Tourism board of South Africa jokily comments on mishap in Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr announcement, hinting at a slip-up in his speech during transfer reveal in Saudi Arabia.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the world's most iconic footballers, recently made a big move to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, less than a month after parting ways with Manchester United. However, it's not just his football moves that have been making headlines.
Ronaldo claimed that he turned down offers from clubs in Europe to join Al-Nassr, including from his home country Portugal. Yet, it was a seemingly innocuous comment that caused a stir and went viral – a geographical gaffe. During his first interview as an Al-Nassr player, Ronaldo made an embarrassing slip, forgetting the country he was in.
Despite the gaffe, the Saudi fans welcomed Ronaldo warmly at Mrsool Park. The South African tourism authority, however, did not miss the opportunity to capitalise on the situation, cheekily posting about Ronaldo on Twitter.
It's important to clarify that there's no clear documentation of a geographical gaffe by Ronaldo specifically involving South Africa. The viral trend involving a footballer and geography likely refers to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer confusing South Africa with Saudi Arabia, which also went viral and elicited humorous public reactions online.
Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr marks a new chapter in his career. He intends to assist various factors and even expressed interest in helping the Al-Nassr women's team. Ronaldo's reported annual income of £177 million makes him the world's highest-paid football player. He signed a contract with Al-Nassr worth £177 million per year until 2025.
Ronaldo's career has not been without controversy. He fell out with Portugal manager Fernando Santos during the World Cup, resulting in his benching. Prior to his move to Al-Nassr, his meeting with Piers Morgan before the World Cup caused a stir and led to discussions about terminating his Manchester United contract.
Despite the criticism, Ronaldo remains unfazed. He expressed that he does not worry about what people say, and he plans to transform the perspective of many individuals.
The development of football is different in Al-Nassr, Ronaldo stated, but joining Al-Nassr was not the end of his career involving South Africa, as some speculated due to his geographical gaffe. For now, Ronaldo's focus is on his new team and his new home, and the Saudi fans couldn't be happier.
Ronaldo's team was eliminated from the World Cup by Morocco in the quarter-finals, but the Portuguese superstar has already set his sights on new challenges. His move to Al-Nassr marks a new chapter in his illustrious career, and fans around the world will be eager to see what he achieves next.
- Despite some initial confusion about his geographical location, Cristiano Ronaldo has made it clear that he turned down offers from European leagues, including his home country Portugal, to join Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr.
- As Ronaldo embarks on this new chapter in his career with Al-Nassr, fans around the world are eager to see him compete in both sports entertainment and European-leagues football.
