"It starts now. Eyes on the future" – Cristiano Ronaldo reacts on social media as he returns to Al-Nassr training

Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo recently shared a picture on social media from club training ahead of the new season. The 40-year-old had previously hinted at a potential exit from the Saudi giants after the Knights of Najd failed to win silverware last season.

However, the Portuguese attacker signed a new two-year contract with the Riyadh-based club in June, earlier this year. While signing a new deal with Al-Nassr, Ronaldo revealed that he received offers from multiple teams for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

However, he decided to stay in Saudi Arabia and rest ahead of the upcoming season while also preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After completing the rest period, the five-time Ballon d'Or champion has returned to training. Cristiano Ronaldo shared a post on social media with the caption:

"It starts now. Eyes on the future. We are all in."

Since joining Al-Nassr in January 2023, Ronaldo has scored 93 goals and provided 19 assists in 105 games across all competitions. However, despite winning the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot twice, the club captain has only managed to guide the Knights of Najd to one title, the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023.

New Al-Nassr boss hails Cristiano Ronaldo as 'the world's greatest celebrity'

New Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as the greatest human figure and celebrity while insisting that his influence is far beyond football.

Jorge Jesus has joined the Knights of Najd as the new boss after leaving Al-Hilal earlier this summer. During a recent interview, the Portuguese tactician heaped praise on Cristiano Ronaldo and billed him as a 'global figure'. He said on RTP's Primeira Pessoa (via GOAL):

"It's a sporting challenge. Ronaldo is different, even in biological age, which is why he's 40 and still playing. We both think very much alike outside of football. I'm 70, but I don't feel it in my psychological and physical life."

"Ronaldo is a global figure. We don't know how to value Ronaldo in Portugal. He's the world's greatest human figure. He's the world's greatest celebrity. He's far beyond the world of football." he added.

Next up, Al-Nassr will face French side Toulouse in a club friendly on Wednesday, July 30, at the Untersberg-Arena in Austria. The match would also be Jorge Jesus' first game in charge at the Riyadh-based club.

About the author

Shashank is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering European football since the past 2 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has also played the sport as a box-to-box midfielder and a full-back at national level, along with Tennis, Taekwondo and Boxing.

Shashank has been a Liverpool supporter since 2014 and had first stumbled upon the club after receiving a gift which had the words 'Liverpool FC' written on it. He has idolised Steven Gerrard over the years but his favorite football memory is the Reds' incredible comeback 4-0 win over Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semis. He, unsurprisingly, also loves Jurgen Klopp's managerial style.

He strives to report 100% accurate content by going through several social media platforms, and prides himself on his above-average vocabulary and researching skills. In his career so far, Shashank has had the privilege of interviewing Indian national football team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

Shashank also follows the Indian Super League and the Eredivisie along with European Football. In his off time, he likes to do theatre, watch Tennis, and travel.

Know More

Edited by Aditya Singh