Ronaldo has not been able to play in the Asian Cup C1
Ronaldo signed with Al Nassr on December 30, 2022. He will join the new club to play two domestic tournaments in the 2022-2023 season, the Saudi Pro League and the King Cup. Al Nassr did not have the right to attend the AFC Champions League, because he only ranked third in the Saudi Pro League and stopped in the quarterfinals of the King Cup last season.
Previously, Ronaldo also failed to find a club with tickets to the UEFA Champions League. During the summer transfer window of 2022, every club that CR7 contacted refused to sign a contract. This group includes Real, Chelsea, Bayern, Napoli, Marseille and Frankfurt.
To attend the AFC Champions League 2023-2024, Ronaldo needs to help Al Nassr win the Saudi Pro League or the King Cup. As one of the two strongest football in West Asia, Saudi Arabia has the right to send three teams to the AFC Champions League. Next season's roster includes the 2022-2023 Saudi Pro League champion, the 2022-2023 King Cup champion, and Al Hilal, the 2021-2022 Saudi Pro League champion.
Al Nassr is leading the Saudi Pro League 2022-2023. After 11 matches, Ronaldo's new club owns 26 points, one point more than Al Shabab and two points above Al Ittihad. However, the two teams behind played less than one match.
In March, Al Nassr will play the quarterfinals of King Cup and Abha. If they win, they will go to the semi-finals to meet the winner of the Al Batin - Al Wehda pair.
Al Nassr reached the final of the European Cup, the precursor to the AFC Champions League, in 1995 and lost to Korean club Ilhwa Chunma 0-1. In 1998, Al Nassr won the Asian Cup C2 when he beat another Korean club, Suwon Bluewings 1-0. Former Barca player Hristo Stoichkov scored the only goal in this match.
In the match Al Khaleej 1-0 on December 31, Al Nassr fans celebrated the contract signed with Ronaldo with a special cheer. When the game entered the seventh minute - Ronaldo's familiar shirt number, they chanted his name and the name of the familiar greeting: "Siu". Ronaldo may debut a new club in the match against Al Tai on January 5.
According to the contract, CR7 will receive the world's highest salary of 75 million USD. The 37-year-old striker can also earn up to 200 million more through advertising and commercial activities.
Ronaldo joined Al Nassr on a free transfer. On November 24, he and Man Utd agreed to terminate the old contract six months early. Ronaldo had to leave Man Utd after the relationship between the two sides became irreparable. Earlier, on November 14, Ronaldo condemned the club and coach Ten Hag for the treatment and use of the beginning of the 2022-2023 season. Meanwhile, the club and Ten Hag completely denied the allegation.
