What does Ronaldo’s signing for Al Nassr imply for SA?

Ronaldo’s signing for Al Nassr could have a major effect on Saudi football and the kingdom’s wider vision

Saudi Arabia made headlines in November by beating Argentina at the 2022 World Cup

The only team to defeat the eventual winners in Qatar – but there was still time in 2022 for a bigger surprise

On the penultimate day of the year, Saudi Professional League club Al Nassr announced on social media that they had signed Cristiano Ronaldo on a two-and-a-half-year contract

The deal worth more than USD 200m a year

It is a deal that could have a significant effect on and off the pitch for the club, the country and the wider footballing world

There had been rumours going back months of Al Nassr’s interest in the Portuguese superstar but they were largely dismissed