Cristiano Ronaldo marked Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day with his teammates from Al Nassr, dressing in traditional Arabic clothing and taking part in cultural festivities such as the Ardah dance and wielding a traditional sword.
The video footage of the event was shared by Al Nassr, his new team. Founding Day is a significant national holiday in Saudi Arabia, celebrated to honor the country’s establishment by Imam Mohammed Bin Saud in 1727.
Al Nassr posted pictures and videos on social media depicting Cristiano Ronaldo and his team participating in the festivities, accompanied by manager Rudi Garcia, who appeared to be delighted, according to Arabian Business. Most of the team members are citizens of Saudi Arabia. Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January, signing a contract worth a reported $214M per year.
During his official unveiling, the football star expressed his wish to promote awareness of Saudi Arabia both on and off the pitch. He said: “I gave my word to this club, not only to develop the football, but other parts of the country”.
“For me it’s a good challenge. I know what I want, I know what I don’t want. For me it’s a good chance to help with my knowledge and experience to grow many important points.
“I want to give a different vision of the country, of the football, of the perspective of everybody. This is why I’m here and why I took this opportunity.”
By sharing his experience of Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day celebrations and showcasing aspects of Arabic culture to his massive Instagram following of over 550 million users, Cristiano Ronaldo has brought significant attention to the Kingdom’s history on a vast scale.
In the video footage, Ronaldo can be observed drinking Saudi coffee and wearing a white thobe, grinning at the camera while dressed in a stunning gold and blue daglah. Ronaldo and his teammates from Al Nassr watched a traditional Ardah performance that involved swords and singing. The world-renowned sports figure was later captured in a photograph with the Saudi flag covering his shoulders.