By Dylan Bettencourt
Sports Editor
Cristiano Ronaldo was unveiled at his new club Al Nassr on Tuesday evening and to express his delight, the 37-year-old said he was happy to be in South Africa.
Ronaldo did not sign for a club in the DStv Premiership, he signed for a club in Saudi Arabian Pro League.
The Portuguese star clearly could not get South Africa off his mind and he might have been better off showcasing his dwindling talent in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
The error came as Ronaldo claimed this move would not spell the end of his illustrious career.
Ronaldo mistakenly said “for me it’s not the end of my career to come to South Africa” — although the mistake might not be clear, he did not mean to say South Africa.
Ronaldo was unveiled to thousands of fans inside the Al Nassr stadium before facing the media in a press conference, where he stayed true to his confident self.
Despite the obvious downfall, Ronaldo claimed he made the right move and expects success in the Middle East.
“This is not the end for me. The Saudi Arabian League is very competitive. I know people don’t know that,” the striker said.
Ronaldo spoke on his “unique” contract that will see the former Real Madrid man earn R3.4 billion a year.
“I am a unique player. I broke all the records and I will also do it here. Because I’m a unique player. For me, that’s normal,” Ronaldo said in a bid to justify the contract.
In a further bid to justify his move to the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo said he had several offers from around the world before making his decision.
“I had offers from Brazil, Portugal, America, Australia. But I gave my word to Al Nassr,” he explained.
However, recent reports revealed that a clause in his contract means that if Newcastle United qualifies for the Uefa Champions League, he could move back to England.
Both Al Nassr and Newcastle United are owned by the same Saudi Arabian business group.
After the proceedings, Ronaldo had his first training session with his new side as he prepares for possibly making his debut on Thursday.
Pictured above: Ronaldo’s unveiling with Al Nassr
Image source: @DeadlineDayLive
