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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Donagh Corby

Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi stardom can't be denied even as wait for must-see moment continues

Cristiano Ronaldo has immediately endeared himself to fans in Saudi Arabia by bringing Al-Nassr to the top of the league and banging in goals early in his stay.

And his popularity is obvious when you spend time in Riyadh, as Mirror Sport did during fight week for the recent Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury event. Every taxi you take or local shop you visit, no matter the person's level of English, you'll be asked what you think of Ronaldo and his success at Al-Nassr.

Fans of Al-Hilal, the club's biggest local rivals, have even committed the cardinal football sin of switching sides in the face of the legendary goalscorer's arrival in the Saudi capital. And they're extremely excited about the prospect of another footballing icon arriving this summer, if Al-Hilal can strike a deal for Lionel Messi.

At the official club shop, just outside of Riyadh's city centre on a Monday evening - after Ronaldo had just scored his second consecutive hat-trick to hand his team another away win against Damac - it is doing a brisk trade.

The general price for a piece of clothing is around 120-150 SAR, which amounts to something in the region of £20-25. But the crown jewel of Al-Nassr merchandise; a yellow home jersey with Ronaldo on the back, will set you back a whopping 330 SAR, or around £73. They're sold out, and fly off the shelves when they are in stock.

Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to score on home soil for Al Nassr (Hussein Malla/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

Have you been following Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Fans can attend games for as little as 25 SAR, which comes out to just over £5, while a category 1 ticket will cost just 60 SAR which amounts to something under £15. They play every other week at Mrsool Park, also known as 'Victory Park', which sits on the campus of the King Saud University in Riyadh.

And the stadium has been packed out the few times that he has played there, with fans desperate to catch a glimpse of one of football's greatest players. However, his goals have all come on the road thus far, so none of the home fans have been able to see him hit the net, and celebrate with his trademark 'Sui'.

However, the locals in Riyadh appear to still be big fans of the legendary footballer, loudly chanting his catchphrase when he was announced to the crowd at the Diriyah Arena for Jake Paul's fight with Tommy Fury.

When he does finally hit the net in Mrsool Park, you can bet it will be a special moment.

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