As Cristiano Ronaldo took to the pitch for his first match in Saudi Arabia last week, confetti rained down on the stands and the crowd erupted in cheers. Before the players’ entrance, Turki al-Sheikh, a high-ranking member of the Saudi Royal Family and the kingdom’s entertainment chief, urged the spectators to “set this stadium on fire!” Al-Sheikh has been a polarizing figure in the traditionally conservative nation, but many young Saudis credit him for driving the kingdom’s efforts to host concerts and sporting events.
As the match began, women, who were previously not allowed to enter the stadium, swayed to the hip-hop music along with men, excited to see the debut of Cristiano Ronaldo, whose $200 million-a-year signing for Al Nassr has thrilled the nation’s soccer-loving population. Messi, who is also popular in Saudi Arabia, scored the first goal for his team, Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite the 5-4 loss for Saudi Arabia’s all-star team, the crowd was electric throughout the match, with fans cheering for both teams. After the game, Ronaldo returned to his luxurious suite at the Four Seasons, where he has been living with his girlfriend Georgina.
The Saudi Royal Family, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been pushing to improve the kingdom’s image abroad through sports, with the Public Investment Fund buying the UK’s Newcastle United Football Club and courting other star players like Messi. However, the crown prince has faced criticism for human rights abuses and harsh sentences, complicating the kingdom’s efforts to boost its image through sports.
