Saudi Arabia accelerates sports
With the signing of a two-and-a-half-year contract between soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Saudi Arabia’s “Al-Nassr” club, Saudi Arabia is making great achievements in attracting new references in sports and organizing international events. With Christiano Ronaldo becoming a key asset for Al-Nassr, the Saudis intend to send a strong message – namely their ambitions to become a major player in the global sporting sector.
Lately, football news has been dominated by Saudi Arabia. Cristiano signed a contract with “Al-Nassr” football club of Saudi Arabia located in the capital. Full details are not yet known, but the Portuguese forward will receive around €200 million a year, including commercial bonuses. according to Parisian, which will correspond to an annual salary of 70 million euros. With this transfer, Cristiano became the highest paid player in the world so far.
As Ronaldo makes Riyadh his new home, Al-Nassr wants the signing to “inspire our line, our nation and future generations, boys and girls, to be the best version of themselves”. Emphasis on youth and sports is a central part of the strategy to expand entertainment opportunities for the kingdom’s population. During the press conference, the owner of the “Golden ball” 5 times showed his ambitions: “The work has been done in Europe… I broke all the records there, so I will break them here too.” This noisy transfer is also a geopolitical goal for Saudi Arabia, which is supplied by Saudi Arabia soft power almost unique. The former Real Madrid striker and his family have settled in the kingdom with 500 million followers on social media and regular sponsors Nike or Giorgio Armani.
At the press conference, the five-time Ballon d’Or showed his ambitions: “The work is done in Europe, I have played in the biggest clubs,” continued CR7. “I’m a unique player, so it’s nice to come here. I broke all the records there, so I will break them here as well.” Cristiano Ronaldo also used the audience to highlight Saudi Arabia. “It’s a good call. I know what I want: not only for football, but to help change mentalities. I want to give another idea about Saudi football and the country. Al-Nassr gave me the opportunity to create a project here for new generations.”
In the history of the Champions League, the impact of the goalscorer’s arrival is not limited to the pitch. The high-profile transfer is also a geopolitical blow to Saudi Arabia, which has equipped itself with an almost unrivaled soft power tool. The former Real Madrid forward packs his bags in the kingdom, with over 500 million followers on social media and regular sponsors like Nike or Giorgio Armani.
In football, Riyadh also hosted the Spanish La Liga Super Cup for the fourth time, this year taking place from January 11-15 and seeing Catalan giants Barcelona emerge victorious. The Italian Super Cup ended on January 18 at the King Fahd Stadium in the capital of Saudi Arabia with the crown of “Inter”. On January 19, Paris Saint Germain and Saudi Arabia’s 11 stars will once again face off against Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo in the Riyadh Season Cup on January 19.
But Ronaldo and football are just one of many major sporting events in which the Kingdom is central. In the field of racing, the 15-day Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia has just ended with the victory of French rider Alexandre Giroud and the Franco-Qatari duo of Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel in the four-way segment. in the automotive segment. Separately, Diriyah, the historic capital of Saudi Arabia’s ruling family, will host the Formula E Prix for the fifth time in the Kingdom on January 27-28.
Saudi Arabia has a clear strategy through these projects: to open up to the world by becoming a hub for international sports. As part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS) Vision 2030 program, he aims not only to diversify the country’s resources to prepare for an oil-free future, but also to improve the quality of life and adapt to a rapidly changing Saudi society. youth. That’s why authorities recently announced plans to invest nearly $37.8 billion in the esports sector and are taking significant steps to promote public sports and an active community. The focus is on building healthy and vibrant communities by encouraging all members of the community to be physically active and creating sustainable recreation and sports programs open to all.
