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November 23, 2025
When Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in January of 2023, it sparked numerous changes in Gulf football. His move didn't just change the Saudi Pro League, but it helped change football across the entire Gulf region...
Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t just sign for Al Nassr in January of 2023, he shifted the entire football landscape of the Gulf. What began as a blockbuster move quickly turned into a cultural and sporting pivot point, drawing fresh eyes to a region often overlooked by global audiences. From exploding social-media numbers to packed stadiums and rising competitive standards, Ronaldo’s presence sparked a wave of change that continues to ripple through Gulf football today.
Cristiano Ronaldo - "C'est La Vie"
Before Ronaldo arrived, most football fans outside the Middle East didn’t pay much attention to Gulf leagues. But after his transfer, millions of new fans started following Al Nassr on social media. They went from around 5 million to over 50 million followers in less than 3 years.
Highlights of Saudi Pro League matches began showing up on sites that usually focused on European football. TV companies became interested in buying the rights to show the games. Fans began travelling to Saudi Arabia to watch Ronaldo play in person.
Sports betting on Gulf football also increased. Even though sports betting is restricted in most Gulf countries, there are football betting sites available for Gulf customers to bet on Arab football. There’s now much more competition in this market, which gives the customers better options to choose from.
Also, betting sites in Europe, Asia, and other regions quickly added more Saudi Pro League games to their platforms. People all over the world started placing bets on Gulf matches because their favourite players are there, starting with Ronaldo.
This has increased the league’s visibility even more. It also pushed betting companies to study Gulf teams, collect more statistics, and treat the league more seriously.
Ronaldo’s arrival also made other famous players open to the idea of playing in the Gulf. Before, top players usually stayed in European leagues. But once they saw Ronaldo enjoying life and football in Saudi Arabia, many changed their mind. Not long after, stars like Neymar, Sadio Mané and Karim Benzema also joined Saudi clubs.
This raised the level of the league in a big way. Local players now train with world-class footballers every day, which helps them improve their skills much faster. Matches also became more exciting and competitive, which made the league even more popular.
For the 8 nations in the Gulf Cup, Fifa rankings have improved since Ronaldo’s transfer. Even though Saudi Arabia has had a slight decrease from position 54 to 60, there are 5 other Gulf countries that have increased their rankings with an average of over 8 positions each.
• Qatar, from 61 up to 51, +10 places
• Yemen, from 157 up to 148, +9 places
• Iraq, from 67 up to 58, +9 places
• Kuwait, from 143 up to 135, +8 places
• UAE, from 72 up to 67, +5 places
• Saudi Arabia, from 54 down to 60, -6 places
• Bahrain, from 85 down to 91, -6 places
• Oman, from 73 down to 79, -6 places
In total, the 8 countries have increased by almost 3 places on average. Not bad for a Ronaldo effect.
Ronaldo’s move also led to governments and clubs in the region to invest more in football. New training centres were built, stadiums were upgraded, and more focus was put on youth academies. Young football players in the Gulf now have more similar opportunities to European players at the start of their careers.
Countries in the region, especially Saudi Arabia, are using football as part of their long-term plans to bring in tourists, create new jobs, and diversify their economies. Ronaldo’s presence helped push these projects forward faster.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al Nassr is on November 23, against Al Khaleej, for the Saudi Pro League. You can watch Al Nassr vs Al Khaleej, Elche vs Real Madrid, Inter vs AC Milan, Manchester United vs Everton, Arsenal vs Tottenham and Leeds vs Aston Villa, all matches provided from our soccer streaming game pages.
Al Nassr next game:
Al Nassr vs Al Khaleej kick-off time (23-11-2025):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 01:30
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 23:00
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+3: 20:30
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 18:30
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 17:30
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 14:30
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 13:30
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 10:30
Sources: ronaldo7.net / tntsports.co.uk / onefootball.com
