Ronaldo ‘Happy’ in Saudi Arabia, Wants Other Top Players to Join Him

Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Al Shabab - KSU Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 23, 2023 Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Al Shabab - KSU Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 23, 2023 Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
TT

Ronaldo ‘Happy’ in Saudi Arabia, Wants Other Top Players to Join Him

Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Al Shabab - KSU Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 23, 2023 Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Al Shabab - KSU Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 23, 2023 Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri

Cristiano Ronaldo said he is happy in Saudi Arabia and hopes other big-name players will follow him to the league for the next campaign.

Ronaldo signed a 2-1/2 year contract with Al Nassr, making his debut in January.

He scored 14 goals in 16 games but it was not enough to help his side win the Saudi Pro League (SPL) title, with Al Nassr finishing second behind Al Ittihad.

The 38-year-old, who missed the final matchday due to injury, said the league was very competitive but that there were many opportunities to grow.

"We have very good teams, very good Arab players, but the infrastructure - they need to improve a little bit more."

"But I'm happy here, I want to continue here, I will continue here," he added, Reuters reported.

Ronaldo said he had adapted to life at the club, though there were many differences from his time at Europe.

"In Europe we train more in the morning and here we train in the afternoon, or night. When you start Ramadan, we train at 10 o'clock in the night." he added.

Since Ronaldo's arrival, several other top players have been linked with a move to the Saudi league, with Lionel Messi receiving a formal offer to join Al-Hilal next season.

Ronaldo's former team mate and Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema has reportedly received an offer worth more than 100 million euros from Al Ittihad.

"If they are coming, big players and big names, young players, 'old players', they are very welcome," said Ronaldo.

"If that happens, the league will improve a little bit. Age is not important."



Real Sociedad Fans Attacked in Rome Ahead of Europa League Match at Lazio

Lazio's fans support their team before the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Como at Rome's Olympic stadium, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Lazio's fans support their team before the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Como at Rome's Olympic stadium, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
TT

Real Sociedad Fans Attacked in Rome Ahead of Europa League Match at Lazio

Lazio's fans support their team before the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Como at Rome's Olympic stadium, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Lazio's fans support their team before the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Como at Rome's Olympic stadium, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Nine Real Sociedad fans were injured in central Rome during clashes with Lazio supporters on the eve of Thursday's Europa League match between the two teams, police said.
About 70 Spanish supporters were attacked by around 80 Lazio supporters in Via Leonina, near the Colosseum, at about 11 p.m. (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, a Rome police spokesperson said.
Six of the nine people wounded were taken to hospital, and four were discharged overnight. Of the two still hospitalized, one was in critical, but not life-threatening condition, police said.
Attackers used blunt objects and knives, police added, releasing a picture of weapons presumed to have been used, including a hammer, sticks and batons, wrenches and a chain.
The attackers fled as the police arrived, the spokesperson said.