Another culture, other customs, another football. Cristiano Ronaldo will have to adjust to a new life in Saudi Arabia, in what will be his most eccentric professional experience. “It is not the end of my career” , warned CR7 in the press conference that he gave before being presented with the new Al-Nassr clothing , whose classic is Al-Hilal led by the Argentine Ramón Díaz. There is a notorious rivalry between the two most winning clubs in Saudi territory and Infobae witnessed one of the last classics that were played before the arrival of the Portuguese.

Al-Nassr fans , who are considered to be the most loyal and passionate in the country, welcomed the Lusitanian star with open arms, who will gradually adapt to the new football. The Mrsool Park stadium, where Barcelona of Spain and Boca Juniors played the Maradona Cup in 2021, is the venue for the team led by the Frenchman Rudi García, which includes several South Americans: the Colombian David Ospina, the Brazilians Luiz Gustavo and Talisca, and the Argentine Gonzalo Pity Martínez (in addition to the Cameroonian striker Vincent Aboubakar).

 

It has a capacity for 25,000 spectators , so it is not ruled out that in case there is a greater demand in the presence of Cristiano, the venue will move to a larger field within the city of Riyadh. Tickets range between 60 riyals (about $15) and 400 riyals (about $106) , the latter with access to the VIP area, snacks at halftime with meals, coffee and other beverages and infusions.

The Blue Power fans of Al-Hilal are organized with the bulk of their fans who make themselves felt with drums and a leader who starts the chants through a megaphone from the lower area of ​​the stands. Almost desperately, the public yells "shoot" repeatedly every time a player from their team has possession of the ball in the vicinity of the rival goal. It's automatic. Therefore, it is very likely that Ronaldo will have to get used to this deafening sound when he has the ball at his feet.

During halftime - and even while the match is being played - several fans join in one of the five daily prayers that Muslims carry out in the direction of Mecca. Since it is not necessary to carry out the ritual in a mosque, a rest area located in the bowels of the stadium complex allows them to kneel on a rug and pray. Before reciting a few verses from the Qur'an and bowing down, they purify themselves with water. This is why in the bathrooms long lines are formed in search of washing their faces, hands, head and even feet in the public lavatories.

Prayer is the second pillar of their religion and it is a practice that was experienced during the last World Cup in Qatar, where the stadiums even had rooms and fish tanks set aside for prayer, both for fans and workers involved in the event. shift.

While fans may lose patience if the result is not as expected and withdraw before the end of the game, there is a fierce rivalry between two of the most popular teams in Saudi Arabia. To the point that in the last few hours Al-Hilal put up for sale a series of blue shirts from his club with the surname of Lionel Messi and his characteristic number 10 to counter his staunch opponent. Just as the Saudis who traveled to Qatar to support their national team, enjoyed the victory in the opening match against Argentina and took Messi for "disappearing" on the field , it is likely that the same will happen with CR7 .

During Infobae 's visit to the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, where the Argentine team was crowned in the 92 Confederations Cup, an impressive parking lot was filled with cars and luxurious vans in the anteroom to the access area to the stands. Something that has changed in recent years, according to the locals, and is linked to the opening of the Saudis in their own culture, was the inclusion of women (in their entirety, dressed in the burqa that characterizes them) in the different work areas in the sectors surrounding the field, distributing to the mass of fans, cutting tickets or for security.

Al-Nassr was the first Saudi Arabian champion in the 1975/1976 season, but as time went by, he was largely relegated and in the shadow of Al-Hilal, who accumulated twice as many titles (18 against 9). In addition, the Blues have won five of the last six leagues (the last three in a row), while the Yellows have only recorded one Olympic lap in the last seven years.

Don't rush: the last derby ended 2-2 at the Mrsool Park stadium on December 26, so Cristiano Ronaldo will face his first derby against Al-Hilal in several matches. The Saudi Salem Al Dawsari , who embittered Messi with his national team in the World Cup, scored one of the goals for Ramón Díaz's team and now he intends to do the same with another star like CR7 . In the absence of five dates for the end of the championship, the clubs that aspire to keep the trophy will meet again (it will be next May). In addition, they remain alive in the quarterfinal instance of the King Cup (national cup) and may even meet in a final.

Source: Twitter PSG.