Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez are loving life in Saudi Arabia, with the pair seen as royalty in Riyadh.
The 37-year-old moved to the country earlier this month after signing a stunning £175m-a-year deal with Saudi Pro League side El-Nassr.
British magazine Tatler, have given an insight into Ronaldo’s lavish life in Saudi Arabia, which includes quotes from Piers Morgan who has revealed that the Portuguese star is ‘loving’ life in the Middle East.
Cristiano Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez are enjoying life in Saudi Arabia
Ronaldo and his family moved to Riyadh earlier this month after joining El-Nassr
Morgan hosted the explosive tell-all interview which led to Ronaldo’s acrimonious departure from Manchester United in November. He has denied claims from Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, that the interview has ‘ended’ Ronaldo’s career due to his move to Saudi Arabia.
He told Tatler: ‘Thanks to the fall-out from our interview, Ronaldo signed the biggest transfer deal in football history, and is now the world’s highest-paid athlete, at the age of 37,’ he told me this week.
‘He’s also doing what he’s done throughout his career, and which for me gives him the edge over Messi, and that’s challenge himself in a new country, and new league, at a time when football in the Middle East is really taking off, as we saw at the Qatar World Cup where Morocco reached the semi-finals and Saudi Arabia beat the eventual winners, Messi’s Argentina.’
Ronaldo and his family are staying at The Four Seasons hotel in Riyadh city centre
The family are staying in the Kingdom Suite which has brilliant views of Riyadh
Morgan added: ‘Ideally, I think he’d have preferred to play for another top club in the Champions League for a year or two, but Al Nassr made him a staggering offer, and I think the fresh challenge of raising the profile of football in a new region of the world, at the twilight of his incredible career, really appealed to him.’
When asked if Ronaldo was happy, Morgan replied: ‘Definitely. I’ve swapped a few texts with him and he’s absolutely loving it, on and off the pitch.’
Moving to Saudi Arabia was a big step for Ronaldo who has spent his life living in Europe, and with the Saudi Pro League not at the level that he has played during his incredible career.
Rodriguez is also a star in Saudi Arabia and attracted big coverage at the Joy Awards
Piers Morgan has told of how Ronaldo and his family are ‘loving life’ in Saudi Arabia
He has fitted in quickly though, and he was given a heroes reception when 25,000 people welcomed him at Mrsool Park where he will play his football with El-Nassr.
Tatler claim that Ronaldo, his partner and their five children – Cristiano Jr, Eva, Matteo, Alana Martina and Bella Esmerelda – have become the ‘talk of the city’ since moving to Riyadh.
They are staying at The Four Seasons hotel at the 267-metre tall Kingdom Centre. The family are staying in the Kingdom Suite.
It has a spectacular view of Riyadh, and the building is also home to designer boutiques including Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
Rodriguez meanwhile has been a hit on the social scene in Saudi Arabia.
Coverage of her social debut at the Joy Awards – is said to have far outweighed that of famous actress Sofia Vergara who had been named ‘Person of the Year’.
Tatler report that Rodriguez has a big fan base in Saudi Arabia, with one person describing her as an ‘icon’ before she arrived.
Ronaldo has also got used to the social life as he went to Dariyah Nights, a shopping, art and music event, with Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal.
Though he is said to be enjoying life on and off the pitch, it has been a slow start for the former Real Madrid star.
Ronaldo drew a second blank for El-Nassr as he struggled to make an impact during their 3-1 Super Cup semi-final defeat by Al-Ittihad – a team that have been linked with his great rival Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo, who earns £175m-a-year, has drawn two blanks in a row on the pitch at El-Nassr
