When someone mentions the Saudi Pro League, it’s likely the first thing that comes to mind is Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ever since he joined Al-Nassr in Riyadh at the end of 2022, the footballing world took notice of a league which is growing at a rapid rate. That growth has included the launch of Nassr TV exclusively on DAZN.
A number of big name players followed in Ronaldo’s footsteps with former Premier League stars Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte all deciding to continue their careers in the Saudi Arabian capital.
Last month, I attended a Saudi Pro League game in Riyadh as Al Shabab hosted Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in a battle between fourth and third place in the table respectively.
Stepping off the bus in a street close by, there was a buzz in the air. No doubt this was brought about by the aura Ronaldo has whenever he is playing the beautiful game, but there was also the atmosphere which both sets of fans produced ahead of kick off.
As someone who has watched football as a fan in England and across Europe, one thing that always intrigues me is how different cultures absorb football. For the fans in Riyadh, the atmosphere and fan interaction was akin to something you would see in Europe, the only difference being the sweltering temperatures and the desert backdrop.
The stadium was a sea of colour. Al-Shabab’s most fanatical fans occupied one end of the ground, dressed in black and white, and erected a tifo with the club’s crest and a lion as they attempted to strike fear into the Al-Nassr fans in attendance.
The visiting contingent were situated opposite the tifo, and they provided a great contrast in colour with the bright yellow shirts and flags announcing their arrival.
With the non-stop chanting from both sets of supporters, it’s clear there is a passion for football in Saudi Arabia. Sometimes European football supporters can look down on those who are not traditional powerhouses within the sport, but when speaking with other media members, one thing we all agreed on was that the atmosphere surpassed our expectations.
Unfortunately, the atmosphere was the only highlight of what was a rather uneventful first half. It looked like even the Al Nassr fans realised they needed to raise their game after spotting when walking round the stadium at halftime a pep talk between supporters, I presume they were declaring to ‘Bring the noise’.
This appeared to make a difference with centre-back Laporte scoring the opener for Al-Nassr in the 69th minute with a half volley.
Fast forward 21 minutes, and chaos ensued in Riyadh.
Al-Shabab got a last gasp equaliser in the 90th minute courtesy of an own goal from midfielder Ali Alhassan, then seven minutes later, Al-Nassr were awarded a penalty, and cue Ronaldo stepping up to the penalty spot.
As the Portuguese star prepared to take the spot kick, anyone in attendance who had a smartphone or camera was recording as they looked to archive one of the best to ever play the game do what he does best. Ronaldo did just that, stuttering before slotting the ball the keeper’s left to put Al-Nassr 2-1 up.
It looked like Ronaldo’s penalty would be enough to secure the win for Al-Nassr, but Al-Shabab were given a lifeline after being awarded a penalty of their own in the dying seconds.
Striker Abderrazak Hamdallah was on penalty duty and his task did not get much easier with the Moroccan looking to score in front of the Al-Shabab fans. For Hamdallah, the pressure proved too much as he tried to chip the ball into the back of the Al-Nassr net, but he instead hit the post prompting wild celebrations from his opponent’s subs bench and fans as he failed to put away the rebound.
Amongst all the melee that surrounds a last gasp penalty call, Al-Nassr Mohamed Simakan was sent off before the spot kick was taken, this had little relevance as the referee blew the final whistle with Al-Nassr securing the three points after a heart stopping period of added time.
While Al-Nassr’s team is one full of huge stars, they could easily have just walked down the tunnel following the conclusion of a crazy game, but instead, it was time to celebrate with their travelling fans which continued for a considerable period which capped off what was an exciting 100 minutes or so of Saudi Pro League action.
Travelling on the bus back to the hotel, I contemplated how much spending time at Al-Shabab and Al-Nassr was an eye opening experience. There is a strong passion for football in Saudi Arabia and after visiting the country’s 2034 World Cup bid exhibition, their plans and some of the futuristic stadium designs will be an impressive feat for what is the world’s biggest sporting tournament.
With Riyadh becoming a centre point for the biggest combat sports events, whether it be boxing or MMA, clubs like Al-Nassr with Ronaldo at their disposal have the potential to broaden Saudi Arabia’s football offering and if done successfully, will make Saudi Arabia a legitimate sporting destination.
Watch Ronaldo and Nassr TV for free on DAZN
Watch Nassr TV live, exclusive and for free on DAZN, broadcast in multiple languages, including Arabic and English.
A DAZN Freemium account costs nothing and, as well as Nassr TV, provides access to action across football, boxing, NFL, golf, darts, motorsports, basketball and padel.
Nassr TV programming includes Al Nassr Today, with the latest news direct from the training ground; The Locker Room, discussing tactics and techniques of the Al Nassr squad; and Watchalong Live, with a panel of legendary ex-players and experts.
DAZN also has Saudi Pro League broadcasting rights in the following countries: Belgium, Canada, Germany, Austria, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Malta, Netherlands, Iceland, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
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