Cristiano Ronaldo set for official Al-Nassr debut on Sunday… but his son has already started training in Saudi Arabia
CRISTIANO RONALDO will make his debut for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr tomorrow, but his son has already got down to work.
Cristiano Jnr, 12, has started training with the Mahd Academy, the national sports centre in Saudi Arabia – based in their new hometown of Riyadh.
The youngster was playing in the Manchester United academy when his father was still at Old Trafford but left once CR7’s contract was torn up following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
It was thought that the youngster could return to Madrid and join their academy, though he has followed his father to the Middle East and is said to be training in the year group two years above his age already.
The Mahd Academy is the centre for elite Saudi sporting talent from the age of six and above, with kids given education across a range of sports.
But on Sunday the focus will be fully on the main man.
After delays thanks to registrations problems and a ban carrying over from his time in the Premier League, Ronaldo Snr will finally get to make his bow for Al Nassr tomorrow, having made his first appearance in the country which is paying him £170million-a-year in an exhibition match against Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday.
While former club Manchester United look to force their way into the Premier League title race proper at Arsenal, Ronaldo will be stepping into the new world of the Saudi Pro League against Ettifaq.
His mission outside of the Gulf state may be to polish the murky reputation of the Kingdom, but within the borders he has sparked great excitement.
Al Nassr supporters streamed into the club shop the day before his debut, each leaving with exactly the same item.
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Ronaldo’s name is the only one emblazoned across the back of shirts which are sold at around £80 a pop.
Some fans are still scratching their heads at how he has ended up in their league.
Many watching from afar know exactly how he has wound up here, but those writing the cheques won’t care a jot.
So here he is, just weeks on from declaring in that interview that he was above taking the Saudi shilling and dropping to this level. Reality will bite tomorrow night.