RIYADH: A video of Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo expressing his affection for Saudi Arabia has gone viral on social media.
Ronaldo scored the 981st goal of his career as Al Nassr defeated Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana 3-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite.
The 41-year-old forward kissed the Saudi national emblem on his jersey before the match. The emblem features a palm tree and two crossed swords.
After the game, Ronaldo draped a Saudi flag scarf over his shoulders and joined Al Nassr fans in the club’s famous “Viking clap” celebration.
Al Nassr shared a picture of Ronaldo on its Arabic-language social media account, accompanied by the message: “I am Portuguese, but I belong to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
The words were originally spoken by Ronaldo in June 2025 after he extended his contract with the Saudi club.
Ronaldo is now just 19 goals away from reaching the milestone of 1,000 career goals.
