another important step in increasing the country's influence in football . Ronaldo said he was driven by the challenge of a new league, but also by changing the impression of Saudi football around the world.

"I know that the league is very strong. "People don't know that, but I know because I've seen a lot of matches," he said.

However, it is an important step for a man who has won five Champions Leagues and five Ballon d'Or awards for the best player in the world. He will be hoping to add to his tally of trophies with Al-Nassr currently at the top of the league. Ronaldo's 701 goals at club level should also increase greatly during his time in Saudi Arabia, even if he has struggled with his form so far this season. For the thousands who turned out at Al-Nassr's Mssool Park stadium on Tuesday, they simply wanted to catch a glimpse of their hero. Even on a rainy and cold night in Riyadh, the streets around the stadium were backed up with traffic. Fans lined up at the gates, eagerly waiting to get in, as if it were a match day. Ronaldo, meanwhile, was greeted as if arriving for a film premiere, emerging from a white Range Rover with tinted windows as cameras flashed around. His image was projected onto the outside of the stadium. Dressed in a suit and tie, he walked confidently into the press conference to applause before taking his seat.

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"I am very proud to have made this big decision in my life. In Europe my work is done. I won everything and played for the most important clubs in Europe. This is a new challenge," he said.

He later donned his new club's shirt and met his teammates before taking to the pitch. A player who has lived in the spotlight for most of his career was center stage with the eyes of the world once again on him. How long this will last remains to be seen.