The secrets behind the Ronaldo-Al Nassr deal finally revealed | OneFootball

Behind the scenes of Cristiano Ronaldo's spectacular transfer to Al Nassr

C.Ronaldo / @x.com/TeamCRonaldo/

Abdullah Hammad, CEO of the Mahd Academy, unveiled the inside story of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (40 years old)'s transfer to Al Nassr in January 2023 during the "Socrates Podcast" broadcast on Radio 8—an operation that shook up the Saudi league.

Behind the scenes of Cristiano Ronaldo's spectacular transfer to Al Nassr

“My first contact with Ronaldo happened during the opening ceremony of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when he was still playing for Manchester United,” Hammad explained. “He was interested in the project of making the Saudi league one of the most prestigious in the world.”

Hammad added: “During a flight, I spoke with Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, who asked me if Ronaldo's intent was genuine. I replied, '99%,' and he said: 'It has to be 100%.' We then confirmed his commitment through his statements about his relationship with Manchester United, and the deal was finalized after a three-way exchange with the prince. Ronaldo himself said: ‘If you’re serious, so am I.’”

"I was afraid the deal would fall through, but the speed and seriousness of the project were a real surprise. With Ronaldo’s arrival, the Saudi league has completely changed," Hammad concluded.

Thanks to Ronaldo, the Roshn league goes global

Since C. Ronaldo’s arrival, the Roshn league has attracted other international superstars such as Sadio Mané, Riyad Mahrez, Iñigo Martínez, João Félix, Marcelo Brozović, Kalidou Koulibaly, Aymeric Laporte, and Kingsley Coman, further boosting its global profile.