Cristiano Ronaldo’s emotional expression of love for Saudi Arabia has drawn attention after he joined Al Nassr fans in the famous “Viking clap” celebration following the AFC Champions League Elite match against Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana in Riyadh.
Ronaldo also wore a scarf bearing the Saudi flag around his shoulders.
The gesture came amid uncertainty surrounding his international career following recent differences with Portugal coach Jorge Jesus. Ronaldo reportedly said he did not want to represent Portugal while Jorge Jesus remained in charge of the national team.
The celebration took place amid heightened tensions following recent Houthi missile attacks in Saudi Arabia. Monday’s match had been scheduled to begin earlier but was delayed by an hour due to a security alert in Riyadh.
Al Nassr’s official Arabic account shared a picture of Ronaldo wearing Saudi colours and attributed a message to him, accompanied by a yellow heart emoji. The club’s English account also shared another picture, captioned: “A part of Saudi Arabia, close to the heart.”
The posts highlighted Ronaldo’s connection with Saudi Arabia, which he has called home since January 2023.
In an interview with Al Nassr’s official media in June 2025, Ronaldo said: “I am Portuguese, but I belong to Saudi Arabia.”
The 41-year-old scored against Neftchi Fergana on Monday, taking his career goal tally to 981. Al Nassr won the match 3–1.
Ronaldo is now 19 goals away from reaching the milestone of 1,000 career goals.
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