After his stint with Manchester United ended unceremoniously, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, surprising the entire football fandom.
Ronaldo, who has never played club football outside Europe, reportedly found no suitors in the top leagues after terminating his contract with the Red Devils.
Although a few Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs were in contention, Ronaldo eventually chose to join Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr as a free agent.
However, there has been no confirmation as to when CR7 will start playing for Al Nassr. Here’s exploring all the probabilities.
When will Cristiano Ronaldo play for Al Nassr?
With the January transfer window now open, Ronaldo will be eligible to play for the club once his two-match ban ends. Al Nassr will play their first match of 2023 against Al Ta’ee on January 5 at home and the club is trying to register Ronaldo as soon as possible to ensure that he can play his first match soon.
Ronaldo may play his first league match on January 22 against Al-Ettifaq in a home clash. Al Nassr, currently managed by former Lyon head coach Rudi Garcia, are just one point ahead of Al-Shabab in the points table. However, Ronaldo could feature in the friendly match against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on January 19.
The 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo will be earning a staggering £173 million per year at Al Nassr and the contract will run until 2025. Ronaldo's actual salary will be £62m ($75m) with the rest of his package made up of image rights and commercial deals, according to CBS Sports.
After he finishes playing for the club, Ronaldo is also set to play a role in Saudi Arabia's bid for World Cup 2030 as one of the country’s ambassadors.
Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and has scored the most goals in professional football history (807 for club and country).
