Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has gone viral on social media after expressing his affection for Saudi Arabia during an Al-Nassr match.
Ronaldo scored his 981st career goal as Al-Nassr secured a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Before the match, the 41-year-old forward kissed the Saudi national emblem on his jersey, featuring a palm tree and two crossed swords.
After the final whistle, Ronaldo draped a Saudi flag scarf over his shoulders and joined Al-Nassr supporters in their famous “Viking Clap” celebration.
Al-Nassr shared Ronaldo’s photograph on its official Arabic social media account, accompanied by the message: “I am Portuguese, but I belong to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
The words were originally spoken by Ronaldo in June 2025 after he extended his contract with the Saudi club.
Ronaldo is now just 19 goals away from reaching the remarkable milestone of 1,000 career goals.