Rudi Garcia has confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo will make his debut as Saudi Arabia Al Nassr’s striker against Ettifaq on January 22, 2023.
Cristiano Ronaldo signed a lucrative deal with the Saudi Arabia team, worth £177 million. He is currently the highest-paid player in the world, ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
Cristiano Ronaldo will miss their league game against Al Shabab on January 14, 2022.
The Portuguese striker was unveiled last week as the new Al Nassr striker, but his debut was delayed as he was punished for hitting a phone off a kid’s hand at Old Trafford when Manchester United played a 1-1 draw with Everton in the Premier League.
The player has already missed one of the two matches sanctioned against him. Ronaldo is likely to feature in an exhibition match against French giant PSG.
World Cup winner and Cristiano Ronaldo rival Lionel Messi will feature in the match against the combination of Al Nassr and Al Hilal on January 19, 2023.
The last time Messi and Ronaldo met was in the Champions League group stage, where Juventus defeated Barcelona 3-0.
However, Garcia hopes Cristiano Ronaldo enjoys his football again after a difficult tenure with Manchester United and Portugal’s elimination from the World Cup in the quarterfinals against North African side Morocco.
Although Cristiano Ronaldo failed to impress the fans, he scored just a goal in five matches in the World Cup for Portugal.
If he finds pleasure in playing football again, it will always be a job for the manager because of Cristiano Ronaldo’s winning spirit and his enthusiasm for success.
According to Sky Sports, Garcia also compared Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr to Pele’s move to the New York Cosmos in 1975.
Pele’s famous move sparked interest in American football, which is globally recognized today.
Ronaldo’s move is likely to give the Saudi Arabian League recognition from European football bodies. When he joined Al Nassr, the team’s Instagram followers increased from 800,000 to ten million.
How Al Nassr are faring in the Saudi Arabia League without Cristiano Ronaldo
The team currently sits on top of the Saudi Arabia League table with 29 points from 12 matches. They have won nine matches, played two draws, and lost just one match.
In addition, the team found it difficult to defeat its archrival, Al Hilal, on December 26, 2022. Both teams played a 2-2 draw.
The team has constantly dominated in previous matches and is on course to win another title.
Garcia seems to be carrying everybody along, but he seems to have a powerhouse at the club. Ronaldo is capable of changing the faith of the manager, so Garcia needs to build the team around him.
