London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Who are Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s new team?

Who are Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s new team?

Portugal captain has joined the Riyadh-based side on a deal until June 2025.
Saudi Arabian football club Al Nassr has announced the signing of Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, in a landmark move for football in the Middle East.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner became a free agent last month when his contract with English side Manchester United was terminated.

Who are Al Nassr?

Formed in 1955, it is a club based in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. It plays in the country’s top division, the Saudi Professional League (SPL), which has 18 teams.

Al Nassr players wear yellow and blue while their home ground, Mrsool Park, has a capacity of 25,000.

Al Nassr have won a total of nine league titles, with the last being in the 2018-19 season. They are the second-most successful team in the league, behind Riyadh-based Al Hilal, who have won 18.

Al Nassr are currently sitting second in the league after 10 games, two points behind leaders Al Shabab.

Last season, the team finished third, six points behind champions Al Hilal.

Al Nassr have also won the country’s knockout championship, the King’s Cup, six times. Their most recent win was in 1990.

Al Nassr’s best performance in the AFC Champions League, Asia’s premier club competition, came in 1995 when they finished runners-up behind Japan’s Ilhwa Chunma.

Saudi teams have won the AFC Champions League six times, with Al Hilal claiming a record four titles and Al Ittihad winning the continental competition twice.

The team

Al Nassr said Ronaldo, 37, will join on a deal until June 2025 but did not disclose any financial details.

The Portuguese superstar will now link up with Cameroon’s World Cup hero Vincent Aboubakar, who came from the bench to change the game against Serbia and scored the winner to stun Brazil in their last group game in Qatar.

Other notable foreign players in the Al Nassr squad include Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, who previously played for Arsenal and Napoli, as well as former Brazil international and midfielder Luiz Gustavo.

SPL clubs can register eight foreign players but only seven can be named in a matchday squad.

The league’s all-time top scorer, Majed Abdullah, spent his entire club career between 1977 and 1998 at Al Nassr. The former Saudi Arabia striker scored 189 goals and averaged nearly a goal a game.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
×