Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr debut date pencilled if he can prove fitness
Cristiano Ronaldo is in a race with time to make his Al-Nassr debut on Thursday.
Ronaldo, 37, has joined Al-Nassr on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United by mutual consent in November. He is believed to be earning £173million per year at the Saudi Arabian club, which comfortably makes him the best paid footballer on the planet.
Al-Nassr fans are keen to see the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in action and he is set to make his debut as a second-half substitute against Al-Tai on Thursday, if he's fit enough. He is poised to make his first Al-Nassr start against Al-Shabab on Saturday, January 14.
As reported by Spanish outlet Marca, Ronaldo will fly to Riyadh - the capital of Saudi Arabia - on Monday evening to complete his medical the following day. He is expected to be officially unveiled as an Al-Nassr player to the fans on Tuesday.
Mrsool Park, Al-Nassr's 25,000-seater stadium, is tipped to be at capacity for Ronaldo's unveiling. A similar crowd is expected to attend the home game against Al-Tai on Thursday, with everyone desperate to catch a glimpse of the Saudi Pro League's biggest name.
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Al-Nassr have not officially confirmed when Ronaldo will make his debut, yet he will be eligible to play against Al-Tai if he passes his medical. Al-Nassr's next home game isn't until January 21 and fans will not want to wait that long to see the Real Madrid icon in action.
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Al-Nassr boss Rudi Garcia is also keen to give Ronaldo some minutes ahead of their title clash against Al-Shabab. Garcia's side, who haven't won a league title since 2019, are top of the Saudi Pro League - one point clear of Al-Shabab having played a game more.
Ronaldo's new club boast one of the strongest squads in the division. Cameroon skipper Vincent Aboubakar, ex-Brazil international Luiz Gustavo, former Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina and Brazilian forward Talisca - the league's top scorer - are on their books.
Yet Ronaldo is Al-Nassr's main man following a remarkable sequence of events. The veteran forward left Old Trafford after criticising the club's owners, the Glazers, and manager, Erik ten Hag, among others, in an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
It's believed few top European clubs were interested in signing Ronaldo after his United exit, leaving his options limited. It's also extremely unlikely that any team in Europe or the United States could match his eye-watering salary at Al-Nassr.
As part of his £173m-per-year wage, Ronaldo will complete commercial deals and become an ambassador for Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2030 World Cup alongside Egypt and Greece. To put that salary into perspective, he was earning £26m per year at United.
Ronaldo's spell in Saudi Arabia will be his first outside of Europe. His contract runs until June 2025, which means he is set to play in the Middle Eastern country until he is 40.
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