Camille Naredo

Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-final football match between Portugal and France at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on July 5, 2024. Patricia de Melo Moreira, AFP/File

Portugal's forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-final football match between Portugal and France at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on July 5, 2024. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)

Article (news)

FOOTBALL

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1738770058830AFP__20240705__362Z8ZR__v3__HighRes__TopshotFblEuro2024Match46PorFra.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Portugal&#x27;s forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-final football match between Portugal and France at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on July 5, 2024. Patricia de Melo Moreira, AFP/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Portugal&#x27;s forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-final football match between Portugal and France at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on July 5, 2024. <em>Patricia de Melo Moreira, AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Cristiano Ronaldo&#x27;s playing days may be numbered but his following is bigger than ever as he celebrates his 40th birthday in his adopted home of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.</p><p>The Portuguese great appeared to trade an end-of-career payday for football obscurity when he moved to Riyadh&#x27;s Al Nassr two years ago in a deal said to be worth $250 million.</p><p>But his influence became clear when he was followed by a parade of aging superstars, including Karim Benzema and the perennially injured Neymar, to the big-spending Saudi Pro League.</p><p>Saudi Arabia was then awarded the 2034 World Cup in December, the crowning glory for the oil-rich kingdom&#x27;s strategy of revamping its image through sports, tourism and culture.</p><p>Leading the charge has been Ronaldo, an ambassador for the Saudi World Cup and now an online phenomenon, with more than a billion followers across his social media channels.</p><p>When Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel in August, he gained one million subscribers in just 90 minutes and 20 million within 24 hours. He currently has 73.5 million.</p><p>While Ronaldo&#x27;s perfect white teeth, bulging torso and product promotions are ubiquitous online, he remains equally energetic on the pitch.</p><p>He scored twice for Al Nassr on Monday, including a trademark leaping header, and berates his own and team-mates&#x27; mistakes as fiercely as if he was still playing El Clasico for Real Madrid.</p><p>&quot;With age, one&#x27;s physical prowess diminishes hence it would have been easy for Ronaldo to take Saudi Arabian money and gently fade from view,&quot; Simon Chadwick, professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy at Skema Business School, told AFP.</p><p>&quot;However, the gusto and passion that he continues to display suggests a consummate professional, deeply passionate player, and a physically determined athlete, the likes of which we don&#x27;t commonly see,&quot; he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2024/12/28/football-cristiano-ronaldo-says-vinicius-deserved-ballon-dor-1537">READ: Ronaldo says Vinicius deserved Ballon d&#x27;Or, prefers &#x27;honest&#x27; Globe Soccer Awards</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2024/12/28/real-madrid-dominate-globe-soccer-awards-vini-jr-named-best-player-1652">READ: Real Madrid dominate Globe Soccer Awards, Vini Jr named best player</a></div><div><strong>- Stay, go or retire -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rWe67JAykU4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Although World Cup glory has probably eluded him, unlike his Argentine rival Lionel Messi, records still dangle in front of the five-time Ballon d&#x27;Or and Champions League winner.</p><p>In September he passed 900 professional goals, an unmatched feat in official matches. Now on 923, and with a record 35 Saudi Pro League goals last season, the hallowed 1,000 is not too far away.</p><p>Despite this prodigious form Ronaldo is yet to win a Saudi or continental trophy with Al Nassr, with the Arab Club Champions Cup of 2023 his only triumph with the club.</p><p>Questions now surround his future as his contract expires in June, with no confirmation on whether he will extend his stint in Saudi Arabia.</p><p>Stay, go or retire, he has indelibly changed football in the desert country, while managing to grow his own brand at the same time.</p><p>&quot;Undoubtedly, his presence was key for the Saudi bid for the World Cup, especially with his constant positive talk about Saudi Arabia,&quot; Egyptian TV football analyst Omar Nassef told AFP.</p><p>&quot;Ronaldo&#x27;s presence opened the way for players at European elite clubs to come directly to the Saudi league.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s not only about the amount of money, it&#x27;s also about going to play in a league that has one of the best players in the world.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Cristiano Ronaldo's playing days may be numbered but his following is bigger than ever as he celebrates his 40th birthday in his adopted home of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.</p>

Cristiano Ronaldo's playing days may be numbered but his following is bigger than ever as he celebrates his 40th birthday in his adopted home of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

Football: Even in career twilight, Ronaldo's star undimmed at 40

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Football: Even in career twilight, Ronaldo's star undimmed at 40

Agence France-Presse,

Haitham El-Tabei

Published Feb 06, 2025 12:52 AM PHT

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football

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